Ancient Greece created the concept of democracy, where the people participated directly in the government's choices. Obviously the democracy created in Greece is different from what we see today in the USA, but we cannot fail to point out that the concept created in Greece was very important for the existence of the relationship between the government and the citizens that we see today.
Enlightenment was also very influential in this relationship. This is because the enlightenment reinforced the idea that all citizens should have political knowledge, being then guardians of their rights and freedoms, being able to demand from the government if somehow an implemented policy disrespected them.
Well the first English settlement was really Roanoke, however it was not successful. The first successful one would be the new Virginia colony, later known as Jamestown;)
