Civics Topic 2.1 Origins of American Political Ideals, 2.2 Independence

popular sovereignty

A government that exists only with the consent of the governed.

Albany Plan of Union

A plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 for cooperation among the thirteen colonies but was never adopted.

duties

A tax laid on goods brought into the United States from abroad, also known as tariffs, import duties, or imposts.

proprietary

Something organized by a proprietor, such as a person to whom a king had made a grant of land.

Magna Carta

The Great Charter forced upon King John of England by his barons in 1215; established that the power of the monarchy was not absolute and guaranteed trial by jury and due process of law to the nobility.

Petition of Right

The document prepared by Parliament and signed by King Charles I of England in 1628; challenged the idea of the divine right of kings and declared that even the monarch was subject to the laws of the land.

English Bill of Rights

The document written by Parliament and agreed to by William and Mary of England in 1689, designed to prevent abuse of power by English monarchs; forms the basis for much in American government and politics today.

Roger Sherman

A Connecticut lawyer and judge, Framer of the U.S. Constitution, and congressman (1721-1793). An early supporter of American independence, he attended the First and Second Continental congresses and also helped draft the Articles of Confederation. At the Constitutional Convention, he proposed what became known as the Connecticut Compromise, which created a House of Representatives chosen by population and a Senate with the same number of representatives from each state.

Samuel Adams

A Founding Father (1722-1803) who became a leader in Boston politics through his writing. He was a delegate to the First and Second Continental congresses and helped draft the Declaration of Rights.

John Jay

A New York lawyer, president of the Second Continental Congress, diplomat, first Chief Justice of the United States, and governor of New York (1745-1829). His was a voice of moderation in relations with Great Britain before the Declaration of Independence. Jay favored strong centralized government and fought for ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He also helped draft the New York State constitution and served as the State's first Chief Justice. He helped negotiate and enforce liberal terms for peace with Great Britain and served as first Secretary for Foreign Affairs before George Washington appointed him first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

charter

A city's basic law, its constitution; a written grant of authority from a king.

John Adams

A lawyer in Massachusetts, legislator, diplomat, and second U.S. President (1735-1826). He defended British military officers in the Boston Massacre out of a sense of fairness but became a leading advocate of American independence at the First and Second Continental Congresses. He was the principal author of the Massachusetts State constitution. Adams helped negotiate a peace treaty with Great Britain after the Revolutionary War, attained diplomatic recognition of the new United States, and structured free trade with all nations.

George Calvert, Lord Baltimore

A member of Parliament who founded Maryland as a haven for Catholics, Calvert (1578 or 1579-1632) came to North America in 1628 but was not accepted due to his religion. He returned to England and requested a royal charter to establish a colony where he could practice his religion. The charter was granted in 1632, shortly after his death.

King George II

George II (1683-1760) was king of Great Britain from 1727 to 1760. The colony of Georgia was named in his honor after he signed a charter granting the colony to its twenty trustees in 1732. King George thought the colony would be an important buffer between the Spanish-controlled lands to the south and the other English colonies to the north.

Thomas Jefferson

He was the third President of the United States, serving from 1801 to 1809. He is known as the draftsman of the Declaration of Independence and for engineering the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson (1743-1826) was also a Virginia plantation owner.

William and Mary of Orange

King William III (1650-1702) and Queen Mary II (1662-1694) ruled jointly as king and queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 to 1702 (Queen Mary died in 1694, but William continued to rule until 1702). Mary was the daughter of King James II, which meant that her Dutch husband could become co-ruler of England after he overthrew James's government.

King John

King of England from 1199 to 1216. Soon after John (1167-1216) became king, war broke out between England and France. After several significant losses, taxes soared, and the monarchy became ruthless in its governing. This angered the barons, who forced John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.

delegates

People with authority to represent others at a conference or convention.

limited government

The basic principle of American government, which states that government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away.

due process

The doctrine that holds that the government must act fairly and in accord with established rules in all that it does.

Glorious Revolution

The events that led to Parliament in 1688 inviting William and Mary of Orange to peacefully replace King James II on condition that they recognize the authority of Parliament and the rights of individuals; with the signing of the Bill of Rights, the Glorious Revolution helped calm the centuries-long struggle for supremacy between the monarchy and Parliament in England.

George Washington

The first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and a Founding Father. Prior to his presidency, he was a general and commander in chief during the American Revolution. Washington (1732-1799) was also a Virginia plantation owner.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in North America; founded in 1607 in Virginia and named after King James I. The founding of Jamestown gave England an entry into the competition for the Americas, which Spain had dominated since the voyages of Christopher Columbus in the late fifteenth century.

confederation

The joining of several groups for a common purpose.

Charles I

The king of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1625 to 1649. Charles I (1600-1649) ruled with strict authority, and his quarrels with Parliament triggered a civil war. In 1649, Charles was found guilty of treason and executed.

representative government

The system of government in which public policies are made by officials selected by the voters and held accountable in periodic elections. (Democracy is the form of government where supreme authority rests with the people.)

William Penn

An English Quaker leader who advocated for religious freedom, Penn (1644-1718) came to North America in 1682 and established the colony of Pennsylvania as a haven for Quakers and other religious minorities.

John Locke

An English philosopher (1632-1704) who wrote about his theories concerning the natural rights of man, the social contract, the separation of Church and State, religious freedom, and liberty. Locke's theories influenced the American and French revolutions.

bicameral

An adjective describing a legislative body composed of two chambers

unicameral

An adjective describing a legislative body with one chamber (such as Nebraska).

James Wilson

Born and educated in Scotland, Wilson (1742-1798) emigrated to North America, arriving in the midst of the Stamp Act agitations of 1765. He studied to become an attorney, going on to specialize in land law. He entered politics just prior to the Revolutionary War and had a pivotal position of influence in the Constitutional Convention.