Governing the Colonies

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Chapter 4 Section 1 Governing the Colonies
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Section Focus Question How did English Ideas
about government and trade affect the colonies?
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The English Parliamentary Tradition The Magna
Carta In 1215, King John signed the Magna Carta
(Great Charter In Latin). It is an important
historical document that took some power away
from the king and gave some rights and freedoms
to the people.
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The Magna Carta was the source of many of the
important ideas contained in founding documents
of the United States, such as the Declaration of
Independence and the Bill of Rights.
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Ideas taken from the Magna Carta Rule of
Law Balance of Power Power of the Purse Security
of Private Property Limited Government Due
Process of Law Jury by peers
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Idea taken from the Magna Carta Rule of
Law Laws exist, and all citizens must obey them.
The king is not above the law. If the king
breaks the law, his vassals can remove him from
the throne.
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Idea taken from the Magna Carta Balance of
Power Even though the king is the nations
leader and authority, his vassals have both the
right and the responsibility to check or limit
his power.
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Idea taken from the Magna Carta Power of the
Purse The king cannot levy any extra taxes
without the common consent of the realm.
Without new taxes, the king cannot increase his
army and overturn the balance of power by
attacking his vassals.
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Idea taken from the Magna Carta Security of
Private Property Things that do not belong to the
king (land, tools, livestock) cannot be taken
from their owner without their consent. This
agreement not only preserves the right of
subjects to own property but also stops the king
from becoming richer or more powerful by taking
property from his subjects.
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Idea taken from the Magna Carta Limited
Government There are limits to the powers of
both the king and his barons. This idea relates
to the balance of power.
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Idea taken from the Magna Carta Due Process of
Law Someone who is accused of a crime cannot
simply be condemned by the king or his sheriffs.
There is a process for hearing both sides of the
case and making a fair judgment.
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Idea taken from the Magna Carta Judgment By
Ones Peers This idea is the seed of our jury
system, which guarantees that the guilt or
innocence of a citizen accused of a crime will be
decided by a jury of his or her peers.
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Parliament .
Under the Magna Carta, nobles formed a Great
Council to advise the King. This body developed
into the English Parliament which was a two-house
legislature. The House of Lords was made up of
nobles and the members of the House of Commons
were elected. Conflict between King Charles I and
Parliament led to the English Civil war in the
1640s. The monarchy fell but was restored in
1660, with Parliament keeping it rights
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English Bill of Rights
Under the Magna Carta, nobles formed a Great
Council to advise the King. This body developed
into the English Parliament which was a two-house
legislature. The House of Lords was made up of
nobles and the members of the House of Commons
were elected. Conflict between King Charles I
and Parliament led to the English Civil war in
the 1640s. The monarchy fell but was restored in
1660, with Parliament keeping it rights.
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ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS

• In 1686 Parliament removed King James II from the
  throne and offered the monarchy to William and
  Mary.
• This was known as the "Glorious Revolution."
  (Revolution because they overthrew the last
  Catholic monarch, Glorious because no one died.)
• Had to agree to certain conditions which limited
  their power.

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ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS

• No standing armies during peace time.
• Parliament elected by the people and law making
  body
• King cannot tax without the permission of
  Parliament.

• Guarantees of trial by jury, fair and speedy
  trial, freedom from excessive bail, cruel and
  unusual punishment. It upheld habeas corpus, the
  principle that a person cannot be held in prison
  without being charged with a specific crime.

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ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS

• Promoted limited, ordered representative
  government.
• Influenced our Bill of Rights

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How was the power of English monarchs
limited? The monarch needed Parliaments
permission to raise taxes or an army. Parliament
was allowed to meet regularly.
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Colonial Self Government
The English colonists who settled America
brought with them three main concepts
The need for an ordered social system, or
government. The idea of limited government, that
is, that government should not be all-powerful.
The concept of representative government or a
government that serves the will of the people.
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Colonial Self Government (Cont)
Colonist expected to have the same rights they
had under Parliamentary law. Therefore, they set
up legislature in many colonies.
The House of Burgesses in Jamestown which became
the first legislature in North America. The
General Court in Massachusetts. However, the
British government gave William Penn full
ownership of Pennsylvania. They created the
General Assembly in 1701.
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Colonial Self Government (Cont)

By 1760, every colony had a legislature. From
50 to 75 percent of white males in the
American However, many groups could not vote,
including women, Native Americans, or Africans.
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• Which groups of people were permitted to vote in
  colonial elections and which were not?
• More than half of the white males were permitted
  vote, but women, Native Americans, and Africans
  could not vote.

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Freedom of the Press

• The Zenger trial of 1735 helped to establish
  freedom of the press.
• John Peter Zenger, a New York publisher charged
  with libel against the colonial governor
• Zengers lawyer argues that what he wrote was
  true, so it cant be libel
• English law says it doesnt matter if its true
  or not
• Jury acquits Zenger because the articles were
  based on fact.
• Not total freedom of the press, but newspapers
  now took greater risks in criticism of political
  figures.

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ZENGER TRIAL
Zenger decision was a landmark case which paved
the way for the eventual freedom of the
press. Zenger Case, 1734-5 New York newspaper
assailed corrupt local governor, charged with
libel, defended by Alexander Hamilton
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Why was the Zenger case important? The trial
established the principle that the press has both
the right and the responsibility to inform the
public of the truth.
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Regulating TradeNavigation Acts (1651)

• Under mercantilism, colonies existed to serve the
  economic needs of the parent country.
• Series of laws called the
• Acts of Trade Navigation.
• These laws tried to guarantee more exclusive
  trade between England the colonies.

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Navigation Acts (1651)

• No country could trade with colonies unless the
  goods were shipped using British or colonial
  ships.
• British or colonial ships needed to be at least
  to have a crew that was 3/4 English or colonial.

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Navigation Acts (1651)

• Certain colonial products could only be sold to
  England.
• Tobacco
• Sugar
• Rice
• Molasses
• Furs

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• Many colonists resented being told they could
  trade only with England in many cases.
• Many colonists ignored these laws because they
  felt the laws favored England and limited the
  colonists chances to make money by not being
  able to sell goods to foreign markets.
• Some colonists got around the Navigation Acts by
  smuggling that is, by importing and exporting
  goods illegally.

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Why did many colonists resent the Navigation
Acts? The Colonists believed the acts hurt
them economically.
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Section Focus Question How did English Ideas
about government and trade affect the
colonies? The colonist enjoyed the traditional
political rights of English citizens, but under
the theory of mercantilism trade policies were
structured to benefit the parent country.