Origins of American Government

1
Origins of American Government

• The Colonial Experience

2
Objectives

• Explain the importance of the House of Burgesses
• Discuss the importance of the Mayflower Compact.
• Describe the similarities among English colonial
  governments
• Explain why the colonists began to develop a new
  sense of identity as Americans

3
Colonists

• Colony is a group of people in one place who are
  ruled by a government of another place
• Because England was so far away, American
  colonist could not depend on English Parliament
  to govern them

4
The House of Burgesses

• Began in 1619 in the first American settlement
  called Jamestown
• Had 22 representatives
• Had very little power
• Solved few of Jamestowns problems
• This is the first legislature in America

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The Mayflower Compact

• Written in 1620 by the Pilgrims aboard the
  Mayflower
• Compact is a agreement, or contract, among a
  group of people
• Set up the following
• Would make equal and just laws
• Set up a direct democracy
• Men would vote and majority would rule

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English Colonial Governments

• By 1733 there were 13 colonies
• Each had the following
• A governor
• Appointed by the king or elected by the colonist
• A legislature
• Many modeled after England's parliament
• Governor appointed those in the upper house
• Colonist elected those to the lower house

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A New Sense of Identity

• American colonies will become self-sufficient
• England will see them as a great source of wealth
• This will tick off the American colonist

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Discussion

• What were some differences between the House of
  Burgesses and the Mayflower compact?

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Assignment

• Read pgs. 4042

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What You Have Learned Today

• Explain the importance of the House of Burgesses
• Discuss the importance of the Mayflower Compact.
• Describe the similarities among English colonial
  governments
• Explain why the colonists began to develop a new
  sense of identity as Americans