Magna Carta Thesis

Throughout the course of history, many issues with government had surfaced due to unfair dispersion of power and unrepresented individuals. In the Glorious Revolution, American Revolution, and French Revolution, people knew they were entitled to rights that their governments had withheld, and pursued to establish systems of governments that extended and protected those rights with democratic standards of government. The widespread belief that government should be based on the consent of the governed and should protect the rights of its citizens led to a demand of new forms of government centered on self-government and individual liberty. The Magna Carta, Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, and the U.S. Bill of Rights initiated …show more content…
Bill of Rights. Although the Magna Carta only granted individual rights to the nobility, it still played a very important role in the establishment of the ideal. Stating, “The barons shall elect twenty-five of their number, and cause to be observed with all their might, the peace and liberties granted and confirmed to them by this charter,” the Magna Carta shows an understanding of the government’s role to enforce its ideals as well as protect and grant liberties. Expanding upon the ideals in the Magna Carta, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen extended individual rights to all people, as opposed to only the barons. This document recognized the importance of the rights of the individual, especially the rights of speech, expression, and assembly in its proclamation that, “The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most [valuable] of the rights of man….” Further extending individual rights, the U.S. Bill of Rights recognized ten rights of citizens that will be protected by the government. The first amendment declares, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble…” which protects the freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly. Continuing to protect other rights such as the right to bear arms and the right to a speedy and public trial, the U.S. Bill of Rights extends and protects the natural rights of all of the citizens. Through the establishment and extension of individual liberties in these three documents, the key democratic ideals of self-government and individual liberties were expanded by granting people freedoms and