Documents of Democracy

Because of their traditions as English citizens, American colonists expected to have the right granted in English by the Magna Cart and The English Bill of Rights.  However, they were often denied these rights, and tensions grew in the colonies leading toward revolution.  Many  principles of the earlier British documents continued in the American Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution.  In Europe, some of the same principles and traditions carried into the French Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen.

Magna Carta (1215, England)

• Limited the powers of the king
• Laid the basis for due process of law - law should be known and orderly
• Prohibited the king from taking property or taxes without consent of a council

• Guaranteed free elections and frequent meetings of parliament
• Forbade excessive fines and cruel punishment
• Gave people the right to complain to the king or queen in Parliament
• Established representative government - laws made by a group that acts for the people

• Said that all ment are created equal and have the right to lilfe, liberty, with the pursuit of happinesss, there are unalienable rights - rights that government cannot take away
• Said that governments get their power from the consent of the governed - the idea of popular sovereignty

• Said that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights"
• Said that the purpose of government is to protect " natural rights, including "liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression:
• Guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of religion

• Guaranteed freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press
• Guaranteed due process of law, including protection from unfair imprisionment
• Guaranteed trial byjury, protected people from "cruel and unusual punishment"