Earlier Documents that Influenced the U.S. Constitution
#1: The Magna Carta (England)
In 1215, a group of English nobles, demanded certain rights and forced King John of England to sign the Magna Carta and give up some of his power. Five hundred years later the American colonists used this document as a basis to demand their rights from the British King. The rights included in the Magna Carta and later included in the U.S Constitution included the following:
-The right to trial by jury
-Protection of private property
-Limits on taxation
-Some religious freedoms
-The right to trial by jury
-Protection of private property
-Limits on taxation
-Some religious freedoms
#2: The English Bill of Rights
In 1688, through a peaceful revolution known as the Glorious Revolution, William and Mary became the king and queen of England. To keep the monarchy from abusing their power, Parliament forced them to sign the English Bill of Rights. It guaranteed certain basic rights to individuals:
- freedom from royal interference with the law
- freedom from taxation by the King without agreement by Parliament
- freedom to petition the king
- freedom to bear arms for self-defense
- freedom to elect members of Parliament
- the freedom of speech in Parliament
- freedom from cruel and unusual punishments
- freedom from fines and forfeitures without trial
#3: The Mayflower Compact (Virginia Colony)
When the pilgrims established the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620, they set up the first form of self-government in the colonies. The pilgrims agreed to obey laws for the good of everyone in their community. These ideas of self-government were later used in the U.S. Constitution.