Table of Contents The United States Government & Legal Systems Historical ..................................................................................................................... 1 The Goals of Colonization ........................................................................................... 1 Mercantilism ................................................................................................................ 2 Freedom from Religious Persecution ........................................................................... 2 Early Colonial Failures ................................................................................................. 3 New Spain ................................................................................................................... 3 Florida .......................................................................................................................... 3 New Mexico ................................................................................................................. 4 California ..................................................................................................................... 4 Puerto Rico .................................................................................................................. 5 New France ................................................................................................................. 6 Pays d'en Haut ............................................................................................................ 6 Illinois Country ............................................................................................................. 6 Louisiana ..................................................................................................................... 6 New Netherland ........................................................................................................... 7 New Sweden ............................................................................................................... 7 Russian Colonies ......................................................................................................... 7 English Colonies .......................................................................................................... 8 Chesapeake Bay Area ................................................................................................. 8 New England ............................................................................................................... 9 Other New England ................................................................................................... 10 Dominion of New England ......................................................................................... 10 Middle Colonies ......................................................................................................... 10 South ......................................................................................................................... 11 Chesapeake Society .................................................................................................. 12 Carolinas ................................................................................................................... 13 Georgia ...................................................................................................................... 14 East and West Florida ............................................................................................... 14 Unification of the British Colonies .............................................................................. 14 French and Indian War .............................................................................................. 15 Ties to the British Empire ........................................................................................... 16 Republicanism ........................................................................................................... 16 Consumption of British Goods ................................................................................... 16 Growing Dissent and the American Revolution ......................................................... 16 Religion ...................................................................................................................... 17 Great Awakening ....................................................................................................... 18 Enslavement .............................................................................................................. 18 New England ............................................................................................................. 19 i American Revolution ................................................................................................. 20 Background ............................................................................................................... 20 Military Hostilities Begin ............................................................................................. 20 Invasion of Canada .................................................................................................... 21 Declaration of Independence ..................................................................................... 21 Campaigns of 1776 and 1777 .................................................................................... 21 The British Move South, 1778–1783.......................................................................... 22 The Siege of Yorktown Ended with the Surrender of a British Army, Ending Most of The Fighting ............................................................................................................... 23 Peace and Memory ................................................................................................... 23 Critical Period: 1783–1789 ........................................................................................ 24 Articles of Confederation ........................................................................................... 24 Constitutional Convention .......................................................................................... 26 Struggle for Ratification ............................................................................................. 26 American Civil War ................................................................................................... 27 Overview .................................................................................................................... 28 United States Government ............................................................................................ 30 The American System of Government ....................................................................... 30 Who Works for the Government? .............................................................................. 30 How the Federal Government is Organized ............................................................... 31 THE BILL OF RIGHTS – U.S. Constitution ................................................................ 31 Other Amendments .................................................................................................... 33 Branches of Government ........................................................................................... 34 Terms of Office .......................................................................................................... 34 Legislative Branch ..................................................................................................... 35 Political Parties .......................................................................................................... 35 The Legislative Branch (The Congress) .................................................................... 36 The House of Representatives .................................................................................. 38 The Senate ................................................................................................................ 38 The Executive Branch (The President and His Advisors) .......................................... 38 The President's Many Roles ...................................................................................... 39 The Judicial Branch (The Federal Court System) ...................................................... 40 The Supreme Court ................................................................................................... 40 The Lower Federal Courts ......................................................................................... 40 A Government of the People ..................................................................................... 41 A More Thorough View of the Federal Court System ................................................ 41 District Courts ............................................................................................................ 42 Circuit Courts ............................................................................................................. 42 Supreme Court of the United States .......................................................................... 43 Court of Last Resort: .................................................................................................. 45 Specific Subject-Matter Jurisdiction 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