Influences on the Constitution Table

University of Phoenix Material

Influences on the Constitution Table

Write one or two paragraphs in each section. Include citations for your sources.

Documents Summary What was its influence on the Constitution?

Magna Carta One of the most important events was the magna carta in the year of 1215. This Magna Carta is a document that that King of England was forced to sign. He was forced to sign it because it would reduce the power he held allowing for the formation of a powerful parliament. The Magna Carta was drafted first by the Archbishop Stephen Langton the most powerful Barons of England. The Magna Carta is the basis on the English Citizens right. The Magna Carta purpose was to curb the King and make him govern by the old English laws that were in place before the Normans were around. The Direct quote from the constitution and the Bill of Rights in article 21 states "That no freeman ought to be taken, or imprisoned, or disseized of his freehold, liberties or privileges, or outlawed, or exiled, or in any manner destroyed, or deprived, of his life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers or by the law of the land".

Mayflower Compact This document was signed on November 11, 1620 on the Mayflower which at the time was in Provincetown Harbor. The reason for this document was because it was a response to the "mutinous speeches" because the Pilgrims had intended to settle in Northern Virginian. The main purpose of this document was to temporarily establish a government until a more official government could be drawn up in England giving them the right to self-govern themselves in New England. This was considered the first American Constitution but the Compact had little influence on American documents John Quincy Adams, a descendant of the Mayflower passenger John Alden call the Mayflower Compact the foundation of the United States Constitution.

Articles of Confederation The Continental Congress adopted the Articles in the first constitution of the United States. These articles created a loose confederation and a weak central government, which left most of the power with the states government. In March 4, 1789 the United States Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation were our first Constitution that leads to small steps into making the Constitution since it had many crucial flaws. The Articles had no power of national taxation, no power to control the trade market. The Articles served as a transition between the Revolutionary War and the Constitution.

Northwest Ordinance The Northwest Ordinance original title was An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States North West of the River Ohio. This Ordinance protected civil liberties and did not allow slavery in the new territories which was considered to be one of the most important legislative acts of the Confederation Congress. The major role that the Northwest Ordinance had on the constitution is because of the territories since the U.S made them part of the 13 states. This Ordinance was carried into the Constitution in Article IV, Section 4.

Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence "refers to the Laws of Nature's God entitling the people to assume any type of political independence". The Declaration of Independence can be broken down into several parts, the preamble, the indictment, the denunciation and the conclusion. This document was adopted on July 4, 1776 that declared the 13 colonies free and independent states. The first person to ever sign this document was the President of the Continental Congress which was John Hancock. With this document all men and women are now treated equally to include their race. The influence that the Declaration of Independence was that it gave birth to the United States of America. This document gave many other freedoms to many slaves also known as the Emancipation of black slaves. This document also gave equality to all men and women. The Declaration of Independence also had an influence on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution by inspiring how the Declaration was written. The Bill of Rights is known and the first ten amendments of the US constitution. This gave specifics to the bill of rights and laws from freedom of speech, press and religion, freedom of assembly and so on. It also had an effect on other countries.

Philosophers Who was this? How did his writings influence the Constitution?

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher and is best known for his political thoughts. Hobbes not only had a political background but also his reaction against religious authority and the admiration for the emerging scientific method. There has been one problem that surrounded Hobbes and that was if he saw human beings as purely self-interested or egoistic. Thomas Hobbes wrote a book called Leviathan that had suggested that a nation should be organized into states and governed by a central government. With his logical arguments with verses straight from the bible in his writings he was able to establish a strong argument on separating the Church and State. Hobbes strongly believes that the Church should be subordinate to the state and the nation should allow one religion to avoid any conflicts. As Hobbes states that men and women were free to pursue and defend their own interests.

John Locke John Locke was an English philosopher and was one of the Founding Fathers in establishing Americas First Principles. Locke was born in 1632 in Wrington England. Locke wrote several political books, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, A letter Concerning Toleration and even an essay Concerning Human Understanding. His most influential work was the First and Second Treatise of Civil Government. Locke did state that there should be no freedom without a Social Compact of laws. Locke had also argued that governments were instituted to protect the unalienable rights