Rights and Representation 1215 - 1776

1215 – 1500s

Key developments regarding people’s RIGHTS and their REPRESENTATION in government?

1215 – 1500s

- Magna Carta- Great Council Parliament- Parliament grows into 2 houses:

- Hs of Lords- Hs of Commons

- Knights of the SHIRES- Burgesses (from BOROUGHS)

1600s – 1650s

1600s – 1650s

- First colonies in North America: why?- Charters: why?- Representative government in the colonies

- House of Burgesses in Virginia- Great Court in Massachusetts Bay colony

- Salutary neglect

salutary neglect

colonies may govern themselves as long as British government continues to profit:

- trade- natural resources

1650s – 1680s

1650s – 1680s

- Navigation Acts - More colonies- More charters- Tensions between Parliament and King

civil war (“Glorious Revolution”) ?

1689

1689 English Bill of Rights

individual rights and limits on power of monarch

1690

1690

John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government- natural rights- purpose of government

late 1600s – 1700sother people writing during the Enlightenment

add to the discussion over rights and the role of government: Rousseau, Montesquieu, etc.

1732

1732

Georgia colony is created.

There are 13 English colonies in North America!

But who else has also staked a claim on North America?

European powers in N. America

- France- Spain- England- (and in the NW: Russia)

1754 - 1763

1754 - 1763

French and Indian War(Seven Years’ War, War of Conquest, etc.)

Winner?

Consequences of winning war?

Consequences of winning war?

• More land• Great debts• Uneasiness about western lands• Solutions sought by British government (king and Parliament)?

1763

• Keep British soldiers in N. America• Expect colonists to “quarter” them (lodge and

feed them, in their homes)• Forbid movement west of Appalachians:

Proclamation Line of 1763

1760s – 1770s

• Keep British soldiers in N. America• Expect colonists to “quarter” them (lodge and

feed them, in their homes)• Forbid movement west of Appalachians

• Raise taxes on everyday items and basic services: stamps on documents, molasses, paper, paint, cloth, tea, etc.

Salutary neglect?

Taxation without representation!

- Parliament and King George III are making life difficult for colonists.

- Colonists are not represented in Parliament, but still are expected to abide by its laws.

- Colonists should be able to petition the King, but he’s not listening to their pleas.

1760s – 1770sTensions rise. Resentments grow.COLONISTS:

- mount boycotts of British goods- make do with homespun, homemade- mock royal officials (tax collectors)- evade customs officers- throw tea overboard

British soldiers/officials:- redouble presence on the ground, arrest troublemakers- pass new laws, impose fines

Loyalists vs. Patriots

1774 - 75

- Intolerable Acts - Close Boston harbor- Replace Mass. elected officials with loyalists

- Patriots organize Continental Congresses, petition King George

- First military skirmishes occur

1776

• January -- Thomas Paine’s Common Sense• June -- Virginia declares its independence• June -- Third Continental Congress appoints a

committee to draft a joint declaration• 2 July – committee presents draft to

Continental Congress

July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence is signed and made public.

Steps to independence:

- Declaration (1776)- War (1775 – 1781)- Treaty (1783)

- Figuring out how to govern themselves as states/countries/a federation of states while protecting individuals’ rights

(1776 – 1790)

Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776,

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

Declaration of Independence

When in the Course of human events…

Declaration of Independence

If a group of people wants to break off from a larger group, they should explain why they are doing it.

Declaration of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident…

Declaration of Independence

This is what we believe to be true:- All human beings are of equal worth.- All human beings are born with basic rights,

simply because they are human:- They are entitled to live.- They are entitled to be free.- They are entitled to live in whatever way seems

right to them, as long as they do not harm others.

Declaration of Independence

We also think it is true that:- the purpose of government is to protect

people’s natural rights- the only legitimate government is one that has

been chosen/shaped by the people it rules over and that seeks to serve their interests

Declaration of Independence

We think it’s obvious that:- if any government fails to protect the rights of

its citizens, then the people are entitled to change or get rid of it, and to put into place a new government -- which will respect people’s rights

- This is not something that is easy to do, but if the gov’t is not working right, citizens can and must work to change it.

Declaration of Independence

This is the situation that the colonies in North America face: for many years, they have been subject to unfair government, by the current King who has repeatedly tried to take advantage of them and continues to disregard their rights.

These are all of the terrible things he has done…

Grievances against the King

Grievances against the King and Parliament for passing laws against us

More grievances against the King

What we have tried to do

- In relation to the King

- In relation to other people in Britain who might care about us

Declaration of Independence

We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity…

Declaration of Independence

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled… do…declare…

Declaration of Independence

We who represent the united but independent countries that we are, through this document, we announce to the world that we are now independent countries, and that, as such, we can do the same things that any other country in the world is entitled to do (wage war, establish peace, work with other countries, trade, etc.).

Rights and representation

• 1215• Early 1600s (-1732)• 1689• 1776