the roots of our democracy
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The Roots of Our Democracy. Babylonians develop system of government-write Hammurabi’s code. First Government. The Bible:. Hebrew prophets developed the idea of all people being equal , created in the image of God. The idea caring for the weaker members of society. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
THE ROOTS OF OUR DEMOCRACY
FIRST GOVERNMENT Babylonians develop system of
government-write Hammurabi’s code
The Bible:• Hebrew prophets
developed the idea of all people being equal, created in the image of God.
• The idea caring for the weaker members of society.
GREEKS AND ROMANS The ancient Greeks and
Romans were the first civilizations in history to create governments based on Democracy
DEMOS = PEOPLE KRATIA = RULE
Athens created a direct democracy in 508 B.C.
Rome later developed an indirect democratic system.
ROMANS
Romans write down constitutional principles on Twelve Tablets
Catholic Church redefines power and authority
The Magna Carta
• British Document• King John forced to recognize his
power was limited by the Barons• First step toward limited
government
John ruled England from 1199 to 1216. He faced the following problems:
1. He quarrelled with the Pope about how to run the Church.
2. John went to war twice against the French king. He lost almost all the land that his father had gained in France!
3. John raised taxes in England to pay for the wars. This upset his BARONS! He ordered them to pay far more tax than earlier kings had done!
How did Barons strike back?• In 1214 many barons rebelled against John. • In 1215 the barons forced John to grant a
charter, which was the first time anyone had expected an English king to obey a set of rules.
King John
The Magna CartaI, King John, accept that I have to govern
according to the law.So I agree:1. Not to imprison nobles without trial2. That trials must be in courts; not held in
secret by me3. To have fair taxation for the nobles4. To let freemen travel wherever they like5. Not to interfere in Church matters6. Not to seize crops without paying for them…. and lot more things too!!
ERASMUS It was his lifelong conviction that
what was needed to regenerate Europe was sound learning applied frankly and fearlessly to the administration of public affairs in Church and State.
Believed strongly in human rights, equality, and human freedom
"laid the egg that Luther hatched“ Contemporary of Martin Luther and
Machiavelli
MARTIN LUTHER Luther leads reformation of Catholic Church His letter to the Pope entitled “Freedom of
a Christian”, which is what finally got him excommunicated (thrown out of the Church), stated that "there is no basic difference in status and dignity ... between laymen and priests, princes and bishops, religious and secular. Before God all are equal.”
JOHN CALVIN Theologian, pastor and political
reformer during Protestant Reformation
Calvin takes reformation further Led Geneva, Switzerland, to be a self-
governing theocracy Believed in public education, support
for the poor, predestination, free will, individual responsibility and equality
Followers in France called Huguenots, in Scotland called Presbyterians, in England and the American colonies called Puritans
The Petition of Right sets out specific liberties that the king is prohibited from infringing. It was passed by Parliament in May 1628, in response to abuses by the King, and agreed to by Charles I1. taxes can be levied only by
Parliament2. martial law can’t be imposed in
time of peace3. prisoners may challenge their
imprisonment through the writ of habeas corpus.
4. ban on the housing of troops is reflected in the Third Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The Petition of Right
The Bill of RightsPassed by Parliament in December 1689,
it defined certain rights to which subjects and permanent residents of a constitutional monarchy were thought to be entitled in the late 17th century.1. subjects' right to petition the monarch2. the right to bear arms3. restates requirements of the Crown to seek the consent of the people, as represented in parliament
The Mayflower Compact was the first self-governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the colonists, later together known to history as the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower. Almost half of the colonists were part of a separatist group seeking the freedom to practice Christianity according to their own determination and not the will of the English Church. It was signed on November 11, 1620 by 41 of the ship's one hundred and two passengers, in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod
The Mayflower Compact
THE GREAT AWAKENING 1730-1740
REASONS FOR THE GREAT AWAKENING
Gave colonists a shared national religious experience
Preachers felt that people needed to be concerned with inner emotions as opposed to outward religious behavior
People in New England could read and interrupt the Bible on their own
GEORGE WHITEFIELD Puritan Minister who
used raw emotional sermons to reach all classes of colonists
Preached that “good works” and “godly lives” would bring you salvation
JONATHAN EDWARDS A PURITAN MINISTER TERRIFIED LISTENERS WITH HIS SERMON “SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD”
OUTCOMES OF THE GREAT AWAKENING
Birth of deep religious convictions in the colonies
New churches built to accommodate new members
Colleges founded to train new ministers
OUTCOMES OF THE GREAT AWAKENING Encouraged ideas
of equality and right to challenge authority
Birth of charity and charitable organizations
Spread of ideas of self-government
THE ENLIGHTENMENT
A movement in the 1700’s that rejected traditional ways of life and looked for a more rational and scientific way to explain the world we live in
It was an emphasis on the sciences and reason to explain things
ENLIGHTENMENT ARGUMENTS
Generally we are good and our environment influences us
The use of science and reason could answer life’s mysteries
Science and reason could also answer man’s questions concerning government and himself
OUTCOMES OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT
Great surge of literacy in the colonies
Newspapers and book publications increase
Schools are synonymous with new towns and villages
Deism, God is the great clock maker
OUTCOMES OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT People are born
with natural rights Government has
an obligation to protect those natural rights
Kings have no right to govern people, people empower government
John Locke 1632-1704 Life, Liberty and Property The right to alter or abolish
Baron de Montesquieu 1712-1778 separation of powers
Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1689-1755 Social contract Consent of the governed
Voltaire 1694-1778 freedom
SAMUEL ADAMS
Born in Boston, Massachusetts Educated at Harvard Enters politics after he fails in his
business venture Serves in both the 1st and 2nd
Continental Congresses A leading political organizer against
the British in the colonies He is a leader in the Boston Tea Party
and of the Sons of Liberty
SAMUEL ADAMS
At the Boston Massacre it is believed that he played a major hand in inciting the Sons of Liberty to antagonize British troops
He will sign the Declaration of Independence
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Born in Boston, Massachusetts leaves school to help father in his business as a soapmaker
Printer in Philadelphia and later an editor for the Pennsylvania Gazette
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Writes Poor Richard’s Almanac which becomes popular for it’s American proverbs
Scientist, writer, businessmen, statesman, publisher, represented American Enlightenment and inventor
Responsible for helping get the French to join the colonies against the British
THOMAS JEFFERSON
A Virginia plantation owner He will write many political
pamphlets that criticize British policies in the colonies
Served in the Virginia House of Burgesses several terms
THOMAS JEFFERSON
He will attend both Continental Congresses
He will write the Declaration of Independence in 1776
He is governor of Virginia during the war
JOHN ADAMS Educated at Harvard Delegate from Massachusetts to the
Continental Congress On the Declaration writing committee
with Thomas Jefferson Not a popular leader like his second
cousin, Samuel Adams. Instead, his influence emerged through his work as a constitutional lawyer and his intense analysis of historical examples
The second President of the United States (1797–1801)
THOMAS PAINE
English Quaker who arrives in the colonies in 1775
Writes in 1776 Common Sense, a political pamphlet that criticizes the British monarch, supports colonial rebellion and justifies starting a new government
THOMAS PAINE
Common Sense will push colonies to rebel
Writes American Crisis, which inspires colonial soldiers to continue fighting against the British