Proprietary charter of Pennsylvania
Quarrels between Penns and Calverts; Mason and Dixon’s line
Other proprietary governments
They generally became unpopular
At the time of the Revolution there were three forms of colonial government: 1. Republican; 2. Proprietary; 3. Royal
(After 1692 the government of Massachusetts might
be described as
Semi-royal)
In all three forms there was a representative assembly, which alone could impose taxes
The governor’s council was a kind of upper house
The colonial government was much like the English system in miniature
The Americans never admitted the supremacy of parliament
Except in the regulation of maritime commerce
In England there grew up the theory of the imperial supremacy of parliament
And the conflict between the British and American theories was precipitated by becoming involved in the political schemes of George III.
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Section 2. The Transition from Colonial to State Governments.
Dissolution of assemblies and parliaments
Committees of correspondence; provincial congresses
Provisional governments; “governors” and “presidents”
Origin of the senates
Likenesses and differences between British and American systems
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Section 3. The State Governments.
Later modifications
Universal suffrage
Separation between legislative and executive departments; its advantages and disadvantages as compared with the European plan
In our system the independence of the executive is of vital importance
The state executive
The governor’s functions: 1. Adviser of legislature; 2. Commander of state militia; 3. Royal prerogative of pardon; 4. Veto power
Importance of the veto power as a safeguard against corruption In building the state, the local self-government was left unimpaired
Instructive contrast with France
Some causes of French political incapacity
Vastness of the functions retained by the states in the American Union
Illustration from recent English history
Independence of the state courts
Constitution of the state courts
Elective and appointive judges
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND DIRECTIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
CHAPTER VII.
WRITTEN CONSTITUTIONS.
In the American state there is a power above the legislature