Forerunners of the Constitution

Magna Carta (1215)

• “The Great Charter” at Runnymede – Military and heavy taxes

• Dispute over Kings powers– Arbitrary acts?

• Limited Government– Power to parliament (some)– Protect power of barons

• English Liberties• Protections?• “Rule of Law”• Revisions…

Petition of Right

• Charles I– Taxes

• Imprisonment

• Taxes

• Housing

English Common Law• 1689 – English Bill of Rights• No standing army in peacetime without parliaments

consent• Parliaments elections must be free• Suspend laws?• No new taxes without parliament• Petition does not equal prosecution and persecution • Law created and refined by judges• Prevent the king from putting law in his mouth• Fair Trial

– No excessive bail– No cruel and unusual punishment

English Bill of Rights continued…

• Open Debate in Parliament

• Freedom of Speech?

• Protestants can bear arms

• Habeas Corpus (Body of Evidence)

• No Roman Catholic Monarchs

Mayflower Compact (1620)

• Battle for Liberty: America or England

• 1623 – Jury

• 1636 – Plymouth Code

Colonial Charters

• Companies• Legal Rights and Terms• Purpose, Trade, Land, Authority• Landlords/Companies (source of power)• Representative Government• Separation of powers

• We’ll look at different types and the colonies next

John Locke

• “Two Treatises of Government” (1689)– Idea of social contract– Divine right?– Born free

• State of nature

– Rights to Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness– Government to protect these– Rule by majority not extemporaneous ideas– People should overthrow corrupt government

Calvin

• Calvinism• Settlers in Mid-Atlantic and New England• English (Puritans), French, Dutch, Etc. • 5 points

– Total depravity (original sin)• Self over neighbor• Self interest• Not inclined to love God with whole heart

• Need government to protect people from one another

• Protestant Work Ethic

Adam Smith

• 1776 – “Wealth of Nations”

• Free market economics

• Individual wealth = overall wealth

• Government regulations vs Economy

• Merit and Meritocracy

What is next?!?!

The colonies, The Declaration, and the Constitution (oh yeah, the

Articles of Confederation too!!)

• Which document do you believe had the greatest influence on the Constitution of the United States? – Provide Examples

• Explain the basic protections outlined in the English Bill of Rights– Why would those who live in the colonies

expect these to apply to them overseas?