Washington, DC – As hundreds of thousands of citizens and volunteers gather in DC
to protest the preborn killing of American children, President Obama greeted their
arrival with a public statement recommitting to continue abortion. As estimates
suggest that last November, America exceeded 53 million people who were not
allowed to continue living because of Roe v. Wade, this anniversary should be
hallowed in their memory, not rededicated to additional killing of innocent children.
Obama said, “Today marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme
Court decision that protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, and
affirms a fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private
family matters. I am committed to protecting this constitutional right. I also
remain committed to policies, initiatives, and programs that help prevent
unintended pregnancies, support pregnant women and mothers, encourage healthy
relationships, and promote adoption. And on this anniversary, I hope that we will
recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same
rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their
dreams.”
In all the wars in American history combined, from the Revolution to Afghanistan,
we have lost approximately 910,000 people. However, in 38 years we have lost
about 53 million children to abortion. We lose more children to abortion each day
than we lost in all the tragedies on September 11, 2001. About 98 percent of
abortions are done for convenience unrelated to health. Less than 2 percent of
abortions are done for serious health reasons, rape or incest. Minorities have also
been hit hard by abortion. African-Americans account for about 12 percent of the
population, but 37 percent of the 1.3 million abortions each year. Latinos make up
about 15 percent of the population, yet account for about 22 percent of the annual
number of abortions.
Many of the individuals protesting abortion are college students and part of the
generations who understand first-hand that about one in four of Americans their
age, younger than 38, were killed by abortion. It will never be known how many
of them would have been business owners or inventers, whose creativity would
help our nation’s current problems. College students representing Liberty Counsel
and Liberty Center for Law and Policy are in Washington DC today to march and
participate in activities on the Hill.
Mathew Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of
Law, commented: “Today we mourn another year of killing innocent children. While
the nation mourns, President Obama celebrates the so-called “right” to kill. This
administration has done more to foster abortion than any other in American history.
This administration’s record on life is deplorable. We need to restore a culture of life
in America and bring liberty and justice to the preborn.”
Opening Prayer
Who wants a life that is peaceful? Who wants peace in their life? Christian, you want to live a
godly life, right? You want to be open and honest in your life, right? Not running off and hiding
away from fear that the government will persecute you. Who wants there to be a quietness in
their life?
1 Timothy 2:1: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 Timothy 2:2: For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
United States Senators
Charles Schumer
Kirsten Gilibrand
● Tries Impeachments
● Advise and Consent to Treaties
● Advise and Consent to Federal Office Nominations, including Supreme Court
● Pass Laws
● Lay and Collect Taxes
Tomorrow Night: State of the Union Address
Chapter 2: The Thirteen Original Colonies
Chapter 3: Life in Colonial America
Religion:
Protestant Reformation:
- Absolute Authority of Scripture
- Universal Priesthood of Believers
- John Wycliffe (1320-1384): First English translation of the Bible “Morning Star of the
Reformation”
- William Tyndale (1492-1536): First printed English Bible, and first from TR
King Henry VIII in the 1530s broke with Rome
- not a change in religion, just a change in the head of the religion. The King of England
became the head of the church of England
Queen Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603):
- Protestant Friendly queen
- during her time, England became a religion of the book; helped setup colonists to be run by
the Book.
Politics:
1215: King John signed Magna Carta; Limited the power of the king; subjected king to
law
Development of Parliament in 1200s paved the way for more representative government
Exploration:
1497, John Cabot (an italian) sailed for England and explored eastern coat of America from
Labrador to Virginia
1576: Sir Martin Frobisher sent by Elizabeth to find Northwest Passage
1577: Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe, in the Golden Hind. He sailed up west coast
of North America, pirating Spanish ships as he went. He claimed California for England and
called it Nova Albion (“New England”)
There was some “Nationalism” in view in early colonization, but most Religious, Political and
Economic freedom was motivation for colonization for England
Religious:
Two groups of Dissenters: Catholics and Puritans
- Catholics pledged allegiance to Rome, and spiritual and political matters often overlapped
- Puritans had a subdivision of Separatists that withdrew from Church of England, while the rest
wanted to purify it
Political:
from 1603-1649, English kings claimed “divine right of kings.” They did not share power with
Parliament - against English law
- they claim that monarchy is the only sanctioned form of government that God gave
- this led to much fighting between parliament and the crown, causing many english to flee to
america
Economic:
- inflation due to much of the import of Spanish gold and silver (through trade and piracy)
caused prices of goods to go higher, though common man saw very little of the gold and silver
- the “Enclosure Movement” took away land that farmers needed in order to keep their sheep to
make wool
- Enclosure Movement led to Unemployment, and led many to debtors prisons
Three peoples involved in colonization:
- sovereigns: (little interest compared to Spain and France), but usually to bring wealth honor
and prestige to homeland
- businessmen: investors
- settlers: adventure, and financial gain; strongest motive was freedom: religious, political and
economic
Early Attempts at Settlement:
1578, Sir Humphrey Gilbert and half-brother Sir Walter Raleigh failed an attempt due to weather
1583, Gilbert landed on Newfoundland, but weather forst him back, Gilbert’s ship was caught in
storm and all on-board drowned
1584, Raleigh explored Albermarle Sound and island of Roanoke
- named the land Virginia for Queen Elizabeth
1587, Raleigh sent John White and 100 settlers. They settled at Roanoke
- Virginia Dare was first English child born in present-day US
- a month spent in the colony, White returned for supplies, but England was caught up
against Spanish Armada. Finally, after a several year delay, in 1590 returned to empty
colony. “Croatoan” carved on tree, but no idea where they went
Virginia
4: Why did the common-store system fail?
7: What representative body in Virginia acted as an advisory body to the governor?
Jamestown, Virginia
joint-stock companies were formed to finance it
The Virginia Charter:
- We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of
so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of
his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness
and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring
the Infidels and Savages, living in those parts, to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet
Government: DO, by these our Letters Patents, graciously accept of, and agree to, their humble
and well-intended Desires;
- London Company to start a colony in southern Virginia, Plymouth Company to start in
northern Virginia
- London Company sent 100 men and boys to plant colony; profits to be shared for 7 years.
April 1607, three ships sailed into Chesapeake Bay (named river James River)
Jamestown is first English settlement in the New World
- by end of first winter, half of population had died
- 38 of the original 144 settlers were left by New Years 1608
common-store system established by charter:
- common store, and distributed according to needs
- 1608, Captain John Smith enforced 2 Thess. 3:10
it would be 20 years before Virginia colony planted a crop large enough to sustain itself
1609 - 1610 called “starving time” left only 60 of the 438 survived
Problems in Jamestown:
low-land infested with malaria; contaminated river
gentry not willing to work, and greed, looking for gold instead of farming
Indians, from time to time
In spring 1610, the colonists were boarding ship to leave when supplies came
“However, on June 10, 1610, retreating "settlers" were intercepted a few miles
downriver by a supply mission from London headed by a new governor, Lord De
La Warr, who brought much-needed supplies and additional "settlers".[12] Lord
De La Warr's ship was named The Deliverance. The "settlers" called this The
Day of Providence, and the state of Delaware was eventually named after the
timely governor.”
John Rolfe taught colonists how to grow tobacco, which became a valuable export crop
- indentured servants originally met the demand for large labor force tobacco required
1619:
saw the first boatload of women!
saw 30 black servants, were sold to the settlers from the Dutch
1624, Virginia had paid back their debt to London Company, and the king made Virginia a royal
colony, answerable directly to king and his governors
PRECEDENTS OF JAMESTOWN:
House of Burgesses acted as advisory body to governor
- 1676: Bacon’s Rebellion: Nathaniel Bacon formed a volunteer militia to defend the frontier
settlements from Indian attacks since Governor Berkeley who refused to send military. He
burned down Jamestown.
The colonists expected government to defend all their citizens
(Summary: “Jamestown, the first English town permanently settled in the New World, was
founded in 1607. There the first American legislative assembly met in 1619. Negro slaves were
introduced the same year. The cultivation of tobacco built up commerce and largely increased
the population but did not favor the growth of towns. The colony was strongly Royalist, and
received many Cavaliers from England. Later, the Navigation Laws injured its prosperity. There
was a period of bad government, and Bacon attempted reform. His undertaking failed. But the
people remembered the man and his work, and Virginia, a hundred years later, was the first
colony to propose the establishment of American independence.)
Massachusetts
6: How did the free enterprise system save Jamestown and Plymouth from early failure?
4: Explain what John Winthrop meant when he called Massachusetts Bay a “City upon a
hill.”
6: What major error did the Puritans make concerning church state?
Plymouth Company failed, and reorganized in 1620 as Council for New England, tried to
establish colonies in Maine and New Hampshire, but couldn’t.
James I believed that those that questioned his religious authority were questioning his political
authority as well, and so had very little place for the Puritans
Separatists believed in congregationalism; they also opposed civil authority to interfere with right
of individual to exercise religious freedom
Three groups that opposed the religious obligations in England at the time: Catholics,
who didn’t want to support the Protestants with whom they did not agree; Puritans who
supported the doctrine of the Reformed English Church, but not the practices; Separatists who
agreed with doctrine, but left the church to establish their own congregations.
Pastor John Robinson, pastor of Scrooby congregation formed in 1606
300 fled to Holland in 1609 to Leyden. (Arminius had just died there, after being professor at
university)
In 11 years, congregation rose to 1,000, but decided not to stay in Holland because:
- worldly Dutch society, and did not want children exposed
- felt their children were not getting proper education
- proud of English heritage and wanted English descendants, not Dutch
“Adventurers”, a group of English businessmen, funded expedition for 7 years of profits.
Speedwell from Holland to England, where Adventurers’ recruits were waiting with Mayflower
set sail Sep 6, 1620 from Plymouth, about 100 people, only about 35 of them were from Leyden
congregation
They landed far north of Virginia and where they had permission to land.
Mayflower Compact:
In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread
Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith, etc.
Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour
of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do
by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant
and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and
preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and
frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time,
as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which
we promise all due submission and obedience.
In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of
November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and
Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620
Half of the settlers died in first winter, however, only the crew of the Mayflower returned
the following Spring
Squanto helped colonists
1621, New England Company grants patents for Plymouth
1621, first thanksgiving as William Bradford called for a 3-day feast
William Brewster served for many years as Pilgrims’ pastor
John Carver was first governor, died in spring of 1621
William Bradford became second governor (for over 30 years!)
wrote: History of Plymouth Plantation)
In Spring of 1623: divided the land among colonists and made each family responsible.
- read pg. 27, where Bradford speaks of results
- free-enterprise is a far better system than socialism or communism
- even John Smith’s program was more of “tyranny” than free-enterprise.
1627: pilgrims paid debt to businessmen, and Plymouth became self-governing colony until
absorbed in 1691 by Massachusetts Bay Colony
PRECEDENTS:
Democracy: General Court consisted of all freemen over 21 years of age, in good behavior, and
a permanent settler; the original 41 signers of Mayflower Compact
- 1639: population growth made it impractical to have all freemen on the Court, switched from a
direct democracy to a representative democracy. Freemen from towns elected deputies
- pg 28: “The Pilgrims were able to successfully exercise representative self-
government because they were dominated by Scriptural concepts and they had great respect
for the law and for their leaders.” That is, they were able to morally constrain themselves being
able to answer directly to God, and also, that God-ordained submission to law and authorities.
- Separation of Church and State: No established religion, but they could inter-operate because
people had biblical worldview
Massachusetts Bay Colony:
All-Puritan stockholders, and they moved the charter to the New World!
1630 sailed with 11 ships and 700 passengers
John Winthrop elected governor
Charles I, 1629, ruled without Parliament, and became evident religious persecution coming
- the Massachusetts Bay Puritans had not experienced persecution, though they knew it was
coming, they wanted to build a Christian society, a “City upon a hill” as Winthrop said
Boston established in 1630
persecution in England came in 1633, by 1642, 25,000 Puritans emigrated to New England
(called, “The Great Migration”)
PRECEDENTS:
emphasized citizens responsibility to obey civil government
government should be limited by the consent of the governed
citizens should participate in government by choosing leaders
government should protect private property
However, General Court of Mass Bay was limited to Puritans
1636, declared that new churches could only be established by consent of puritan authorities
Puritan churches in Mass were Congregational Churches