The Road to Revolution

Our Political Beginnings

• American colonists believed that gov’t should be:– Ordered --> organized into offices– Limited --> it was NOT all-powerful– Representative --> gov’t was to serve the

people’s interests, not its own

Where Our Gov’t Ideas Came From

• Magna Carta (1215) - first document that officially limited the power of the English king– Basically said that the king did not have unlimited

power

• The Petition of Right (1628) - further limited the king’s power– couldn’t throw people in prison without a trial– couldn’t use the military to rule people in times of

peace

The English Bill of Rights (1689)

• Said:– Parliament was in control of taxing, not the

king– People couldn’t be punished for asking the

king to fix problems– No cruel and unusual punishment– Everyone got a fair trial

The Colonies (1607-1733)

• 13 English colonies were established in America for – religious freedom– commercial trading/farming/fishing– New home for debtors

– All colonies were started with a charter - written permission from the king

Types of Colonies

• Royal Colony- under the direct control of the king

• King named a royal governor to rule the colony

• Had a bicameral legislature– “bicameral” = two houses– “legislature” = group of representatives that make

laws

• Proprietary Colony - king gives land to a proprietor (overseer/owner), who organized the colony– colony was directly controlled by the proprietor,

not the king (still reported to him)

• One colony had a unicameral (one-house) legislature

• Charter Colony - based on charters given straight to the colonists– Mostly governed themselves– Officials were elected by the people, not

the king or proprietor

Group Work

• Imagine you are citizens under King John John XXXXVII.

• Create a Bill of Rights listing all the freedoms you wish to have as the king’s subject (List at least ten)– What freedoms do you value? What rights should all

people have?– Make your list REALISTIC, as if the king were going to

read it.

British Colonial Policies

• Britain was in serious debt after the French and Indian War– Decided that the colonies should help pay

it– The colonies had not been taxed and had

been left alone for several years

Problems With Britain

• “Taxation Without Representation” --> American colonists were not given a voice in Parliament– saw themselves as British subjects and believed

representation was a right of all Englishmen– Colonist believed Parliament had no right to tax

them

• Taxes:– Stamp Act - tax on paper goods and documents– Other taxes laid on imports like tea, paper, and glass

• Great Britain also:– Housed troops in people’s homes– Left troops to monitor cities– Cracked down on smuggling and enforced

strict trade rules (colonies could only trade with Britain)

– Took power from local colonial gov’ts

Response of the Colonists

• To avoid paying taxes, they would smuggle (sneak) other goods in

• They boycotted (to protest by not buying something) British goods until Parliament lifted taxes

• Protested, petitioned the King/Parliament, and destroyed British property

The Boston Massacre

• March 5, 1770 - A mob of Boston colonists harassed British troops stationed in the city, and shots were fired in the chaos, leaving 5 people dead

• Used as propaganda against the British and to encourage rebellion

The Boston Tea Party (1773)

• British tea ships block Boston Harbor until the colonists bought their tea

• 116 colonists dress up as Indians and throw boxes of tea into the Boston Harbor

• Then Britain shut down Boston’s port until they could pay back the damage