Self-Government in the English Colonies
US History/Napp Name: ______
Historical Context:
“Beginning in Virginia in 1619 with the establishment of the House of Burgesses, forms of self-government eventually spread to most American colonies. Slowly the colonists built up a structure of rights and freedoms, drawn in part from English tradition. Among the most important freedoms were freedom of religion and freedom of the press. Many of the rights that we take for granted today, however, were absent in the colonies. Blacks could be held in slavery, and women lacked many basic rights.” ~ USA Readings, Documents, and Activities
History through Documents:
The Mayflower Compact
“The American colonists tended to see government as a compact (agreement) between people and their leaders. Those who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 agreed to establish a government and obey its rules. The people of the Mayflower considered such a formal agreement to be necessary in order to help maintain law and order. The passage below is adapted from the Mayflower Compact.”
“In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are signed below, are loyal subjects of King James.
For the glory of God, advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, we have undertaken a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia. In the presence of God and of one another, we do solemnly combine ourselves together into a political body – a civil body politic. We do this to maintain order and to preserve and advance our mutual goals. By virtue of this compact we shall enact such just and equal laws as shall be thought necessary and convenient for the general good of the colony. We promise all due submission and obedience to the colony. In witness of this, we have written our names below, at Cape Cod, 11th of November, in the Year of our Lord 1620.”
Source: The Annals of America (Chicago, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1968), Vol. 1, p. 64
Questions:
1-When and where was the Mayflower Compact signed? ______
2-According to the document, what religion did the travelers on the Mayflower follow? ______
3-Which colony was mentioned in the document? ______
4-What reasons did they give for forming a political body? ______
5-Did the signers think that they were breaking their bonds with England? ______
6-Why is this document significant? What is it suggesting about government and people? ______
Crossword Puzzle:
Do You Remember the Magna Carta?
List five facts about the Magna Carta.
On the following page, you will see if you are correct!
1-______
2-______
3-______
4-______
5-______
The Magna Carta:
“The rule of law has its basis in Magna Carta. This concept, fundamental to democratic forms of government, asserts that all – including a king, prime minister, or president – must abide by the laws of the nation. While Magna Carta does not specifically state that the king is subject to the rule of law, the provisions of this document establish that principle by imposing limits on the king’s power. The fact that the barons are given the authority to enforce this document in Chapter 61 of the original version reinforces the principle that the king could no longer ignore or violate established laws, traditions, or customs, nor could he arbitrarily infringe on the rights of his subjects. In short, the king would be compelled to abide by the rule of law.
The Magna Carta is not a carefully crafted constitution, or framework of government, like the U.S. Constitution. Rather, it addresses the principal grievances of the barons, merchants, and church officials through a set of rules designed to both restrict the power of the king and protect the liberties of Englishmen, Scots, and Welshmen.”
~ edsitement.neh.gov/sites/edsitement.neh.gov
Now, that you have read this excerpt, recreate your original list summarizing the main facts regarding the Magna Carta:
1-______
2-______
3-______
4-______
5-______
Another Point of View:
What is the main idea of the political cartoon? ______
History through Pictures: Imperfect Democracy
The two pictures below show aspects of life in the English colonies of North America. Examine the pictures and then answer the questions that follow.
- New England Town Meeting
Chesapeake Tobacco Grower
Questions:
1-For picture I, what group or groups seem to have been excluded from New England town meetings in the 18th century? ______
2-For picture II, what is the relationship between the Chesapeake tobacco grower and his laborers? ______
3-What evidence can you find in the two pictures to support the argument that democracy in the English colonies was not perfect? ______
- In the Colonial Era, developments such as the New England town meetings and the establishment of the Virginia House of Burgesses represented
(2)efforts by the British to strengthen their control over the colonies
(3)steps in the growth of representative democracy
(4)early social reform movements
- According to the Declaration of Independence, the people have the right to alter or abolish a government if that government
(2)violates natural rights
(3)becomes involved in entangling alliances
(4)favors one religion over another
- The Mayflower Compact is important to the concept of a democratic society because it represents
(2)a clear step toward self-government
(3)an early attempt to establish universal suffrage
(4)an attempt by the colonists to establish freedom of religion
- The British system of mercantilism was opposed by many American colonists because it
(2)discouraged the export of raw materials to England
(3)placed restrictions on trading
(4)encouraged colonial manufacturing /
- The Mayflower Compact, House of Burgesses, and Fundamental Orders of Connecticut are all examples of the efforts of colonial Americans to
(2)protest British land policies
(3)establish religious freedom
(4)overthrow British royal governors
- The Mayflower Compact of 1620 is considered an important step in the development of democracy in America because it
(2)established freedom of religion
(3)created the first colonial judiciary
(4)granted all males the right to vote
- The Virginia House of Burgesses was important to the development of democracy in the thirteen colonies because it
(2)created the first written constitution in America
(3)provided for direct election of senators
(4)began the practice of legislative override of executive vetoes
- The Mayflower Compact and the House of Burgesses were important to the development of democracy in colonial America because they
(2)promoted self-government
(3)protected private ownership of property
(4)granted voting rights to all white males
House of Burgesses:
“In April, 1619, Governor George Yeardley arrived in Virginia from England and announced that the Virginia Company had voted to abolish martial law and create a legislative assembly. It became the House of Burgesses – the first legislative assembly in the American colonies. The first assembly met on July 30, 1619, in the church at Jamestown. Present were Governor Yeardley, Council, and 22 burgesses representing 11 plantations (or settlements) Burgesses were elected representatives. Only white men who owned a specific amount of property were eligible to vote for Burgesses.”~ ushistory.org
1-Who was Governor George Yeardley and what did he do? ______
2-What was the House of Burgesses? ______
3-Where was the first assembly meeting held? ______
4-Who was eligible to vote for Burgesses? ______
“There have been hundreds of members of Virginia’s House of Burgesses. Among the most famous are: Peyton Randolph, William Byrd, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Pendleton, and Patrick Henry.”
5-Who do you think was the most famous member of Virginia’s House of Burgesses? ______
Something to Think About:
“What is the importance of a small legislative body formed so long ago? The tradition established by the House of Burgesses was extremely important to colonial development. Each new English colony demanded its own legislature in turn.
Historians often ponder why the American Revolution was successful. The French, Russian, and Chinese Revolutions each ended with a rise to power of a leader more autocratic than the pre-revolutionary monarch.”
My Reflection: ______
What is the meaning of the cartoon?