Chapter 2: Free People in a free land – Building the American

System of GovernmentStudy for Quiz:

-Review Vocabulary Sheet-Crossword Puzzle -This PowerPoint

-Page 55-56: reviewing what you learned-Try and answer the 10 questions : pg. 56-57

Colonial GovernmentsCharter Royal Proprietary

Authorization Royal grant to founding group

Directly under control of monarch

Owned by a single person who had received a royal grant of land

Administered by

Governor, usually elected, sometimes appointed by founders

Governor, appointed by monarch

Governor, appointed by proprietor

Lawmaking Bodies

Council and assembly, both elected

Council, appointed by governor; Assembly, elected

Council, appointed by proprietor; Assembly, elected

What institutions existed within each colonial government?Colony’s political institutions included:

A government limited by a charter or constitution

A governorThe governor’s councilA popularly elected assemblyCourts and local governments

AssemblyOnly the assembly had the power to raise the

money needed to pay for the costs of administering the colony

Responsibilities included:Raising local defense forcesMaintaining law and orderRegulating tradeWriting laws governing land ownershipDealing with Indian problems

Relationship between the monarch and the colonies?Salutary neglect: British government - laws

controlling trade were written but not enforcedAmericans learned to take responsibility for

their own economic and military security

Proclamation of 1763Parliament closed the western lands to further

settlement by issuing the Proclamation of 1763Guaranteed that the colonies’ own land

speculators would love their investments in the West

SUGAR ACT OF 1764Reduced the tax on non-British sugar and

molassesDouble purpose of raising revenue and ending

trade with French colonies in the West Indies

Stamp Act of 1765Placed taxes on colonial newspapers,

licenses, legal documents, playing cards, and other printed materialsIn order to show that the tax has been paid, the

items had to have a stamp placed on them

Townshend Act of 1767 – tried to raise additional revenues by taxing colonial imports of glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea

Albany Plan of UnionThe threat of attack by the French and their

Indian allies hung over the northeastern colonies. The danger was magnified because the

colonies has never cooperated in military matters

To solve this problem, the British government called representatives of seven colonies to a meeting in Albany, New York.Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan

under which the colonies would unite in defense of any member faced with raids or invasions

Declaration of Independence5 member committee led by Thomas JeffersonJuly 4, 1776 – formally adoptedThree major sections:

Introduction explains why is was necessary to declare independence

Middle section lists the wrongs suffered by the colonies at the hands of the king

Third section announces the creation of a new government 4 important ideas about the government:

All people are created equal and they have certain basic human rights

The purpose of government is to safeguard these rightsThe right of a government to rule comes from the peopleThe people have the right to change their government

Articles of Confederation – summary is on pg. 56, bullet point #7Cooperative measures agreed on by the

states:The creation of a national legislative body

scheduled to meet annually and authorized to conduct the nation’s business

One vote per state to be cast as instructed by the various state legislatures

Proclamation of a league of friendship among the states

The government was empowered to provide for the common defense, safeguard individual liberties, and maintain the general welfare

Vocabulary:Bicameral legislature: two–housesUnicameral legislature: one-houseMercantilism: an economic theory popular in the 1600’s that stated

that the role of colonies was to enrich the home countryColonies developed legislative bodies with 2 houses:

Upper house – council – advised the governor and generally represented the colony’s upper class

Lower house – assembly – popularly electedFirst Continental Congress: 1774 – colonies pledged cooperation and

sent a Declaration of Rights and Grievances to the kingSecond Continental Congress: served as a national government from

1775-1781 – its members issued the Declaration of Independence and attempted to manage the economic and military problems of the revolution – ALSO, w rote the Articles of Confederation – signed important treaties of alliance and issues paper money to pay for the war