Founding Documents Summary
Document
Magna Carta
Signed by King
George
1215- England
Charter of the
Virginia Company
of London
1606
Mayflower
Compact
1620
Plymouth, Mass
Virginia
Declaration of
Rights
1776
What did it do?
● Ended a civil war
between the
monarchy and barons
● Reduced the power of
the king
● Established
Jamestown
● Guaranteed English
rights to the colonists
Fundamental Principles and how they
are shown in document
● Rule of Law
● Englishmen get basic rights and
freedoms
● minority rights
● Represented Government
● Pilgrims agreed to
work together and
accepted a governing
authority
● Direct Democracy
● Insured basic rights of
Life, Liberty and the
Pursuit of Happiness
● Limited government
● Stated Majority rule
● All entitled to basic rights
George Mason
● Influenced the
Declaration of
Independence and the
Bill of Rights
Virginia Statute for
Religious Freedom
● Seperation of Church
● Limited Government- Government to
and State
stay out of religion
● Government not to
interfere, support or
deny religion.
● Grievances against the
Colonists demanded from the King:
King
● Rule of Law: King must obey the Law
● declared
● Democracy: People have the power
Independence from
● Limited Government: King should stay
Britain
out of our rights
● All men created equal
● Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness
● Established the first
All Fundamental Principles
form of US
Government
● Major power for the
states
Thomas Jefferson
1786
Declaration of
Independence
Thomas
Jefferson
1776
Articles of
Confederation
Constitution of the
United States
(Preamble, Articles, Bill
of Rights, remaining
Amendments)
● Weaknesses: No
taxes, army, courts,
central government
weak
● Eventually thrown out
and replaced by the
Constitution
● Supreme law of the
All Fundamental Principles
Land
● Difficult to change,
only 27 amendment
●