Impact Of The Magna Carta

“The Magna Carta was a document issued by English noblemen who demanded rights from the king and limited the rights of the king’s power,” (A). Democracy was based on the central idea of the Magna Carta by giving citizens of America more authority over the government. Influencing other countries to write new laws, impacting poets with their writings, and affecting people to speak up through the Magna Carta proves that the document left a long-lasting effect on America.
The Magna Carta influenced other countries to revisit and rewrite laws that benefited the wellbeing of the citizens. For example, the Bill of Rights were the first ten amendments the U.S. was built on. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting

The first amendment gives citizens freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. Meaning that citizens are allowed to express themselves and not be judged for their beliefs. The Magna Carta ties to the first amendment by allowing citizens to be comfortable with speaking up and expressing ideas. The significance of both documents favored the citizens of both Britain and America by showing a shift of better living conditions for citizens than past governments. The tenth amendment also relates to the Magna Carta for the tenth amendment directly states that power not given to the government goes to the people. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people,” (B). Both documents give the people power for the nation over the government.

For instance, Walt Whitman wrote about what he would do for democracy and how the democracy will grow. “I will plant companionship thick as trees along all the rivers of America, and along the shores of the great lakes, and all over the prairies,” (Whitman). Whitman wanted to restore democracy, for hate was making its way to America again that is why Whitman said he would grow democracy. Growing meaning spreading democracy again and by doing it with the love of comradeship for the people make the government. The Magna Carta did the same by spreading hope again in Great Britain that liberty will soon rise. Then there are poets like Leonard Cohen, who believed that despite the hardships democracy will find its way to America. “Sail on, sail on O mighty Ship of State! To the Shores of Need Past the Reefs of Greed Through the Squalls of Hate Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on,”(Cohen). The metaphor in the poem is that democracy sailing on really means democracy is coming from the people. Once all the pain and hate are gone Democracy will come to the need and people will come together to make America great again. The Magna Carta also had some hate in it for the noblemen were not happy with these new rules for the noble wanted to keep power over the less fortunate. However, like the poem states once the disapproval was gone then the Magna Carta was accepted