The Establishment of Self-Government

Social Studies American History Colonial America The Establishment of Self-Government
Students brainstorm the responsibilities of a government and define the term self-government. Then they explore two types of government dominant in colonial America: monarchy and representative government. Next they examine the House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact as early models of representative government in the colonies. Finally, they develop a hypothesis about the relationship between the British monarchy, early forms of representative government in the American colonies, and the coming American Revolution.

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Teacher Pack

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Here are the teacher pack items for The Establishment of Self-Government:

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Overview

In this experience, students brainstorm the responsibilities of a government and define the term self-government. Then they explore two types of government dominant in colonial America: monarchy and representative government. Next they examine the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact as early models of representative government in the colonies. Finally, they develop a hypothesis about the relationship between the British monarchy, early forms of representative government in the British colonies, and the coming American Revolution.

Estimated duration: 30–40 minutes

Discovery Reading

A printable Discovery Reading is included in the student pack as a support for understanding the experience’s core content and concepts. This Discovery Reading is not necessary to complete the experience and serves as an optional support resource.

Vocabulary Words:

These vocabulary words are used in the experience or connect closely to the standards and content students examine. Students should understand these terms as they work through the experience.

  • self-government: a system in which people have the power to make decisions and manage many of their own affairs in their community
  • monarchy: a type of government ruled by a monarch, such as a king or queen, whose position is usually passed down in a family
  • representative government: a system in which people elect representatives to make government decisions for them
  • House of Burgesses: the first elected representative assembly in the English colonies in North America, established in Virginia in 1619
  • Mayflower Compact: an agreement signed by colonists in 1620 to create fair laws and govern their new settlement for the good of the colony
  • representative: a person chosen by the people to speak and make laws or decisions for them in government
 

Objectives

  • Identify bodies of representative government in colonial America.
  • Hypothesize how the experience of self-government was a factor in the American Revolution.


Engage


The British colonies in North America were far away from England, but they were still under British rule. The colonists established local governments to make decisions and manage their settlements. You will learn about some of these early governments in this experience.

Objectives

  • Identify bodies of representative government in colonial America.
  • Hypothesize how the experience of self-government was a factor in the American Revolution.


A woman firing a cannon, with American Revolutionary soldiers behind her

Signing the Mayflower Compact 1620, by J.L.G. Ferris (1932)


What is an area of activity that is the responsibility of a government? To list multiple answers, separate them with a comma, like this: baseball, tennis.

Post your answer

Ask students to predict what self-government means. Self-government is a system in which people have the power to make decisions and manage many of their own affairs. In the British colonies, self-government allowed colonists to make many local decisions, although the colonies remained under British rule.

Students will review the Mayflower Compact as an early example of self-government and expand the idea to representative government.


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The Complete List of Learning Experiences in Colonial America Unit.
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American Colonists and the Environment
Social Studies American History Colonial America Life in Colonial America
Life in Colonial America
Social Studies American History Colonial America The Establishment of Self-Government
The Establishment of Self-Government
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The Slave Trade in Colonial America
Social Studies American History Colonial America The Search for Wealth
The Search for Wealth
Social Studies American History Colonial America The Struggle for Religious Freedom
The Struggle for Religious Freedom
Social Studies American History Colonial America: Unit Test
Colonial America: Unit Test
Social Studies American History Colonial America Colonial America: Vocabulary
Colonial America: Vocabulary
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