Bellwork

1
Bellwork

• List at least one right established by each of
  the following documents
• Petition of Right
• Habeas Corpus Act
• English Bill of Rights

2
Lecture Lesson 7

• Rights Constitutional Government
• In Colonial America
• Social, economic, and political differences
• Colonial constitutions governments
• Basic American rights

3
The English Influence

• Colonial America almost ½ of American history
  (150 years)
• Colonies were English colonies
• Traditions, laws, political ideas/models
• However,
• Distance
• Different Conditions
• Led to adapting old ideas and
• developing new ideas

4
The American Experience

• LOTS of cheap land
• Not enough people to work the land
• More opportunities to develop yourself
  economically
• - Title and status meant little to nothing
  compared to ambition and skill
• - 50 acres a vote!
• Property becomes a basis for ECONOMIC
  POLITICAL power

5
Examples

• Benjamin Franklin
• 1 of 17 children of a candlestick maker
• Thomas Paine
• Son of a corset maker from England
• Alexander Hamilton
• Illegitimate son of poor parents

6
Colonial Constitutions Government

• Written bills, charters, petitions, etc. were all
  the thing in England
• Meant
• No abuse from England
• No abuse from Colonial governments

7
Bellwork 9/1/06

• Briefly explain how the easy availability of land
  in the early American colonies led to ECONOMIC
  and POLITICAL power.

8
Examples of Constitution

• Mayflower Compact (1620)
• 1st government contract
• Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
• 1st colonial constitution
• All had similar characteristics
• Written
• Certain basic constitutional principles
• Fundamental rights
• Rule of law
• Separation of powers (exec, jud, leg)
• Checks and balances
• Right to vote

9
Representation in American

• Was there more representation in America than in
  England?
• England America shared inalienable right
• Property suffrage (right to vote)
• Differences in America
• More land in America far more votes
• Colonial elections occurred more frequently
• More candidates to choose from
• Candidates came from the same area represented
  your interests

10
Basic American Rights

• Same rights as in England
• Massachusetts's Body of Liberties (1764)
• Basic rights not to be abused by colonial govt
• Included
• Rule of law
• Trial by jury
• Free elections
• Right to property
• No forced self-incrimination
• No cruel unusual punishment
• Right to petition
• Just compensation

11
Did all Americans have these rights?

• NO!!
• Just white, protestant males
• Women
• Own property
• Manage own affairs
• Husband and women are one person
• No political rights

12
Did all Americans have these rights?

• Indentured Servants Slaves
• Considered property
• African slaves formed 20 colonial population
  (700,000 out of 3, 500,00 people)
• Americas prosperity relied on slavery
• NO HUMAN RIGHTS
• SLAVERY WAS A CONFLICT OF THE RIGHTS EARLY
  AMERICANS HELD TO BE INALIENABLE!

13
Summary

• Americans had to adapt old ideas as well as
  create new ideas to their special needs
• Constitutional government was a strong fixture in
  colonial America with very similar forms and
  characteristics from colony to colony
• Certain rights were widely accepted throughout
  the colonies (although not everyone was allowed
  these rights)