Transcript Civics Class Notes- Chapter 2

ROOTS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
Vocabulary Needed
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Monarch
Legislature
Parliament
Precedent
Constitution
Bicameral
Confederation
Magna Carta
Mercantilism
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Common Law
Colony
Charter
Compact
Amend
Ratify
Preamble
Declaration of
Independence
How did the Founders plan our nation?
Chapter Two: Roots of
American Democracy.
Pages 26 – 49 Civics Today
Many of our
rights can be
traced back to
the political and
legal traditions of
England.
When did the King John
lose his power?
Until 1215 the
monarch held
absolute power.
The King granted
nobles vast
amounts of land for
their loyalty, military
support and tax
payments.
Why did the noblemen revolt?
King John began to
abuse the rights of
the noblemen. Taxes
were rising, arrests
were common, and
land was taken. The
nobles rebelled and
forced King John to
sign the Magna
Carta (Latin for
Magna Carta
“Great Charter”).
What were the ideas in the
Magna Carta?
The Magna Carta was a
contract that limited the
power of the king. It
protected nobles’ rights,
gave equal treatment
under the law and trial
by peers.
NO ONE WAS ABOVE
THE LAW! – not even
the King or Queen
From where did the ideas come?
Henry III followed King John
and met regularly with
nobles and clergy. They
gave advise to him. The
group grew in numbers and
power. The common people
were eventually represented.
This group became a
legislative body known as
Parliament.
How did
Parliament form?
Parliament
removed King
James II in 1688
and placed
William and Mary
on the throne.
Mary was King
James’ daughter.
Why was this called the
Glorious Revolution?
From that time on no
ruler would have more
power than the
legislature. The English
Bill of Rights in 1689 was
passed by Parliament
was agreed to by the
new monarchs.
What did it state?
Bellringer
Which system of law is
based on precedent and
customs?
Which system is laws is
America’s personal injury,
contract and property law
based upon?
English Bill of Rights made clear
that the Monarch could not:
Create Special
Courts
Raise an Army
without Parliament’s
consent
Suspend
Parliament’s
Laws
Impose Taxes
What rights were preserved?
Free Elections
in Parliament
Free Speech in
Parliament
Meetings
Cruel and Unusual
Punishment Banned
Every Citizen
Fair Trial
Every Citizen
Trial By Jury
The Bill of Rights declared:
COMMON LAW
At one point England did not have written
laws. They had rules and these had the
force of law. Courts developed and their
decisions became the basis of law.
Judges would look for a precedent to
decide their rulings.
What are they looking for?
• Precedents
• Customs
What 2 areas do we use to settle
conflict based on common law?
Establishing Colonies in
America
• In the 1600-1700’s England
was busy establishing colonies
in America
– Ruled by a parent country
somewhere else
• First colonist remained loyal to
the English political traditions
– Expected a voice in their
government and basic rights.
1607
1st permanent English Settlement?
What was the 1st
representative
assembly in the
English colony
called?
Virginia House of Burgesses
Little to None
How much power?
Mayflower Compact
Needed Gov’t.
Why was
this done
before they
left the ship?
Drew up a
written plan of
government.
What was the
plan called?
Who
signed
the
contract?
41 White Men
1620 A new group
of colonists
arrived.
Pilgrims…They…?
Signing the Compact on
Board the Mayflower by
Tompkins H. Matteson
What type of democracy did the
Mayflower Compact establish?
Direct Democracy
Green indicates?
Bellringer
• Why did the American colonists grow used
to making their own decisions?
• How did this affect them later on?
Study the two pictures. In what group
would you have belonged? Why?
CAUSE AND EFFECT
BRITISH ACTIONS
• Policy of Mercantilism
forced Colonist to buy
• 1765 Stamp Act
(newspapers./leg. doc.)
• 1766 Declaratory Act
• 1767 Townshend Acts
• 1773 Tea Act (Unfair
trade for E. Br. Ind.Co)
• Coercive Acts (Intolerable
Acts)
COLONIST RESPONSES
• Colonial business
suffered
• “No Taxation Without
Representation (boycott
Eng. Goods)
• Boycott Eng. Goods since
Stamp Act was repealed.
• Blocked/ Bost. Tea Party
• First Continental Cong.
King George III responded with force.
What 2 battles changed the minds of
colonists?
January 1776
May 1775 colonist leaders meet again. What
was the meeting called? Purpose?
To write a document that would announce
independence!
Who was the major contributor to this
document? What did it state?
These are the beliefs concerning the
rights of individuals. Rough Draft?
That to secure these rights, Governments
are instituted among Men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the
governed, — That whenever any Form
of Government becomes destructive of
these ends, it is the Right of the People
to alter or to abolish it, and to institute
new Government, …
The Declaration of Independence goes
on to say… What does it mean?
Pg.44-47 Civics Today
The Articles of Confederation
STRENGTHS:
1.To declare war and make peace
2.To coin and borrow money
3.To detail with foreign countries
and sign treaties
4.To operate post offices
The First Constitution was
called…
WEAKNESSES:
1.The national government could not force the
states to obey its laws.
2.It did not have the power to tax
3.It did not have the power to enforce laws
4.Congress lacked strong and steady
leadership
5.There was no national army or navy
6.There was no system of national courts
7.Each state could issue its own paper money
8.Each state could put tariffs on trade between
states. (A tariff is a tax on goods coming in
from another state or country.)
STATES
Under the Articles of Confederation
who held the power? National or
State government?
The End!
2011 S. Marshall
Slidell High School