Lesson 8: Colonial Government: Foundations of Self-

Government

Big Ideas of the Lesson

Colonial political experiences during the first half of the 1700s influenced
colonists views of their political rights and responsibilities.
These political experiences included colonial legislatures and New England town
meetings.
During this time period, there was a shift of power from royal appointed
governors to colonial representative assemblies. This shift led to rising tensions
between the colonies and Britain.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson, students explore colonial government. They begin by connecting back to what
they have previously learned about the House of Burgesses, the Mayflower Compact, and town
meetings. Students then explore the organization of colonial governments using a graphic
organizer and an informational text selection. As a final activity, students take part in a
simulation of a New England town meeting.

Content Expectations
5 U2.1.1: Describe significant developments in the Southern colonies,
including:
development of colonial representative assemblies (House of Burgesses)
(portions omitted)

5 U2.1.2: Describe significant developments in the New England colonies,

including:
the development of government including establishment of town
meetings, development of colonial legislatures and growth of royal
government
(portions omitted)

5 U2.3.2: Describe the daily life of people living in the New England, Middle,
and Southern colonies.

Common Core State Standards:

 SL.5.4: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas
logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support
main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Key Concepts
colonial self-government
royal government

Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Chart paper
Overhead projector or document camera/projector

Student Resource
Bower, Burt, et al. Americas Past, Social Studies Alive Program. Palo Alto, CA:
Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2010 or a similar fifth grade social studies textbook. Pp.
87-97, 122-123.

Teacher Resource
American Colonial Government. 1 December 2011
<http://www.usahistory.info/colonial/government.html>.

Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 8). Teacher-made material.

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative, 2011.

Period of Salutary Neglect. 1 December 2011

<http://www.kirkwood.k12.mo.us/parent_student/KHS/cottaph/566unit2/american%20studies/firs
tquarter/uniti/salutaryneglect.htm>.

Lesson Sequence
1. Using Word Card #26, review the term government which was explored extensively in
Unit 1. Tell students to describe an example of colonial government they have already
learned about in their social studies journal. Give students time to write and then have them
share their ideas in the large group.

2. Place students in small groups and give each group the Connecting Back Chart,
located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 8). Tell groups to discuss what they
have previously learned about the three examples of colonial government on the chart.
Assign a group recorder in each group to summarize group ideas on the chart. Give groups
time to work together and then have groups share their charts. Use Word Cards #27-29
following the sharing session.

3. Ask students the following question: What did the House of Burgesses, the Mayflower
Compact, and New England town meetings all have in common? Discuss student
 responses. Guide students in understanding that all three were based on the desire of
colonists to have a say in their government.

4. Using Word Card #30, discuss the term representative government. Note that this
concept is part of civics instruction in both grade 3 and grade 4. Remind students that in
this form of government, people choose representatives to make laws and decisions for
them. The House of Burgesses was an example of representative government. Share the
following information with students.
After the House of Burgesses was begun in 1619 in Virginia, other
colonies began to form their own representative assemblies. Massachusetts
Bay did so in 1634 and then in 1639 Plymouth and Maryland did the same.
The English felt that the right to elect representatives to government was
one of their most important rights. They brought this belief with them to North
America.
A king headed the English government, but the main lawmaking body
was the Parliament. This became the colonists model for representative
government. (Use Word Card 31)
The Parliament had two houses. One was called the House of
Commons. This was a group of men elected by the People. The other was
called the House of Lords. This was made up of an appointed group of
nobles, judges and church officials.

5. Explain that besides the right to elect representatives, colonists had other rights
also. Using Word Cards #32 and #33, explain that in 1689, King William and Queen
Mary agreed to the English Bill of Rights. Ask students what they know about the term
bill of rights. Discuss student responses and guide them to the idea that a bill of rights
is a written list of freedoms a government promises to protect. Discuss the following
rights that were granted to the people of England and English colonists by the English
Bill of Rights:
free elections
no excessive fines or cruel punishments
trial by jury
Pimp my unit: I would have the students create a chart on what they know about the term bill of
rights and what they would like to know. Then turn to a partner and share what they know about
the term.
6. Explain that although the colonies were under the control of the king and
Parliament, Britain did not interfere much in the late 1600s and the first half of the
1700s. Each colony developed its own government and even though the majority ended
up royal colonies under the leadership of a royal governor, colonists still had some say in
their government. Ask students why they think Britain did not interfere much in colonial
affairs. Discuss student responses. Possible answers include: Britain had problems
with other countries such as France, Britain, a large ocean separated the colonies, and
Britain had internal problems such as a civil war.
 7. Give each student a copy of the lesson graphic organizer, the informational text
selection Government in the Colonies, and the Summarizing Chart, located in the
Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 8). Explain that students should read the text
selection, analyze the organizer, and complete the chart.

8. Give students time to read and complete the summarizing chart. Then, place
them in groups of 3 or 4 to discuss the text and share their charts.

9. Explain that besides the colonial governments, local governments functioned

also. These differed according to region. Share the following information regarding this
issue:
Local government in New England was based on towns and town
meetings.
In the Southern colonies, local government was based on counties
instead of towns.
The Middle colonies borrowed ideas from both other regions. It had a
mixed system of county and town, or township, local government.

10. Explain that students will now have a chance to participate in a simple simulation of
a town meeting. Choose nine students and give each of them one of the Town Meeting
Role Cards, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 8). Explain that they
should be prepared to play their role in the upcoming town meeting. Explain that the
other students in the class will be town meeting members also but without a specific role.
They should listen to the ideas of others and then make a decision on the issue to be
discussed.
Pimp my unit: I would split the class into groups of nine if possible, each group participating in a
simulation of a town meeting. Those who are not presenting will then have a discussion after
about what happened.
11. Share the following information regarding the issue to be discussed at the town
meeting:
The town is a very small one with only 8 school-age children. They have
been attending school in the home of the Parker family. The town pays for a
teacher to teach the children.
Now the town is starting to grow and some people want to use town funds to
build a school.
Other people would like to see town funds used for other things. They feel it
is enough for the town to pay for the teacher.
The town meeting is being held in order to decide whether or not to build a
school.

12. Have the student playing the role of town leader convene the town meeting and
review the issue: Should town funds be used to build a school? Then, have the town
leader conduct the meeting by calling on students who are playing different roles as well
 as other town members. Encourage students to ask questions of each other. After
sufficient discussion time, have the town leader call for a vote on the issue.

13. Give each student the Town Meeting Reflection Sheet, located in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 8) and have them answer the questions on the sheet. Then,
lead a discussion relating to the simulation based on the questions.

14. Explain that voting was a right connected to both colonial and local government. Ask
students if they think everyone had the right to vote. Discuss student responses and
guide students to the idea that voting rights were quite limited. Explain that by the
1720s all the colonies had laws that restricted the right to vote to white, Christian men
over the age of 21 who owned property. Ask students why they think these restrictions
existed. Discuss student responses. Possible answers include: discrimination against
blacks and women, people favored Christianity over other religions, etc.

15. Remind students that as you have previously discussed, Britain did not interfere
much in colonial affairs from the late 1600s through the mid 1700s. There was an
exception to this, however. Ask students what they learned in the previous lesson that
could be considered interference. Give students time to think and then discuss their
responses. Note that in the previous lesson the Navigation Acts were explored. Remind
students that many colonists resented the Navigation Acts because they felt they
favored English merchants. As a result, some colonial merchants ignored the laws or
found ways to get around them.
Pimp my unit: I would have the students write down what they learned, then turn to a
partner and share their thoughts and come up with three main points to then share with
the class.

Assessment
The Summarizing Chart used in Step 7 can be used as an assessment for this lesson. In
addition, students could each write a multiple choice question based on the content of the
lesson. Questions could then be used to create a quiz or game.