Roots of Representative
Government Chapter 5
section 2
Colonists expected their
government to preserve their
basic rights as English subjects
The Rights of Englishmen
In 1215, King John is forced to accept the Magna Carta
Magna Carta granted rights to English Noble Men and
Freemen
Magna Carta “great charter” a document guaranteeing basic
political rights in England
Cannot have property seized by King or his officials
In most cases, cannot be taxed unless council agrees
Cannot be put on trial without witnesses
Can be punished only by jury of peers
The Magna Carta limited the power of the King
Overtime rights of Magna Carta are granted to all English
people
King John signs the Magna Carta 1215
Parliament and colonial
government
Parliament-England’s chief lawmaking body
Members of the house of commons are elected by the people
Members all of the House of Lords are nobility
English colonists formed representative assemblies like
the House of Commons
English colonists govern themselves through assemblies
that impose taxes and manage the Colonies
England had final authority over cloning of governments
Parliament had no colonial representatives
Parliament passed laws that affected the colonies
Colonists began to clash with the Kings appointed royal
governors over these laws
Colonial Government
A Royal Government’s Rule
James II becomes King in 1685 and imposed
strict rules on the colonies
James wants to rule England and the colonies with
total authority
James combines Massachusetts and northern
colonies in one Dominion
Edmund Andros is appointed royal governor of the
Dominion
He ends representative assemblies
some colonists refuse to pay taxes, they claim that
(being taxed without having a voice in government
violates their rights)
Sir. Edmund Andros British
Colonial Governor in America
England’s Glorious Revolution
Catholic King James II in 1688 attempted to pack
parliament with people who would overturn anti-Catholic
laws
Protestant leaders were outraged and overthrew James II
In his place James’s Protestant daughter Mary and her
husband William were made king and queen
Glorious Revolution-the overthrow of English King
James II in 1688 and his replacement by William and Mary
In 1689 William and Mary agree to English Bill of Rights
English Bill of Rights and agreement signed by William
and Mary to respect the rights of English citizens and
the parliament, including the right to free elections
The English Bill of Rights establish an important precedent
that the government was based on laws made by
parliament not the king
Shared power in the colonies
After the Glorious Revolution, Massachusetts and other
colonies regained some self government
Each colony still had a king appointed royal governor
These governors worked with councils or colonial
assemblies
Royal governor can strike down laws
The colonial assemblies were responsible for the governor’s
salary
If the governor blocked too many laws the assembly might
refuse to pay him
England had little involvement in colonial affairs
Governors rarely enforced certain laws or collected fees
This leaves the colonists to feel a sense of independence
The Zenger Trial
John Peter Zenger-publisher of the New York
weekly journal
In 1735 he printed criticisms of the New York
governor (had removed a judge and fixed an
election)
At the time it was illegal to criticize the
government in print
John was tried by a jury and found innocent, he
had the right to speak the truth
Colonists moved towards freedom of the press
Journalist John Peter Zenger
acquitted in libel case 1735