There are several historical documents that played a significant role in shaping the colonists' view of government:
1. Magna Carta (1215): This English document, agreed upon by King John, guaranteed certain rights to nobles and freemen and established the principle of limited government. It emphasized the idea that even the king is subject to the rule of law.
2. English Bill of Rights (1689): After the Glorious Revolution, this document outlined the rights and liberties of English subjects and restricted the powers of the monarchy. It influenced the colonists' desire for representative government and protections against arbitrary rule.
3. Mayflower Compact (1620): The first governing document of Plymouth Colony, this agreement was signed by the Pilgrims on the ship Mayflower. It established a basic framework for self-government through majority rule and consent of the governed, fostering a sense of democratic ideals among the colonists.
4. Enlightenment philosophy: Works by philosophers like John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Montesquieu greatly influenced the colonists' political thinking. Locke's ideas of natural rights and social contract theory, Hobbes' belief in the necessity of a social contract for a functional society, and Montesquieu's theory of separation of powers all impacted the colonists' views on government.
5. Colonial Charters: The charters granted by the English monarchy to individual colonies, such as the Virginia Charter of 1606 and Massachusetts Bay Colony's charter of 1629, gave the colonists certain rights and privileges, often including representative government. These charters provided the colonists with practical examples of self-governance and helped shape their understanding of the relationship between individuals and government.
which historical documents help shape the colonist view of government
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