How Did The Magna Carta Influence The Government Today

962 Words2 Pages

The Most Impactful Influence On Our Government Today
What if there was an over 800 year old document that is one of the most prominent influences on the most sacred document in the history of the United States? Well there is, the Magna Carta was created in 1215 and many of the ideas laid out from it show up heavily in the Constitution and the most sacred document, the Declaration of Independence. But the influence doesn’t just stop at the constitution, it even goes as far back as when the Colonies split from England. You see, essentially the colonies did the exact same thing as the Barons rebelling against King John. The Magna Carta is by far the most influential document that affects our government today, Anywhere you look in the Constitution …show more content…

England, being ruled by King John at the time, is being taxed after a series of wars that didn’t go in England’s favor. A group of wealthy noblemen called Barons are unhappy with the current state of England so they decide to rebel against the king. The Barons and the King fight for several months to see who will win. After many months of fighting in June, 1215, the Barons win the war and force the King to sign an agreement that is now known as the Magna Carta. This document limited power on the government and stated that no Man or Woman is above the law. If this story sounds familiar, well it is. 500 something years later the colonies were unhappy with King George III taxing them because of a war that England lost, and decide to rebel against the King. After several years of fighting, the Colonies are victorious and submit a document known as the Declaration Of Independence which lets them split off from England. You might be thinking that this is the only instance that the Magna Carta is seen in the world today but it’s …show more content…

They created a document known as the U.S. Constitution and later the Bill of Rights. This Constitution is a spitting image of the Magna Carta from the principles laid out from it, to how this document was formed. This Constitution was made to restrict the rights of the Government so it didn’t become too powerful like King John or Big Brother. In the Magna Carta it lays out the principle of man's property should not be taken or used without a payment, this principle is very much the same as Amendment 5 in the Bill of Rights. This quote from the Magna Carta is not the only quote that is an inspiration on the Constitution but there are many more. Principle 38 says that no man should be put on trial or arrested without proper reasoning supplied by the court, in the Bill of Rights Amendment 6 is a spitting image of that quote saying “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to be confronted with the witnesses against him.” The U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights weren’t the only documents in the history of the United States, but the Declaration was also heavily

Open Document