Roots of Democratic Government

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Roots of Democratic Government

• Judeo-Christian TraditionThe Greco-Roman
  TraditionEnglish Parliamentary Traditions

2
Roots of Democratic Government

• American Democracy was influenced
• by the Middle East
• by the great civilizations of Greece and Rome
• by the system of government developed in Britain

3
Judeo-Christian Tradition

• Traditions expressed basic moral and spiritual
  values
• Judaism faith of ancient Hebrews
• the heart of the Jewish religion Ten
  Commandments
• Christianity - emerged from Judaism 2000 years
  ago honors Jesus believes that all people are
  created equally in eyes of God
• This influenced the Declaration of Independence
  1776

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Greco-Roman Traditions (slide 1)

• Greek Influences
• Direct Democracy Popular Sovereigntya system of
  govt where ordinary citizens make decisions by
  voting
• Responsible citizens follow laws
• Trial by Jury is a guaranteed right (Jury a
  panel of citizens who make judgments at a trial)

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Greco-Roman Traditions (slide 2)

• Roman Traditions
• Republic the citizens choose their
  representatives to make laws
• Belief that everyone is equal before the law
• Belief that the accused is innocent until proven
  guilty

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English Parliamentary Traditions

• Middle Ages period in Europe from the Fall of
  Rome to 1400
• Englands form of govt individuals have
  certain rights
• Three main influences on US govt
• 1. Magna Carta
• 2. English Parliament
• 3. English Bill of Rights

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Magna Carta

• 1215 Nobles forced Englands king to sign
• Limited kings powers to tax w/o consulting the
  people
• Protected rights of people to own property and
  guaranteed right to trial by jury
• Rights first granted to nobles and eventually
  citizens the king had to obey the laws

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Parliament

• Council to advise king formed under Magna Carta
• Greatest power right to approve new taxes
• (king needed Parliaments consent)
• Legislation group of people w/ power to make
  laws
• Two-house legislation formed

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English Bill of Rights

• Bill of Rights a written list of freedoms for
  citizens that the govt protects
• English Bill of Rights (1688) followed
  supported much of Magna Carta
• Habeas Corpus a person cant be held in prison
  w/o being charged w/ a crime

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How well were you listening?

• Give one example of Roman influence and one
  example of Greek influence on US govt today.
• How did Christianity and Judaism influence our
  country?
• What do the terms republic, popular sovereignty,
  and Habeas Corpus mean?
• What does a jury do? What does right to a trial
  by jury mean?
• How did the Magna Carta and the English Bill of
  Rights influence our govt?

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• Early Settlers and Pre-Revolutionary War

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Early Explorers

• 20,000-60,000 years ago-Native Americans cross
  Bering Strait
• 1492-Columbus Spanish Conquistadors
• 1524-French Explorers
• 1500s Portuguese
• 1600s English

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Seeds of Exchange

• Horse
• Disease
• Corn
• Potato
• Sugar

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Early Settlers

• 1585-Roanoke (unsuccessful colony)
• 1607-Jamestown(first successful colony thanks to
  indentured servants-tobacco for English
  investors)
• 1620-Pilgrims (Separatists)(came for religious
  freedom)Mayflower Compact Just equal laws
• Late 1600s-Puritans
• Salem Witch Trials Puritan Work Ethic

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Colonial Regions

• New England Colonies (northern) had land
  difficult to farm (subsistence farming existed)
  center of shipbuilding and trade
• Middle Colonies Bread Basket - farming (cash
  crops) and shipping
• Southern Colonies plantation economy (very
  large farms) depended on slavery cotton,
  tobacco, rice, indigo creating MAJOR trade
• England passed laws that controlled colonial trade

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An Emerging American Identity

• 17302-1740s Great Awakening (religious
  revival) Preacher Jonathon Edwards commit to
  God
• Early1700s Salutary Neglect (colonial self
  governing Englands focus elsewhere)
• Freedom of the Press (criticism of government)
• Period of Enlightenment used scientific reason,
  observation, and experiments to open minds

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Enlightenment expands to Politics

• Applied reason to politics
• John Locke (English philosopher) proposed natural
  rights (belong to everyone from birth) life,
  liberty property believed rights came from God
  not govt
• govt should protect these rights, and if a
  monarch violates these rights, people could
  overthrow monarch!
• Baron de Montesquieu (French philosopher)
• Separation of Powers division of power of govt
  into separate branches legislative, executive
  and judicial
• By 1770s most Americans believed they were born
  with natural rights Ben Franklin- colonial
  Enlightenment thinker!!!

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Things Change in America

• 1756-1763-French and Indian War
• (aka Seven Years War)
• 1763-Treaty of Paris (England defeats French and
  gains land)
• England needs money to pay war debt leading to
  taxing Americans leading to serious protests
  dissention

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Building Tension Between England and the Colonies

• 1763-Proclamation of 1763
• 1765-Quartering Act Stamp Act
• 1766-Stamp Act Failed
• 1767-Townshend Acts
• 1770-Boston Massacre Parliament repeals
  Townshend Acts
• 1772-Committee of Correspondence formed by Samuel
  Adams
• 1773-Tea Act Boston Tea Party
• 1774-Intolerable Acts
• First Continental Congress formed

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War Erupts!!!

• Minutemen soldiers ready to form quickly
• April 1775-Lexington Concord
• Second Continental Congress soon names George
  Washington as commander of Continental Army

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THE END