Section 4.2: Government, Religion & Culture

Glorious Revolution

• Parliament forced out King James & placed his daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William of Orange, on the throne.

• This change showed the power of elected representatives over the monarch (king)

English Bill of Rights

• William and Mary signed in 1689

• Guaranteed certain basic rights to all citizens

• Later inspired the American Bill of Rights

Mercantilism

• Economic theory that states a nation’s power depended on it’s wealth

• To make money, England had to export (sell abroad) more than she imported (bought from abroad)

• Money = Power

• Colonies= economic Resource for England

Navigation Acts

• Passed to make certain only England benefited from trade with the colonies

• Directed the flow of goods between England & colonies

• Colonial merchants could not use foreign ships

• Could not send products such as sugar & tobacco outside England’s empire

• Colonists began to smuggle (trade illegally)

Colonial Government• Magna Carta – 1215 –

established principle of limited government

(“The Magna Carta in 1215 limited the power of the king”)

• Provided for protection against unjust punishment and against the loss of life, liberty and property, except according to law

3 types of colonies

• Charter – settlers given a grant of rights by king

• Proprietary – individuals or groups were given land by Britain

• Royal – Britain directly ruled

Great Awakening• Religious revival that

led to the formation of many new churches

Family Roles

• Family formed the foundation of society

• Farm – home and workplace

• Man head of household

• Married women held few rights

• Widows & unmarried women could run business or own property

Education

• Massachusetts Puritans passed a public education law – 1647: 50 households in town = school supported by taxes

• Harvard College – 1st college – 1636 – Cambridge, Massachusetts

Enlightenment

• Spread the idea that knowledge, science & reason could improve society

• Famous enlightenment example: Ben Franklin

Freedom of the Press

• John Peter Zenger, editor of the NY Weekly Journal, was accused of libel (false accusations published in a newspaper) when he published a critical report about the governor

• Jury found him not guilty – accusations were the truth

• Established freedom of the press