Summary of Historical Documents

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Chapter 2 Summary of Historical Documents Section
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Influences from Englands Early Government

• The English brought with them a history of
  limited and representative government.

• England was ruled by a MONARCH a king or queen,
  but nobles held much power.

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1. Nobles wanted fair equal treatment under the
   law. So they forced King John to sign the

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(1) Magna Carta June 15, 1215 in Runneymead
England

1. Written by English Lords/Nobles

It limited the power of the king or queen
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B. Used as a basis for the Bill of Rights.
1. Granted equal treatment for citizens accused
of a crime.
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• Right to confront your accuser

b. Right to trial by jury
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• King Henry II followed King John
• in 1216.

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• The nobles and church officials who advised the
  King, Henry II, developed into a LEGISLATURE a
  lawmaking body- known as PARLIAMENT.

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• In 1688, in a power struggle, Parliament removed
  King James II from the throne.
• This peaceful transfer of power was the Glorious
  Revolution.

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• From then on, no ruler would have more power than
  the legislature.

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2. English Bill of Rights 1689 in Westminster,
England.
A. Written by Parliament (lawmaking body of
England.
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B. Stated that the power of the monarch
(king/queen) should be limited.
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C. Included many liberties found in the
Constitution Bill of Rights
1. Free elections
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2. Protection from cruel and unusual punishment
and excessive bail.
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3. Trial by Jury
4. Free Speech
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• In its early days, England had no written laws.
  People developed rules to live by which came to
  have the force of law.

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• Judges made rulings consistent with PRECEDENTS,
  or rulings in earlier cases.

• The system of law based on precedent and custom
  is known as common law.

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Question What were some rights guaranteed by
the English Bill of Rights?
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Bringing the English Heritage to America

• A colony is a group of people in one place who
  are ruled by a parent country elsewhere.

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• English colonists in America remained loyal
  subjects of England. They accepted English law
  and expected the same rights they enjoyed in
  England.

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• 3.The Virginia Companys Charter
• A charter is a written document granting land and
  the authority to set up colonial governments.

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• The Virginia Companys Charter was granted by
  King James I to a group of merchants from London.

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• The Virginia Companys charter promised the
  colonists of Jamestown the same liberties as in
  England.

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• These representatives formed the House of
  Burgesses, the first legislature in the colonies.

• It marked the beginning of self-government in the
  colonies.

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(4). Mayflower Compact

• A compact is an agreement, or contract, among a
  group of people.

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• Before arriving in Plymouth, the Pilgrims drew up
  the Mayflower Compact, November 11, 1620 in what
  is now Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

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A. Written by the Pilgrims on board the
Mayflower.
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• Under this contract all men would vote, the
  majority would rule. This set up a direct
  democracy in the colony.

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B. Established rule by the people (popular
sovereignty) which later became known as social
contract theory of government.
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C. Later used to justify American independence
from Great Britain government should be formed
by the people.
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Early Colonial Governments

• Later English colonies along the east coast
  followed the examples of the Mayflower Compact
  and the House of Burgesses.

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• Each colony had a governor and elected
  legislature, often modeled after Parliament.

• The colonial governments took on more power over
  time, as the king and Parliament were preoccupied
  at home.

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• The colonies grew used to making their own
  decisions.

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Question What examples did new colonies follow
in setting up their governments?
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They followed the examples from the Mayflower
Compact and the House of Burgesses by
establishing self rule.
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Matching A. MonarchB. ColonyC.
LegislatureD. Common lawE. precedent
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Explain What is the historical significance of
Virginias House of Burgesses?
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It marked the beginning of colonial
self-government.
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Summarize What did the Mayflower Compact do?
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It established a system of direct democracy- all
men could vote and the majority ruled. It also
established the concept of popular sovereignty or
rule by the people.
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Drawing conclusions Explain the significance of
the Glorious Revolution.
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It changed the idea of government in England no
ruler would have more power than the Parliament.