PLEASE GRAB YOUR NOTEBOOKS AND A TEXTBOOK BEFORE

YOU TAKE YOUR SEAT.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE NOTES

I NDI VI DUAL WORK

GROUP WORK

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR YOUR NOTEBOOK CHECK ON
THURSDAY
Good morning!
8/26/2014
Our Political Beginnings
Ordered Government
English colonists saw the need for orderly regulation of their
relationships with one another (government)
Many offices they created are still with us today
Sheriff
Coroner
Justice of the peace
Grand jury
Counties
Limited Government
The idea that government should not be all-powerful
Protects the rights of individuals
One of the things that the English government had been
getting right prior to colonial establishment in the New World
This is relative to their previous forms of government. If they had
it totally right, then the colonists would not have rebelled against
the king.
Representative Government
Government should serve the will of the people
People should have a voice in deciding what government
should and should not do.
Government by and for the people

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate our current
government in being by and for the people? 1
meaning we do a terrible job and 10 meaning we
have it figured out and do it perfectly.
Can any government do it perfectly? Why/why not?
A Brief Run Through History
The British Colonies were established individually
over the course of 125 years.
Each colony was created from a unique set of
circumstances.
Virginia was a commercial venture.
Massachusetts was formed by people seeking religious
freedom.
Georgia was formed as a prison camp.
Charter a written grant of authority from the king
Each colony was created through the charter system.

3 types of colonies
Royal
Proprietary
Charter
Virginias first attempt at settlement was
unsuccessful and the charter granted to the Virginia
Company of London was revoked, making Virginia
the first royal colony.
Many other original colonial charters were cancelled or
withdrawn for a variety of reasons, creating more royal
colonies.
Bicameral Legislature
The king would name a governor for each colony.
He would also establish a council to serve as an advisory board
to the governor. (upper house)
Also became the highest court in the colony.
The lower house of the legislature was elected by proprietary
owners who were qualified to vote.
Who might be qualified to vote?
In Virginia, the lower house was called the House of Burgesses.
1
st
one of its kind in the colonies.
In South Carolina, it was called the House of Commons.
In Massachusetts, this was called the House of Representatives.
Draw a flow chart indicating the flow of power in a
colonial government.
King
Governor Council
Lower House
Proprietary Colonies
Proprietor an individual to whom the king made a grant
Maryland Lord Baltimore
Pennsylvania William Penn
Delaware William Penn

Charter Colonies
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Charter granted to the colonists themselves (as a whole)
Self-governing (still needed kings approval)
Appeals taken from colonial court right to the king himself
Largely independent, it is said that if the king allowed all colonies the
same freedoms he allowed CT and RI, a revolution may never have
happened.
Confederation
Joining of several groups for a common purpose
New England Confederation was formed for defense against
Native Americans
The Albany Plan
Ben Franklin offered this idea at the British Board of Trade
meeting in Albany in 1754.
Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New
York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island attended.
The plan called for an annual congress of delegates from each
colony. This congress would have the power to raise a military,
navy, make war and peace with Native Americans, regulate trade,
and collect taxes
The First Continental Congress
Gathered in response to new laws passed by the crown and
parliament that began to tax the colonists into suffocation
Sent a Declaration of Rights to King George III protesting
Britain s colonial policies.
The Second Continental Congress
By the time this meeting convened, the Revolutionary War had
began.
This became, in effect, the first meeting of our American
government
No constitutional base for this, but this meeting did result in the
signing of the Declaration of Independence
Independence led to the forming of individual state
constitutions.
Common features of state constitutions include
Popular sovereignty
Limited government
Civil rights and liberties
Separation of powers and checks and balances
The Articles of Confederation
Officially adopted on November 15, 1777
Established a league of friendship among the states
Why was this necessary?
Required ratification by all 13 states to take official effect as
law
Created a unicameral Congress
Each state had one vote in congress
Established no executive or judicial branch
Read Chapter 2 Section 3 to learn more about the Articles of
Confederation (p.44-47)
p.44-47
What were the Articles of Confederation and what
powers did they grant to Congress?

Identify at least three weaknesses of the government
under the Articles of Confederation.

Why would the United States purposely create a weak
government under the Articles of Confederation?

Why is the period of American history under the Articles
of Confederation considered the Critical Period?
Read Section 4 of chapter 2 (p.47-54)
The Three-Fifths Compromise and the Slave Trade Compromise
were included in the Constitution at the insistence of the southern
states. Why did states in the south think these items were important
and what price, if any, did southern states pay for their inclusion?

The Constitution has been called a bundle of compromises. Is this
an accurate description of the document? Explain.
On p.55, complete the Skills for Life comparing the
Virginia plan to the New Jersey Plan. Do this with a
partner.
1. Identify the basis of comparison
2. Identify the attributes of each item to be compared
3. Find ways in which the items are similar
4. Find ways in which the items are different
5. Summarize and evaluate your comparison

On p.55, complete the Skills for Life comparing the
Virginia plan to the New Jersey Plan. Do this with a
partner.
1. Identify the basis of comparison
2. Identify the attributes of each item to be compared
3. Find ways in which the items are similar
4. Find ways in which the items are different
5. Summarize and evaluate your comparison

Table of Contents
Syllabus
Signature Page
Information page (from first day, your parents contact
info, something interesting about you, Why do we need
to study government? What do you expect out of this
class?)
Chapter 1 notes
Proposed amendments activity (if you were responsible
for your groups work make sure names of all members
is on the page so everyone gets credit)
Chapter 2 notes (from today)