American Government Before Independence

American Government Before Independence

1. Early Colonists

   • Immigrants
     • "Land of Immigrants"
     • Americans come from many different countries
     • Trend does continues throughout history and today
   • Jamestown
     • Established in 1607
     • Native American Interactions
       • Settlers wanted to take more and more land for farming
       • Conflict become war and settlers won
       • Enslaved them but got sick and died from colonist diseases
       • Started bringing African slaves, believed would not get same illnesses
   • Plymouth
     • Established in 1620
       • Later established the Massachusetts Bay Colony
     • Puritans
       • Came to practice their beliefs
       • Strict Beliefs
   • Pennsylvania
     • Established in 1680
     • Quakers colonized
       • Practice own beliefs
       • Called for tolerance
       • William Penn - Founder
     • "Land of Penn"
   • Southern Colonies
     • Came during British unrest
     • Many were wealthy, but non-noble
   • Borderlanders
     • From England, Scotland and Ireland
     • Characteristics
       • Spoke English
       • Belief in Liberty and Human Rights

2. Magna Carta

   • King John had absolute power
   • Barons met with and forced him to sign
     • Threatened with army
     • Right to trial by jury of peers
   • Ideas original only for nobles

3. Parliment

   • Line of Kings
     • Edward
     • James II
   • Glorious Revolution
     • William and Mary
     • Bill of Rights
     • Constitutional Monarchy
   • House of Lords
     • Highest Court of Appeals
   • House of Commons
     • Prime Minister

4. Governments in the Early American Colonies

   • New Amsterdam
     • Now NYC
     • Settled by Dutch in 1650
   • Virginia
     • House of Burgesses
     • Founding
       • Virginia Company
       • John Smith
     • Privy Council
   • Massachusetts Bay
     • Mayflower Compact
       • Pilgrims had no charter
       • Allowed Pilgrims to make laws based on majority vote
   • Maryland
     • Cecilius Calvert
       • Lord of Baltimore
     • Leonard Calvert
       • Appointed governor
       • Told Cecilius to pass law for Catholics to practice in private
     • Catholic colony