2. Enlightened ideas of natural rights and the
social contract had spread to the American
colonies
Natural rights are those you have because you are
human (John Locke proposed)
Social Contract is the idea that the government is
supposed to protect your natural rights
Americans were upset with what they
thought were excessive taxation
Reasons for Declaration
3. It is a statement of action explaining why we
revolted (justify revolution)
It lists what we were upset about
(grievances)
The events after the French and Indian War
The actions (or lack of) by King and Parliament
which Americans thought were wrong
It listed our intentions to break away from
political ties with England and create new
ones with the other colonies
What is the Declaration?
4. There was a need to figure out how the
new US should recognize and govern
the land we received from the Treaty of
Paris
Created a blueprint for governing those
territories and how those lands could
become states
NW Ordinance: Why created & What is it?
5. Admitted on equal footing with original states (no special
privilege)
No colonization
New states had to have a plan for how they would provide
an education for their people
Basic citizenship (freedom of religion, trial by jury, legit
charges) was guaranteed which was a model for the Bill of
Rights and Constitution
Outlaws slavery
State governments were to be republics (democratic)
How are States Admitted? What do
they have to do?
6. Basic citizenship (freedom of religion, trial
by jury, legit charges) was guaranteed
which was a model for the Bill of Rights and
Constitution
Outlaws slavery
State governments were to be republics
(democratic)
Basics continued…