American government chapter 3

Who is known as the "Father of the Common Law"?

Henry de Bracton

Who presented a resolution for independence to the Second Continental Congress?

Richard Henry Lee

Why was town government not practical in the southern colonies?

Southern colonists lived far apart and could not easily assemble to govern themselves

What is the set of laws Alfred the Great placed at the beginning of his law code?

Ten Commandments

What specific English ideas did the early Americans borrow for their own law and government?

The early Americans borrowed the ideas of basic rights and liberties which were established in the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights, and they borrowed the idea of representative government.

What Christian ideas are expressed in the Declaration of Independence?

acknowledgment that God is the Creator and the Sovereign of the universe and recognition of God as the Supreme Judge of men and nations

In what year did King John consent to the Magna Carta?

1215

By what year had the Great Council become known as Parliament?

1265

When was the English Bill of Rights drafted? List seven important political principles found in this document.

1689; (1) no man is above the law, (2) there shall be no taxes without consent, (3) the people may petition for a redress of grievances, (4) the people have a right to keep and bear arms, (5) elections must be free, (6) the people's representatives must have freedom of speech, and (7) neither bail nor fines may be excessive and punishment may not be cruel

How did the works of William Blackstone influence the colonists?

Colonists studied and applied the common law as found in the "Commentaries on the Laws of England"

Who summoned the Model Parliament and in what year?

Edward I, 1295

What assembly met in response to the "Intolerable Acts"?

First Continental Congress

Name the two divisions within the English Parliament.

House of Lords and House of Commons

How did the Great Awakening help shape American beliefs regarding religious freedom?

It revived the New Testament concept of local churches supported by converted church members rather than by the government, which in turn helped spread the idea of the separation of church and state.

How did the Second Continental Congress assume political power?

It supported an army, appointed George Washington as commander in chief, and issued money.

Name two men who translated the Scriptures into the English language.

John Wycliffe and William Tyndale

Give the date for the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

July 4, 1776

Give two examples of attempts by the New England colonies to conform colonial law to biblical law.

Massachusetts Body of Liberties and The New Haven Colony Laws

In what document did the Pilgrims covenant under God to establish "a civil body politick"?

Mayflower Compact

Name the first significant attempt at political unity among the colonies. What was the purpose of this temporary union?

New England Confederation; defense against hostile Indians

What compelling reasons did the Founders have for declaring independence? Discuss the Christian elements found in the Declaration of Independence.

The Founders declared independence because they wanted to (1) secure foreign alliances, (2) inform the colonists of the Crown's actions, and (3) preclude any colonial sentiment toward reconciliation with England. Christian elements found in the Declaration of Independence include the acknowledgment that God is the Creator and the Sovereign of the universe and the recognition that He is the Supreme Judge of men and nations.

How did the relationship between the English monarch and the American colonies change when George III came to the throne?

The colonists had become accustomed in practice to ruling themselves, but George III was determined to restore the power of the monarchy.

What are five important political principles in the English Bill of rights?

no man is above the law; no taxes without consent; right to petition for a redress of grievances; right to keep and bear arms; freedom of elections; freedom of speech for the people's representatives; no excessive bail of fines and no infliction of cruel and unusual punishments

Name two important political principles found in the Magna Carta.

no taxation without representation, right of habeas corpus, trial by jury, and due process of law

What are four important political principles in the Magna Carta?

no taxation without representation, right of habeas corpus, trial by jury, and due process of law

What were the three types of American colonies? Give some characteristics of each type.

royal - the colony was a part of the king's domain and was directly under his control; proprietary - the king had granted land to one of his subjects, called a proprietor, who could govern his colony much like a king himself; self-governing - within certain royal limitations, the people of these colonies ruled themselves

What British tax did the colonists protest in the Declaration of rights and grievances?

stamp tax

What has been the greatest influence on England's law and government?

the Bible

Who held the real political power in a colony with a bicameral assembly? Why?

the lower houses; because it "controlled the purse strings"

Give three reasons why the Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence.

to secure foreign alliances, inform the colonists of the Crown's actions, and preclude any colonial sentiment toward reconciliation with England

What are two legal principles that are a result of trial by jury?

equal justice under the law and innocent until proven guilty

How did the Great Awakening shape the thoughts of the American colonists regarding spiritual. economic. and political freedom?

Americans began to see the necessity for religious freedom as they began to believe in the New Testament concept of local churches supported by converted believers. This belief developed into the concept of separation of church and state, the idea that the church and the government should be separate institutions. Economic freedom became an essential part of colonial thinking as Americans began to discover the biblical principles of hard work, careful stewardship, diligence, honesty, trustworthiness, and individual responsibility for one's finances. They began to realize the need for an economic system where each individual was free to pursue his own economic interests without centralized government control. Finally, the realization that all men were created equal before God and were equal in worth to God encouraged political freedom. The colonists realized that a man should no be barred from voting or holding political office because of his religion.

What role did the Bible play in the development of English law and government?

Because the Bible became a part of English life very early in the history of the country, it had a broad influence on English law and government. Important results of biblical influence were the establishment of English common law, trial by jury, limited government, and representative government.

Who proposed the Albany Plan? Was it ever adopted?

Benjamin Franklin; no

What is the greatest influence on the English nation?

Bible

Who was responsible for drafting the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

How did the Awakening influence the economic and political views of the colonists?

Through Bible study, many Americans rediscovered their Puritan roots, which taught hard work and careful stewardship of one's property. They took seriously the biblical teachings of diligence and honesty. They believed that men were equal before God and could not be barred from political participation because of their religious beliefs.

Contrast the difference between town government and county government. Why did town governments develop in the north, but not in the south?

Town governments were established in New England where farms were close together. In this form of government, local citizens assembled periodically to become the chief lawmaking body for their town. in the South, county governments were formed. Residents of the counties elected representatives to make the decisions of their local government for them. Because southerners lived on large plantations that were far apart from one another, town governments were impractical for them.

According to the Stamp Act Congress, why were the colonists not under the authority of parliament?

because they were not represented in Parliament

What were the two actions of Parliament's Prohibitory Act?

cut off all trade between the colonies and England and officially removed the colonies from the "King's Protection"