Individual Rights and the Early American Colonies
Emory University Law Professor John Witte discussed the governments that the early American colonies set up and the individual rights that were provided to colonists.
Description
Emory University Law Professor John Witte discussed the governments that the early American colonies set up and the individual rights that were provided to colonists. He discussed the idea that the early colonial governments served as a laboratory for many enlightenment ideas at the time.
Bell Ringer Assignment
- Explain how the royal colonial charters allowed for colonists to set up their own political structures. What were the limitations that England imposed?
- What does Mr. Witte mean when he describes the colonies as a "laboratory" to try out ideas?
- Describe the religious freedoms that were established in Rhode Island, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
- How did these early experiments in individual rights influence the ideas during the founding of the United States?
Additional Resources
- Bell Ringer: Roger Williams and the Founding of Rhode Island
History Professor Stanley Lemons talked about Roger Williams and the founding of Rhode Island. He discussed the significance of Williams
- Bell Ringer: The Struggle between Individual Liberty and the Common Good
Examples from American history such as slavery and the Puritans are provided to describe the different interpretations of freedom.
- Bell Ringer: Virginia Declaration of Rights
Richard Brookhiser talks about George Mason and the creation of this document.
Participants
Vocabulary
- Bill Of Rights
- Catholic
- Colonial America
- England
- Free Exercise
- Lord Baltimore
- Magistrates
- Maryland
- Polities
- Protestant
- Quaker
- Rhode Island
- Roger Williams
- Royal Charters
- Subjects
- William Penn