Chapter 4 Section 1 Prentice Hall America History of Our Nation Life in the Colonies

1. CHAPTER 4
LIFE IN THE COLONIES 1650-1750
Prentice Hall
America
History of Our Nation
A. Barnette 2013

2. Section One
GOVERNING THE COLONIES

3. Magna Carta
•No taxation without
representation
•Right to trial by jury
•Right to property
ENGLISH PARLIAMENTARY TRADITIONS
Ideas about how government should work in the
colonies came from what they knew in
England:
English Bill of Rights
• William & Mary responded to
Glorious Revolution by
recognizing that they had to
guarantee protection of
certain freedoms
• Regular meetings of
Parliament
• Habeas corpus*
Parliament
• a two-house
legislature
• checks on the
monarchy’s power
*http://www.brighthubeducation.
com/learning-translating-
latin/29406-literal-translation-of-
carpe-diem-and-habeas-
corpus/

4. COLONIAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
 Eventually, every colony
had some sort of
legislature, but these were
some of the first with
elected delegates:
Jamestown- House of
Burgesses
Massachusetts- General
Court
Pennsylvania- General
Assembly
Right to Vote
 More men could vote in the
colonies than in England.
 Women, natives, and
Africans were denied
suffrage.
 Thought question: Why do
you think that they only
wanted landowners to vote?

5. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
 John Peter Zenger’s trial
set an important
precedent.
 His printed criticisms of the
governor could not be
considered libel, because
the accusations he made
were true.
 This basic freedom of the
press allows citizens the
right to be informed by the
media.
 Thought Question: Which
Amendment to our
Constitution protects
freedom of the press?

6. REGULATING TRADE (TO SUPPORT MERCANTILISM)
NAVIGATION ACTS
 European products
had to go through
England before going
to the colonies.
 Products had to be
transported on British
or British colonial
ships.
 Major products like
tobacco and sugar
went only to England.
Advantages
 There was a sure fire
market for goods in
England.
 Shipbuilding became a
major industry in New
England.Disadvantages
Colonists were not allowed to get
greater profits from other European
markets.
Colonists began smuggling to
get around the laws.
Thought question: What kinds of
problems can you anticipate
between the colonists and
England because of Navigation
Acts?