Early America – on the road to
self-government…
Looking at our Founding Fathers
English Heritage through documents
Democracy was not created in a
heartbeat. In a world where people
were ruled by monarchs from above,
the idea of self-government is
entirely alien
The American founders were well versed
in the writings of their English heritage
–Magna Carta (1215)
–Mayflower Compact (1620)
–Petition of Right (1628)
–Massachusetts Body of Liberties (1641)
–English Bill of Rights (1688)
Time for a Treasure Hunt
• Grab an Ipad
• Get into Groups of up to 5
• Each Group has a Founding Documents
Treasure Hunt sheet
– Take a look at the Directions
Most of the early Americans
came from England
• Brought with them 2 Principles
Limited Government
Representative
Government
Limited Government –
def: Gov’t on which strict limits are
BUT…English monarchy began to be
placed, usually by a constitution
limited in their power…
• Early English History
By the 19th century, the Divine Right
Absolute
Monarchy
was regarded
as an obsolete reason
claimed supreme autocratic power
why
someone
should
rule
by divine right, and that their
subjects had no rights to limit
their power
NOOOO!
Makes me a
happy man!
Documents that limited power
1215
Magna Carta
(The Great Charter)
England’s
National Treasure
King John was not a good King.
He liked to fight wars kept raising taxes But
then he kept losing wars, and losing territory.
Barons FORCED (threat of rebellion) John to
sign (limit his power)
NPR
radio
segment
Documents that limited power
Mayflower Compact
The passengers declared
their intention to start the
“first colony in the
northern parts of
Virginia.”
- Stated that they had
now covenanted and
combined themselves into
a society for their “better
Ordering and
Preservation.
Documents that
limited power
1628 Petition
of Right
Throughout reign, King Charles I collected customs
duties by the royal prerogative.
- This continued even though Parliament had voted in
1625, against long-standing custom and set a precedent
that the king could collect this revenue only for one
year.
HE ALSO Helping King of France fight civil war (needed
money)
HOWEVER under the terms of the Magna Carta
taxes could not be
imposed without the agreement of Parliament.
(Parliament against this)
ALSO tried to raise money without Parliament through
a Forced Loan in 1626, and imprisoned without trial a
number of those who refused to pay it.
1629  King dissolved Parliament
He did not call another one for 11 years
1628
Parliament
forced
King that
to assent
- Made it known his distaste
for dealing
with Parliament
andthe
his belief
the royal
the
of Right.
on his
prerogative allowed him totorule
andPetition
to raise money
without(focused
[parliament]
violations of the law)
In 1648  Charles was forced to
appear
before
a high court
enemies)
*The
king
accepted
the(controlled
PetitionbyofhisRight,
where he was convicted of treason and sentenced to death.
but soon broke his word and resumed the
Early in the next year, he was beheaded.
violations.
Documents that limited power
Massachusetts Body of Liberties (1641)
Was one of the first written
governing documents in New
England,
 was a code of laws written by a
Puritan leader (Minister and
Lawyer), intended to assist the
General Court.
- Many of the limits on
government power listed were
included in the Magna Carta or
came out of British common law.
Documents that limited power
1689 English Bill of Rights
As part of what is called the “Glorious Revolution
*a blood-less coup which led to the overthrow of King
James II
In order to limit the powers of King William III and
Mary of Orange who ascended to the throne in
1689 (Conditions they had to agree to)
- to prevent abuse of powers in future monarchs
•  Parliament issued a declaration, later enacted
as the Bill of Rights
**Changed the role and powers of the Kings of
England from those of an Absolute monarch to a
Constitutional monarch.
• An 'Absolute Monarchy' meant the king had the
power to do anything without any constraint by law
or parliament
• A 'Constitutional Monarchy' meant the king acted
as a figurehead whose power was limited by
parliament
British colonists in
North American British Citizens – familiar with
Representative Government – People
choose a limited number of individuals
to make governmental decisions for all
citizens
• England - Parliament
– Upper Chamber - House of Lords (hereditary or
appointed for life)
– Lower Chamber – House of Commons (elected from
districts)