Influences on the U.S. Government

England

Magna Carta

  • signed by king john

  • limited the king and queen

  • gave rights to Englishmen

  • introduced ideas of limited government, due process, trial by jury, private property rights, and the protection of civil liberties

Petition of Rights

  • signed by king charles

  • gave more rights to Englishmen in exchange for more money to fund a war

  • rights to Englishmen included: no cruel punishment, no excessive bail, the right to bear arms, and the right to petition the government, and punishments had to be decided by a jury

  • Kings could no longer declare martial law

  • Introduced the rule of law (kings must obey laws)

English Bill of Rights

  • signed by william and mary

  • prohibited taxes without parliament permission

  • gave the right to petition without punishment

  • gave parliament the right to free speech

  • gave the right to bear arms

Colonies

Mayflower Compact

  • First example of self-government

Fundamental Order of Connecticut

  • First written laws of the colonies

House of Burgesses

  • first legislative assembly

  • in virginia colony

Religious Freedom

  • act of toleration

Enlightenment Thinkers

Hobbes

  • wrote the leviathin

  • citizens give natural equality and freedom to rulers in echange for protectiono and a peaceful society, making life liberty and property possible

  • believed that if peopel gave rulers power, they had no right to revolt

  • believed in seperation of chruch and state

John Locke

  • published two treatises of government

  • agreed with hobbes social contract

  • believed that natural law could not be taken away

  • believed citizens can overthrow government

  • supported representative government but believed only property owners could vote

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

  • wrote the social contract

  • the social contract said that citizens should abandon natural rights for government protection

  • supported a direct democracy where citizens were soverign

  • didnt agree with a representative government

Charles Montesquieu

  • wrote the spirit of the laws

  • believed that government was to maintain law and order, political liberty and property of citizens

  • opposed powerful government and supported limited monarchies through parliament

  • also supported an independent court system

  • 1st to argue for seperation of powers and checks and balances