Colonial Influence of US Government EQ: HOW DID THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS INSPIRE THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION?

Magna Carta 1215 In early 1200’s King John of England began to treat his nobles in ways they felt were UNFAIR. He TAXED without asking PERMISSION, and put them in jail and took their property without a TRIAL if they refused to pay the taxes.

MAGNA CARTA 1215 Many of the Nobles banded together to resist the king’s efforts to take away RIGHTS they thought were theirs. They met the king in a place called Runnymeade and forced him to sign a document called the MAGNA CARTA or Great Charter. The Magna Carta put in writing ideas that are important to our ideas of DEMOCRACY and RIGHTS. 1.Laws that even Kings have to OBEY. 2.No TAXATION except by legal means. 3.Right to a fair TRIAL.

Mayflower Compact 1620 When the Puritans left England to come to America to escape religious persecution, they were blown off course and landed in Massachusetts, which was OUTSIDE a colony where there was government. They signed an agreement to establish a government and abide by the LAWS they made.

MAYFLOWER COMPACT 1620 The Mayflower Compact established these ideas: 1.Established SELF government and MAJORITY rule. 2.A KING is not necessary to have laws. 3.Laws can be MADE by the people for the GOOD of the colony

English Bill of Rights 1689 King James II dismissed PARLIAMENT and tried to restrict the RIGHTS of people in England. Parliament offered the throne to William of Orange and his wife Mary. If they would agree to a BILL of RIGHTS. James had little support, and William and Mary were crowned in the GLORIOUS Revolution

English Bill of Rights 1689 The English Bill of Rights placed in writing many rights of Englishmen 1.Monarch’s cannot cancel LAWS or impose taxes without Parliament’s APPROVAL. 2.No cruel PUNISHMENT. 3.Right to COMPLAIN about unjust rulers without fearing imprisonment. 4.Laws are based on Parliament and not the desire of a KING. This establishes the idea that individuals have RIGHTS that no one can take away.

John Locke (1632-1704) English philosopher who wrote about GOVERNMENT. His ideas were read by Thomas JEFFERSON and others. Became part of the Declaration of INDEPENDENCE.

John Locke (1632-1704) 1.People are born with NATURAL rights; LIFE, LIBERTY, and ownership of property. 2.Social CONTRACT-People enter into a partnership with government. 3.Government promises to PROTECT the people and people promise to obey the laws. 4.Unjust governments can be REPLACED.

Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) 1. Book Spirit of the LAW’S. 2.Three Branches: LEGISLATIVE, Executive, JUDICIAL. 3.Separation of POWERS keeps individuals from gaining too much control. 4.Checks and BALANCES allows the branches to MONITOR one another.

Common Sense Common Sense was a pamphlet written to convince the American colonists to support becoming independent from England. It was written by Thomas Paine, a colonial journalist, and circulated in 1776. BIG IDEAS: SELF GOVERNMENT RIGHTS