Malcolm Rivera
The US Constitution was influenced by several historical documents that outlined the core ideas of representative government, constitution-making, and individual liberties. The Constitution was the product of history, as its text built on ideas and borrowed structures from centuries of colonial experience. Some of the documents that influenced the US Constitution include the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the Charters of the Virginia Company of London, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, expressed the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. The Constitution, on the other hand, was designed to establish a government and empower the central government while preserving individual liberties.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Documents that influenced the authors of the US Constitution | Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, Charters of the Virginia Company of London, Virginia Declaration of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, Bill of Rights, Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois |
| First 10 amendments to the Constitution | Bill of Rights |
| Purpose of the Declaration | Justify breaking away from a government |
| Purpose of the Constitution and Bill of Rights | Establish a government |
| Number of times the Constitution has been amended | 27 times |
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What You'll Learn
The Magna Carta
The document also promised access to swift justice, guaranteeing that no free man could be imprisoned, outlawed, exiled, or have their possessions or land confiscated without the lawful judgment of their peers, paving the way for trial by jury. Additionally, the Magna Carta established a council of barons as a predecessor to Parliament, which monitored the king's actions to ensure he abided by the new laws.
The Founding Fathers of the United States admired the charter's rebellious nature against the English throne. The writers of the Bill of Rights and state constitutions were inspired by the concept that a government should be constitutional and that its power could be limited to protect individual rights and freedoms. The Magna Carta's influence can be seen in the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees that "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". Similarly, the Sixth Amendment's assurance of "a speedy trial" is also founded in the political thought of the Magna Carta.
The influence of the Magna Carta was also felt in the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention in 1787, when the principles of due process and individual liberty were enshrined into law. The document's legacy is reflected in the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, which were ratified by the states in 1791. Amendments five through seven set ground rules for a fair and speedy jury trial, and the Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail and fines, which can be traced back to the 20th clause of the Magna Carta.
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The Mayflower Compact
To prevent this, the Pilgrims established their own government, creating the Mayflower Compact, which was based on a majoritarian model and the settlers' allegiance to the king. It was a social contract in which the settlers consented to follow the community's rules and regulations for the sake of order and survival. The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony and was considered important enough to be read at government meetings in Plimoth Colony for many years. The compact has been described as "the first real constitution of modern times", democratic, and an acknowledgment of liberty under law and order.
The compact was first called the Mayflower Compact in 1793 and was originally titled "Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth". It was signed by 41 of the ship's 101 passengers, consisting of Separatist Puritans, adventurers, and tradesmen. The core members of the Pilgrims' group were Separatists, a Puritan sect that had split from the Church of England, which was the only legal church in England at the time. The Mayflower Compact has had a lasting influence, with similar local governments found throughout America today.
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The Declaration of Independence
The document was written by Thomas Jefferson, who was a lawyer and a member of the Continental Congress. Jefferson was part of a committee that included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, who were tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence. The committee worked quickly and the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, now known as Independence Day.
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The Virginia Declaration of Rights
The Declaration consists of sixteen articles on the rights that "pertain to [the people of Virginia]... as the basis and foundation of Government". It affirms the inherent nature of rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness and safety. It also describes a view of government as the servant of the people, with a separation of powers into the administration, legislature, and judiciary.
Articles 1-3 address the subject of rights and the relationship between the government and the governed. The Declaration states that all men are "by nature equally free and independent" and have certain inherent rights that cannot be taken away from their posterity. This statement, however, excluded enslaved people, as they were not considered part of civil society by most white Virginians.
Articles 7-16 propose restrictions on the powers of the government, declaring that the government should not have the power to suspend or execute laws without the consent of the people's representatives. It establishes legal rights such as the right to confront accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence, to a speedy trial by an impartial jury, and to prevent citizens from self-incrimination. It also includes protections against cruel and unusual punishments, baseless search and seizure, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the right to a uniform government.
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The Articles of Confederation
Alexander Hamilton helped persuade Congress to assemble a Grand Convention of state delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in May 1787. The delegates created a powerful central government, wary of centralised power and loyal to their states. They crafted compromises to accommodate their wildly differing interests and views.
The U.S. Constitution was designed to empower the central government to preserve the blessings of liberty for "We the People of the United States". It was drafted by a convention that met in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia in 1787. The Constitution has been amended 27 times, with the first ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was influenced by many earlier documents, including the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and the Bill of Rights.
The US Constitution is a document that establishes the government of the United States and defines the rights of citizens and states in relation to that government. It was written a few years after the Revolutionary War, as America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was considered too weak and threatened to tear the country apart.
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution. It was proposed by Congress in 1789 and defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government.
