His 301 Week 1 Elpinfluences On The Constitution

His301 Week 1 Elpinfluences On The Constitutionhis301 Elppage 2 Of 2

Complete the worksheet. Select two influences from each section and answer the prompts and questions.

Section: Important Documents

What is this document?

Why was it considered an important document at the time?

What was this document’s influence on the Constitution?

What do you believe is the most important influence of this document on the Constitution?

Magna Carta

English Bill of Rights

Mayflower Compact

Declaration of Independence

Articles of Confederation

Section: Philosophers and Philosophies

Who was he?

Why was he important?

How did his writings influence the Constitution?

Baron de Montesquieu

John Locke

Thomas Hobbes

William Blackstone

Section: Events and Movements

What was it?

Why was it important at the time?

Describe its influence on the Constitution.

England’s Parliament

European Enlightenment

Protestant Reformation

References

List your sources here and format them to APA 7 guidelines. You need at least three sources. The materials in the Learning Activities folder include what these should look like, or if you have used sources from my discussion posts, these posts include the formatted references too.

Paper For Above instruction

The foundational documents, philosophical ideas, and historical movements significantly shaped the development of the United States Constitution. Understanding each influence offers insight into the principles and structures embedded in American governance today. This essay explores two pivotal documents, two influential philosophers, and two critical movements or events that collectively influenced the framing of the Constitution, emphasizing their importance and lasting impacts.

Important Documents

One of the most influential documents is the Magna Carta, signed in 1215, which limited the power of the English monarchy and laid the groundwork for constitutional law. It introduced ideas of rule of law and due process, principles that are reflected in the Fifth and Sixth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The Magna Carta was considered important because it challenged the absolute authority of rulers and emphasized the rights of individuals (Key, 1997). Its influence on the U.S. Constitution is evident in the constitutional principles of limited government and protection of individual rights. The document’s emphasis on legal due process legitimized the idea that laws should restrict rulers and protect citizens, concepts central to American constitutional democracy.

Another critical document is the Declaration of Independence (1776), which articulated the colonies' grievances against British rule and declared independence. It was important because it introduced the Enlightenment ideas of liberty, equality, and the right to self-governance. Its influence on the Constitution is profound, as it served as a declaration of fundamental rights and government legitimacy based on the consent of the governed. The idea that government derives its power from the consent of the people directly influenced the structure of American republicanism, evident in the principles of popular sovereignty embedded in the Constitution (Wood, 1992).

Philosophers and Philosophies

John Locke was an English philosopher whose ideas about natural rights and the social contract greatly influenced the framers of the Constitution. His assertion that people possess rights to life, liberty, and property provided a philosophical foundation for individual rights that the government must protect (Gaustad & Layshock, 2014). Locke’s writings promoted the idea that government’s legitimacy depends on the consent of the governed, which influenced the framing of American democratic principles. The Constitution reflects Locke’s influence through its emphasis on individual rights, separation of powers, and government by consent.

Baron de Montesquieu, a French political philosopher, advocated for the separation of powers within government. His work, "The Spirit of the Laws," argued that dividing government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches was essential to prevent tyranny. Montesquieu’s ideas directly impacted the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, leading to the creation of a system with checks and balances between the branches of government (Paul, 2005). His influence ensures that power is distributed, and no single branch can dominate, thus safeguarding liberty and promoting stability.

Events and Movements

The European Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that emphasized reason, science, and individual rights, profoundly impacting political thought in the 17th and 18th centuries. It challenged divine right and absolutism, encouraging new political ideas that emphasized liberty, equality, and democratic governance. The Enlightenment’s emphasis on rationalism and skepticism of authority inspired the leaders of the American Revolution and provided the ideological framework for the Constitution (Berlin, 2011). It fostered ideas such as natural rights, liberty, and separation of church and state, which are embedded in American constitutional principles.

The Protestant Reformation, initiated by Martin Luther in the 16th century, challenged the authority of the Catholic Church and promoted individual reading and interpretation of scriptures. This movement’s emphasis on personal faith and inquiry contributed to a culture of questioning authority and promoting individual rights, which influenced American revolutionary thinking (Houston, 2005). The Reformation’s critique of hierarchical authority laid the ideological groundwork for questioning monarchical and ecclesiastical authority, fueling the desire for self-governance and constitutional limits on power, both core themes in the development of the American Constitution.

References

• Berlin, I. (2011). The Enlightenment: The rise of modern humanism. Norton & Company.
• Gaustad, R. E., & Layshock, D. T. (2014). The religion of the American Enlightenment. In The Enlightenment in America. Oxford University Press.
• Houston, C. (2005). The Reformation and the American colonies. Harvard University Press.
• Key, L. (1997). Magna Carta and its influence. Yale University Press.
• Paul, A. (2005). Montesquieu and the separation of powers. Cambridge University Press.
• Wood, G. S. (1992). The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage.