civics today chapter 2 section 1
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Civics & Economics
Civics Today text
Major influence of
colonial governments
!
Enlightenment Ideas:
Limited government
Self governmentIndividual rights
How do you How do you think this think this impacted ideas impacted ideas of colonial of colonial governments?governments?
England was controlled by monarch and aristocracyAristocrats paid taxes, kept monarch in
business○Gave power and influence
The Magna Carta
“The Great Charter” Limited power of the monarch Extended rights to citizens Established the principle of
limited government
Magna Carta-1215 1st document to limit
power of English rulersKings and queens
must obey the law too!
Major step toward constitutional government
Where? - England
Parliament Started out as a large group of elite advisors Later added representatives for the common
people By 1300s became a legislature
Glorious Revolution ~ 1600s there is a power struggle
between king and Parliament 1688
Parliament removes King James II and replaces with William and Mary○ No blood shed so referred to as Glorious
RevolutionDemonstrates the strength of parliament and solidly establishes a Constitutional Monarchy
English Bill of Rights
1689 Restricted monarchs power Guaranteed free elections Right to fair trial Eliminated cruel and unusual
punishment
Common Law
Determined by custom Court legal decisions are based on
precedent Influenced American laws of property,
contracts, and personal injury
Enlightenment Thinkers Ideas They argued that the laws of nature also applied to human life and society.
John Locke (England)
Viewpoints• All humans have “natural rights”
– Life– Liberty– Property
• In order to have their “natural rights” protected, humans give up certain freedoms to Government
• If gov’t does NOT protect your Rights, citizens can OVERTHROW it!!!
DISCUSS: When you go through airport security, what freedoms might you give up?
Which one of your “natural rights” is the government protecting?
Baron de Montesquieu (France)
Viewpoints Believed too much power
in one place is dangerous for others
Introduced “Separation of Powers” between branches of government
Ex: England’s GovernmentKing-enforced lawsParliament-made lawsJudges-interpreted laws
DISCUSS: What might happen if Police Officers were the ones who determined the people they arrested guilty instead of judges or juries?
Jean Jacques Rousseau (France)
Viewpoints Humans will destroy
themselves if they don’t give up some freedoms
Humans create a “social contract” with government to protect themselves
Discuss: How are speed limits examples of the social contract?
Voltaire (France & England)
Viewpoints Believed in Civil
LibertiesTrial by Jury of
peersFreedom of ReligionFreedom of Speech
DISCUSS: Voltaire once said: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your RIGHT to say it.”
What do you think he meant by that?
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