Big Ideas
Pre-DOI Documents
British Policies
British Policies 2
Big Idea Examples
100
The Big Idea that no one is above the law...not even the president, the king or guys with hot wives.
What is Rule of Law?
100
This document contains four of our five big ideas and provides rights for a jury trial and a speedy trial among other things.
What is Magna Carta?
100
The term for the prohibition against settlers moving further west than the Appalachian mountains was called this.
What is the Proclamation Line of 1763?
100
This is the popular term for the shooting of a number of unarmed protesters in Boston Commons in 1770.
What is the Boston Massacre?
100
President Nixon's belief that an act that would otherwise be illegal, when done by the president isn't illegal because, "When the President does it that means that it is not illegal," is a violation of this Big Idea.
What is Rule of Law?
200
The Big Idea that states that the power of government should be kept as small as possible.
What is limited government?
200
This document gave more power to the parliament. It also provided English citizens more rights in the justice system such as prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment, prohibitions against excessive (really big) fines, and prohibitions against unreasonable bail. It also included the right to bear arms.
What is English Bill of Rights?
200
The Stamp Act was a tax on these items.
What are printed goods?
200
As a result of this war, Britain found themselves in tremendous debt which ultimately lead to a number of the policies we learned about.
What is the French-Indian War or Seven Years War?
200
People choosing representatives to pass laws on their behalf is an example of this Big Idea.
What is self-government?
300
The Big Idea that people should rule themselves.
What is self-government?
300
This document was drafted by the Pilgrims on their way to the colonies so they would have an established government when they got off the eponymous ship.
What is the Mayflower Compact?
300
The Declaratory Act ended the Stamp Act and reaffirmed the rights of Parliament to legislate the colonies. This action by the colonists was responsible for the passage of this act and the repeal of the Stamp Act.
What was the colonial boycott of British goods?
300
Closing the port of Boston, moving trials of British officials out of the colonies, the removal of many colonial governments and the quartering of troops were collectively known as these acts.
What are the Intolerable Acts?
300
Before a government can send someone to prison they must first go through all the steps of a fair and speedy trial. This is an example of this Big Idea.
What is Due Process?
400
Freedoms that a person is born with that cannot be taken away.
What are rights?
400
Written by Thomas Paine, this document was a fiery argument in favor of colonial separation from England.
What is Common Sense?
400
As part of the Townshend Act, these gave British officers the power to search colonial vessels for smuggled goods.
What are Writs of Assistance?
400
The Intolerable Acts were put into place as punishment for this act of sabotage that took place in Boston Harbor.
What is the Boston Tea Party?
400
The English Bill of Rights protects an individuals ownership of weapons. This is an example of this Big Idea.
What are rights?
500
This Big Idea is that governments should have to follow a set of rules or procedures before being able to punish someone or take away their rights.
What is due process?
500
Although not on your test, these newspaper editorials argued for free speech rights.
What are Cato's letters?
500
Mistakenly believed by many to be a tax on tea, the Tea Act actually gave sole power to import tea into the colonies to this company.
What is the British East India Company?
500
These are the five items that were taxed by the Townshend Revenue Act of 1767.
What are glass, lead, tea, paint and paper?
500
All acts that make the power of the government smaller fall under this Big Idea.
What is limited government?
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