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Page 1: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Page 2: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Magna Carta• Protections from

unjust punishment• Protection of life,

liberty, and property• Certain taxes must

have the consent of Parliament

Page 3: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

English Bill of Rights• Rejection of absolutism• Parliament must approve:

Suspension of laws, Taxes, Standing Army

• Monarch cannot interfere in Parliamentary elections or debate

• Guarantee of fair and speedy trial by peers

• Forbids Cruel and Unusual Punishments

Page 4: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Locke: “Two Treatises on Government”

• Social Contract: rulers given authority by the consent of the governed

• Inalienable rights: Life, liberty, and Property

• Governments formed to protect rights

Page 5: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

The Mayflower Compact

“Civil Body Politick”

Page 6: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

FACT:• The American Revolution was a

bad break-up that was just waiting to happen … taxes were just the straw that broke the Camel’s back–Like the lemons in “The Break-Up”

Page 7: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Colonial History• Virginia – Jamestown (1607)

– Chartered as a merchant colony; tobacco main cash crop (hoped for gold); indentured service and rough men; slavery – first natives then

– 20:1 ration men to women; drinking gambling

• Massachusetts – (1620; 1630)– Pilgrims: Plymouth; first go to Netherlands, then to America; working class

and humble– Puritans: Boston; very religious (intolerant); high education and

professional; carefully plan colony, legislature based on English government; high living standard

• Maryland (1632)– Founded as catholic refuge later begin to allow protestants; becomes slave

colony

Page 8: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Colonial History• New York (1670)

– Originally New Amsterdam; set up as trading post (fur) with no future plans and no military presence; English take over in 1670 and rename

• Carolinas – Settled by plantation owners from Barbados, bring system with them;

rice plantations spring up, need for slave labor (African); slaves out number colonists 2:1 by 1700s

• Pennsylvania– Founded by Quakers; radical and egalitarian, universal suffrage;

maintain friendly relations with natives, outlaw slavery

Page 9: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Colonial Governments• Diversity

— Religious vs. Commercial roots—Escape from primacy

• Written Constitutions– Separation of Powers– Limited government

• Colonial Legislatures– Made policy for day-to-day

issues– British policy of Salutary Neglect

Page 10: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Road To Revolution• The Proclamation Line (1763)

– barring colonial settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania

• The Sugar Act (1764)– establish a British monopoly in the American sugar

market– allowed royal officials to seize colonial cargo with

little or no legal cause

Page 11: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Road To Revolution• The Stamp Act (1765)

– “taxation without representation.”– Sons of Liberty and Stamp Act Congress

• The Townshend Duties (1767)– taxed glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea entering the

colonies.– profits used to pay the salaries of the royal governors

• Boston Massacre (1770)• Committees of Correspondence (1770-1772)

Page 12: Foundations of American Political Philosophy

Road To Revolution• Boston Tea Party (1773)

– Tea Act in 1773 eliminated import tariffs on tea entering England – a group of colonists dressed as Native Americans dumped about $70,000 worth of

the tea into Boston Harbor

• Intolerable Acts (1774)– Closed Boston Harbor to trade until the city paid for the lost tea. – Removed certain democratic elements of the Massachusetts government, most

notably by making formerly elected positions appointed by the crown. – Restricted town meetings, requiring that their agenda be approved by the royal

governor – Declared that any royal agent charged with murder in the colonies would be tried in

Britain. – Instated the Quartering Act, forcing civilians to house and support British soldiers


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