Government Documents Inquiry Activity
THE MAGNA CARTA
Since the time of Edward the Confessor in the 1000s AD, the kings of England had been
getting more and more powerful. That was pretty much okay as long as the kings were
good kings, like William the Conqueror or Henry II. But when King Richard died in 1199, his
younger brother John became king, and John was not such a good king.
King John didn't seem to be taking such good care of England. First he lost almost all of
the English land in France. Then he made everyone who owned land in England pay extra
taxes. And he got into fights with the Pope about who would control the Catholic Church
in England. King John's fight with the Pope got so bad that the Pope excommunicated him
(and then they made it up).
So the rich men of England - the earls, the dukes, and the counts - decided to try to get
back some of the power from the king. They wrote a letter (Latin "carta") saying that
everyone in England would have certain rights that the king could not take away from
them anymore. The Magna Carta insisted that even the king had to obey the law. This was
not a new idea - Roman emperors were supposed to obey the law, and early medieval kings
were elected by the rich men of their kingdom and could be removed if they behaved
badly. But the kings were always trying to get more power, so the rich men needed to
push back in order to keep their rights.
Direct Quotes from the Magna Carta:
"No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, disseised (deprive), outlawed, banished, or in
any way destroyed, nor will We proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful
judgment of his peers or by the law of the land."
"To no one will We sell, to no one will We deny or delay, right or justice."
Source: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/government/magnacarta.htm
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Government Documents Inquiry Activity
THE ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS
In 1689, the people of Great Britain got tired of being treated unfairly by
their Kings! They created the English Bill of Rights to protect their
freedoms. Here are a few of the laws created:
British Bill of Rights 1689
Law
Explanation
That it is the right of the subjects to petition the
king, and all commitments and prosecutions for The right to petition (call upon) the monarchy.
such petitioning are illegal
That the pretended power of suspending the
laws or the execution of laws by regal authority
without consent of Parliament is illegal.
Freedom from the crown's interference with the law.
That the subjects which are Protestants may
have arms for their defence suitable to their
conditions and as allowed by law.
The right to bear arms (only protestants) for selfdefense, in accordance to its said law.
That excessive bail ought not to be required,
nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and
unusual punishments inflicted.
Freedom from excessive bail, harsh, cruel and
unusual punishments.
That election of members of Parliament ought
to be free.
The right to democratically elect members of
parliament without interference from the royalty.
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.
The right to free speech and debates for all citizens.
The proceedings in parliament cannot be
questioned in a court of law or by anybody outside
of parliament itself.
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Government Documents Inquiry Activity
The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was an agreement signed by 41 male colonists (37 Pilgrims
and 4 non-Pilgrims). It was signed on November 21, 1620, on the ship Mayflower that
transported over 100 passengers from Southampton, England, and dropped anchor in
Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The real significance of the Mayflower Compact was in its
stunning simplicity. It was a covenant between free people to (in the words of the
agreement): “combine our selves together into a civil body politic… and by virtue
hereof to enact … just and equal laws, …, as shall be thought most meet and
convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due ...
obedience.” In short, the Pilgrim settlers agreed to pass just laws and to abide by
them.
The group decided that a compact would be a good idea, since they were landing in a
place they did not have a right to settle. Their original destination was the mouth of
the Hudson River, but because of unfavorable winds and possibly bad navigation on
the part of a sulky, sullen ship’s captain, the group saw a need to set up the rule of law
and bring the non-Pilgrims in their group under control. There was almost a riot on the
boat as people argued about what to do.
The Mayflower Compact was the first document that formed a basis of self-government
in the New World. Its allusion to the “general good of the Colony” was strikingly similar
to the not-yet-written Preamble to the United States Constitution “to promote the
general welfare.” In fact, John Adams frequently referred to the Mayflower Compact as
one of the guiding documents of our Constitution.
Direct Quote from the Mayflower Compact:
“…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 Politick, 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;”
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