Civics & Economics

Civics Today text

Major influence of

colonial governments

!

Enlightenment Ideas:

Limited government

Self governmentIndividual rights

How do you How do you think this think this impacted ideas impacted ideas of colonial of colonial governments?governments?

England was controlled by monarch and aristocracyAristocrats paid taxes, kept monarch in

business○Gave power and influence

The Magna Carta

“The Great Charter” Limited power of the monarch Extended rights to citizens Established the principle of

limited government

Magna Carta-1215 1st document to limit

power of English rulersKings and queens

must obey the law too!

Major step toward constitutional government

Where? - England

Parliament Started out as a large group of elite advisors Later added representatives for the common

people By 1300s became a legislature

Glorious Revolution ~ 1600s there is a power struggle

between king and Parliament 1688

Parliament removes King James II and replaces with William and Mary○ No blood shed so referred to as Glorious

RevolutionDemonstrates the strength of parliament and solidly establishes a Constitutional Monarchy

English Bill of Rights

1689 Restricted monarchs power Guaranteed free elections Right to fair trial Eliminated cruel and unusual

punishment

Common Law

Determined by custom Court legal decisions are based on

precedent Influenced American laws of property,

contracts, and personal injury

Enlightenment Thinkers Ideas They argued that the laws of nature also applied to human life and society.

John Locke (England)

Viewpoints• All humans have “natural rights”

– Life– Liberty– Property

• In order to have their “natural rights” protected, humans give up certain freedoms to Government

• If gov’t does NOT protect your Rights, citizens can OVERTHROW it!!!

DISCUSS: When you go through airport security, what freedoms might you give up?

Which one of your “natural rights” is the government protecting?

Baron de Montesquieu (France)

Viewpoints Believed too much power

in one place is dangerous for others

Introduced “Separation of Powers” between branches of government

Ex: England’s GovernmentKing-enforced lawsParliament-made lawsJudges-interpreted laws

DISCUSS: What might happen if Police Officers were the ones who determined the people they arrested guilty instead of judges or juries?

Jean Jacques Rousseau (France)

Viewpoints Humans will destroy

themselves if they don’t give up some freedoms

Humans create a “social contract” with government to protect themselves

Discuss: How are speed limits examples of the social contract?

Voltaire (France & England)

Viewpoints Believed in Civil

LibertiesTrial by Jury of

peersFreedom of ReligionFreedom of Speech

DISCUSS: Voltaire once said: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your RIGHT to say it.”

What do you think he meant by that?