Constitutional Governments in the Colonies
! 5 basic concepts the Colonists followed
! 1) Natural Rights must be protected ! Applied only to white, male, property owners
2) Higher Law—English Law (Magna Carta and EBoR) was the highest law
Colonial Law must follow English Law
Separation of Powers ! Colonial Government
divided into 3 branches ! Executive Branch
(Governors appointed by the King)
! Carried out and enforced laws
! Legislative Branch- Make Laws –Colonial Legislatures had two houses just like Parliament
! Judicial Branch Interpret
laws, settle conflicts, ruled over trials of accused colonists—appointed by the KIng
Checks and Balances
! Power shared between the 3 Branches
! Checks used to prevent abuse of power by a branch
! EX. Governors could not collect taxes –unless the legislature agreed
! Judges’ decisions—enforced by the governors
! Legislature checked by judges—laws did not violate English Law
Representative Government & the right to Vote
! First Legislative assemblies Virginia 1619
! EBoR 1689—
! Parliament said each Colonial Legislature had to have one house elected by the people
The Colonies
! GB paid little attention to Colonies
! GB busy with Wars ! French and Indian War
1763
! Colonies govern themselves
! Colonies source of taxes—Debts from War
! Parliament raise taxes in GB and Colonies
British Actions
! Proclamation line (1763) –Colonist cannot settle in lands west of Appalachians
! Stamp Act (1765) tax on legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, cards and dice
! Quartering Acts(1765)-required colonist to keep British Soldiers in their homes
Other Acts ! Declaratory Act (1766)-Parliament
can pass laws for the colonies “in any and all cases whatsoever”
! Boston massacre (1770)-British troops kill five Americans
! The Boston Tea Party–Colonist throw $1 million worth of Tea into Boston Harbor
! Intolerable Acts (1774) closed Boston Harbor and restricted governments in Mass—curfews, closed legislatures etc.
! (1774) First Continental Congress
Lexington and Concord
! Lexington and Concord-April 19 -1775
! (Summer 1775) Second Continental Congress—raise troops to fight war
! Declaration of Independence
! Our First Government
Bibliography ! George III-http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/07/arab-team-mascot-ethnic-slur/3461059/’
! Gadsden Flaghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsden_flag
N. Atlantichttp://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/North_Atlantic_Ocean_laea_relief_location_map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_Atlantic_Ocean_laea_relief_location_map.jpg&h=958&w=1181&sz=1155&tbnid=CcmOiOB_a4UNuM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=111&zoom=1&usg=__NXH-PSOH6X1B9rjjjp7L8_0YGmI=&docid=J2wVef-MueJ1eM&sa=X&ei=XxaAUoTkAemmsQS1yYDYBw&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAA
Stamp act http://mrnussbaum.com/history-2-2/stampact/
Stamp Act-http://whenintime.com/EventDetails.aspx?e=1744a5a6-cdd2-4b85-91ff-f558f8544503&t=/tl/shelvysantos/American_History_Timeline/
Tea Party -http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2005_winter_spring/boston_tea_party.htm
Quartering Act_http://whenintime.com/EventDetails.aspx?e=23c589a3-7d2d-41c3-820c-d06e10cfacc5&t=/tl/nking_2013/American_Revolution/
Boston Massacer_http://whenintime.com/EventDetails.aspx?e=23c589a3-7d2d-41c3-820c-d06e10cfacc5&t=/tl/nking_2013/American_Revolution/
! American Colnieshttp://dwkcommentaries.com/2012/07/16/great-britains-deteriorating-relationship-with-her-american-colonies-1765-1775/