ORIGINS OF
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
Objective:
Understand and explain the significance of four (4) landmark English
documents that influenced the American colonies
September 8, 2014
INFLUENCE OF ENGLISH DOCUMENTS
MAGNA CARTA
PETITION of RIGHT
HABEAS CORPUS ACT
ENGLISH BILL of RIGHTS
MAGNA CARTA
1215
The Great Charter
 First document to limit the king’s power
 Established critical idea that the monarchy’s
power was not absolute
 Included guaranteed fundamental rights such
as:

Process – protection against arbitrary taking of
life, liberty, and property
 Trial by jury
 Due
PETITION OF RIGHT
1628
Government could not tax without consent
 King could no longer imprison or punish any
person but by the lawful judgement of his
peers or the law of the land
 Government may not impose martial, or
military law or quartering of troops
 Challenged the idea of the divine right of
kings
declaring that even the monarch
must obey the law of the land

HABEUS CORPUS ACT
1678
Prevent unjust arrests and imprisonments
 Government must present cause and
evidence in order to detain suspect

ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS
1689
“Glorious Revolution”
drawn up by Parliament to prevent abuse of
power by English monarchs
 Prohibited a standing army in peacetime, except
by consent
 All parliamentary elections be free
 Right to a fair trial
 No excessive bail or fines
 No cruel or unusual punishment
 Right to petition the king/government
