Checks and Balances: A Look at the Powers of Government
Chapter 1 A TrouBleD CounTry In the 1600s people from Europe settled on the eastern coast of North America Their settlements were called colonies Great Britain and its king ruled the colonies That meant people in the colonies had to obey Britain’s laws This drawing shows the settlement at the Jamestown Colony in modern-day Virginia Who ruled the colonies 4
People in the colonies didn’t like Britain’s laws They wanted freedom They fought for independence or self rule in the Revolutionary War 1775 1783 Colonial troops riGhT fight against British troops during one of the first battles of the revolutionary War 5
The colonies won independence But their troubles weren’t over The first U S government had many problems This drawing shows members of the first U S government including George Washington STAndinG AT LefT 6
America’s first government was based on the Articles of Confederation This document gave each state a lot of power But it gave the national government limited power And most of that power belonged to the congress of the Confederation This was a group made up of leaders from each state The Articles of Confederation was written in 1777 7
