1. Where did America get its ideas about government?
Colonial Influences
Mayflower Compact
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights
Cato’s Letters
Common Sense
Collection of Good Ideas
Where did America get its ideas about government?

2. What’s the big idea? Rule of Law Self Government Due Process
All people must follow the laws, and the laws should be enforced fairly.
Self Government
People can make decisions on how their government should work.
Due Process
People have the right to fair and reasonable laws. Officials have to follow rules when enforcing laws and need to treat all people in the same way.
Limited Government
A government that has been limited in power by a constitution, or written agreement.
Rights
A set of things that people believe they should be free to do without restrictions.

3. Abuse of Power
At the beginning of the 13th century, King John ruled over England
As Enland’s monarch, King John used unfair practices to control his people
Unfair taxes
Rules that limited individual rights
Dictatorial style of leadership

4. Establish the Foundation for Self-Government
King John’s actions angered the people of England, especially the nobles
Using their political and economic power, the nobles forced King John to sign a charter protecting the fundamental rights of the people
Signed on June 15, 1215 this charter became know as the Magna Carta, or the “Great Charter”

5. Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a government document that limited the power of the king of England and protected the rights of the nobility. It was written by the English nobility in 1215.
Big Ideas:
Limited Government
Rights
Rule of Law
Due Process
Magna Carta

6. Magna Carta
Some specific individual rights protected by the Magna Carta include:
Due process of law
Property protection
Proper taxation
Although many of the rights protected under the Magna Carta only served a small portion of the population—the wealthy nobles– it served as a foundation for future protection of rights for all people
This was the first written Western document acknowledging the protection of individual rights .

7. English Bill of Rights Big Ideas: Limited Government Rights
In 1689, England’s Parliament furthered the protection of individual rights by forcing the King of England to sign into effect the English Bill of Rights.
The English Bill of Rights was a government document that expanded the powers of the English Parliament and expanded the rights of the people, as well as further limited the rights of the king. It was written by the members of the English Parliament in 1689.
Big Ideas:
Limited Government
Rights
Due Process
Rule of Law
English Bill of Rights
Magna Carta
Mayflower Compact

8. Mayflower Compact Big Ideas: Self Government Rule of Law
The Mayflower Compact was an agreement among individuals that created a government that would provide order and protect the rights of the colonists. It was written by a group of English Pilgrims as they traveled to Massachusetts in 1620.
Big Ideas:
Self Government
Rule of Law
Mayflower Compact
Magna Carta

9. Cato’s Letters
Cato’s Letters were made up of a collection of newspaper articles published to convince people to support the freedom of expression and to fight against the heavy handed rule of the British government. They were written by two anonymous English journalists in the 1720’s.
Big Ideas:
Rights
Rule of Law
English Bill of Rights
Cato’s Letters
Magna Carta
Mayflower Compact

10. Common Sense
Common Sense was a pamphlet written to convince the American colonists to support becoming independent from England. It was written by a colonial journalist and circulated in 1776.
Big Ideas:
Self Government
Rights
English Bill of Rights
Cato’s Letters
Common Sense
Magna Carta
Mayflower Compact

11. In the Colonies: Virginia House of Burgesses
Established in 1619, the Virginia House of Burgesses served as the first colonial assembly in the 13 colonies
A colonial assembly consisted of persons elected as representatives to the government. The colonial assembly met to determine the laws and governmental policies for the people of their colony
The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first representative government in the colonies

12. In the Colonies: Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut served as the first written colonial constitution
Adopted in 1639, the Connecticut constitution protected individual rights of the Connecticut colonists
The constitution also established a religious tolerant government and helped serve as an example for future colonial constitutions.