Lesson 8 SS.7.C.1.2 Core documents that impacted the colonists’ views of government:
Several core documents impacting the colonists’ views of government reflect enlightenment
values.
These documents include the English Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, the
Mayflower Compact and “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine
Date
Document Name
Purpose of Document
Core Themes and Influences
Country of
Origin
Magna Carta
(The Great Charter
of Freedoms)
1215
England
English Bill of
Rights
(An Act Declaring
the Rights and
Liberties of the
Subject and Settling
the Succession of
the Crown)
Mayflower
Compact
“Common
Sense”
by Thomas Paine
(published
anonymously)
1689
England
1620
American
Colonies
1776
American
Colonies
Required King John of England to
protect certain rights Limited
King’s powers Protected subjects’
privileges (Note: While these goals
were not achieved, the document
became an important symbol for
those who wished to show that the
king was bound by law)
Restate in statutory form the
Declaration of Rights presented by
the Convention Parliament to
William and Mary inviting them to
become joint sovereigns of England
(Note: the Glorious Revolution of
1688 marked the ascendency of
Parliament over the monarchy. This
is part of the British Constitution
Set up a government and write
first written laws for the new
settlers arriving at Plymouth Rock
(now Provincetown Harbor, Cape
Cod, Massachusetts)
Placed the blame for the British
colonists on King George III
Challenged the authority of the
British government and the royal
monarchy Published anonymously,
the document advocated that the
colonists declare their
independence from the British
crown
Writ of habeas corpus Rule of
constitutional law Development of
common law
Lists rights for citizens and
permanent residents of a
constitutional monarchy Included
the right to petition the monarch
Included the right to bear arms in
defense Emphasizes the
importance of the consent of the
people Influenced the U.S. Bill of
Rights (1791)
Fair and equal laws for the general
good of the settlement Will of the
majority Social contract where the
settlers consented to follow the
Compact’s rules for the sake of the
survival of the new colony John
Adams and others have referred to
it as the foundation of the U.S.
Constitution
Advocated a movement for
sovereignty of the people, a written
constitution, and effective
governmental checks and balance
Excerpt from the Magna Carta 1215
1. First that we have granted to God, and by this present charter have confirmed for us our
heirs in perpetuity that the English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished,
and its liberties unimpaired. . . .
2. If any earl, baron, or other person that holds lands directly of the Crown, for military
service, shall die, and at his death his heir shall be of full age and owe a "relief," the heir shall
have his inheritance on payment of the ancient scale of "relief." That is to say, the heir of heirs
of an earl shall pay £100 for the entire earl's barony, the heir or heirs of a knight, 100
[shillings], at most for the entire knight's "fee", and any man that owes less shall pay less, in
accordance with the ancient usage of "fees." [Clause 2 restated: When a landholder dies, his
heir must pay a fee to inherit the property. The customary fee for the heir of an earl was 100
pounds, for a knight 100 shillings or 5 pounds.]
7. At her husband's death, a widow may have her marriage portion and inheritance at once and
without trouble. She shall pay nothing for her dower, marriage portion, or any inheritance that
she and her husband held jointly on the day of his death. She may remain in her husband's
house for forty days after his death, and within this period her dower shall be assigned to her…
12. No "scutage" or "aid" may be levied in our kingdom without its general consent, unless it is
for the ransom of our person, to make our eldest son a knight, and (once) to marry our eldest
daughter. For these purposes only a reasonable "aid" may be levied. "Aids" from the city of
London are to be treated similarly.
13. The city of London shall enjoy all its ancient liberties and free customs, both by land and by
water. We also will and grant that all other cities, boroughs, towns, and ports shall enjoy all
their liberties and free customs. . . .
20. For [a] trivial offence, a free man shall be fined only in proportion to the degree of his
offence, and for a serious offence correspondingly, but not so heavily as to deprive him of his
livelihood.
39. No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or
outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force
against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law
of the land.
Mayflower Compact text
(spelling and capitalization in the original)
In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread
Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith, etc. Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the
Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the
Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God
and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our
better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof
to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and
Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good
of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we
have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the
reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of
Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.
Excerpt from the English Bill of Rights
“That it is the right of the subjects to petition the king, and all commitments and prosecutions
for such petitioning are illegal; That election of members of Parliament ought to be free; That
the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or
questioned in any court or place out of Parliament; That excessive bail ought not to be required,
nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted; That jurors ought to
be duly impanelled and returned, and jurors which pass upon men in trials for high treason ought
to be freeholders; That all grants and promises of fines and forfeitures of particular persons
before conviction are illegal and void; And that for redress of all grievances, and for the
amending, strengthening and preserving of the laws, Parliaments ought to be held frequently
Excerpt from Common Sense
Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary
evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same
miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity
is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. Government, like
dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers
of paradise. For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly obeyed, man
would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up
a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest; and this he is induced to
do by the same prudence which in every other case advises him, out of two evils to choose the
least. Wherefore, security being the true design and end of government, it unanswerably
follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with the least
expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others……….. A government of our own is our
natural right: And when a man seriously reflects on the precariousness of human affairs, he will
become convinced, that it is in finitely wiser and safer, to form a constitution of our own in a
cool deliberate manner, while we have it in our power, than to trust such an interesting event to
time and chance. If we omit it now, some Massenello2 may hereafter arise, who laying hold of
popular disquietudes, may collect together the desperate and the discontented, and by assuming
to themselves the powers of government, may sweep away the liberties of the continent like a
deluge. Should the government of America return again into the hands of Britain, the tottering
situation of things, will be a temptation for some desperate adventurer to try his fortune; and
in such a case, what relief can Britain give? Ere she could hear the news the fatal business
might be done, and ourselves suffering like the wretched Britons under the oppression of the
Conqueror. Ye that oppose independence now, ye know not what ye do; ye are opening a door to
eternal tyranny, by keeping vacant the seat of government. English Bill of Rights (graphic copy)
Source: Florida Joint Center for Citizenship