ROOTS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

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ROOTS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

• American documents and their significance

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Whats the Magna Carta?
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MAGNA CARTA

• Latin for Great Charter
• King John was forced to sign it
• Limited power of monarch
• Protected nobles privileges/authority granted
  rights to all landholders equal treatment under
  law

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VIRGINIA COMPANY OF LONDON

• First Charter
• 1606- established rules for the colonists
• Economic Privileges- mine gold, silver, and
  coppermust give 1/15 of all of it to British
  government
• POLITICALLY- Rights of Englishmen were
  guaranteed to colonists

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VIRGINIA COMPANY OF LONDON

• Second Charter
• 1609- more power is given to the Governor to make
  laws necessary for the survival of the colonists

• Third Charter
• 1612- established courts, right to trial in
  colonies

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MAYFLOWER COMPACT

• Plymouth colonists signed it
• Govt had just and equal lawsand colonists
  would obey them
• Direct Democracy- all men vote, majority rules

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Virginia declaration of rights

• Served as a model for the Bill of Rights of the
  Constitution of the United States of America
• Written by George Mason in 1776

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Virginia declaration of rights

• All men are created equal
• People are the source of political power
• Govt is set up for the good of the people
• Elections should be free
• Right to a fair trial

• Freedom of Press
• Right to form an army
• Right to a consistent govt
• Freedom of religion
• Laws cannot be changed without the consent of the
  people
• No excessive bail
• Justice is a necessary part of free government

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Declaration of independence
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Declaration of independence

• Written by Thomas Jefferson- 1776
• Stated grievances against the king of Great
  Britain
• Declared the colonies independence from Great
  Britain
• Affirmed certain unalienable rights life,
  liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
• Established the idea that all people are created
  equal under the law

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DOI leads to the articles
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Articles of Confederation

• Established first form of national govt for the
  independent states (how to make and obey laws)
• Major powers resided with individual states
• STRONG STATE GOVT
• WEAK Central Govt- no power to tax and enforce
  laws
• Led to writing of the U.S. Constitution

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Articles of Confederation
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VIRGINIA STATUTE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

• Freedom of religious beliefs and opinions