Made By: Brooke Heyl, Lalitha Aiyar, Maliyah Terry, and Eleanor Brodine
In spite of the fact that, at the time, the formation of our government was seen as a grand experiment, all great experiments begin with background research and a purpose. In the case of the formation of the United States, the Framers researched other forms of government and different philosophies of the past. Of course, this was prompted by a series of attempts to seize the colonies by Great Britain - most of which violated the colonists’ promised rights of Englishmen.
The Charter of 1606, designated by King James I, stated explicitly that “Also we do, for Us, our Heirs, and Successors, Declare [...] all and …show more content…
For example, several components of English common law were taken into account when building the framework of our government, the most important of which was the Magna Carta, written in the Middle Ages. The Magna Carta introduced two crucial ideas - the idea of equality under the law and the right to a fair trial by jury. The document explicitly says, “to no one will we sell, to no one will we deny, or delay right or justice.” Additionally, the thirty-ninth clause states that no man can be subject to punishment without a fair trial by jury. Additionally, the Framers looked into the philosophies of Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau, and Montesquieu. Specifically, Montesquieu originally suggested the separation of powers and Locke suggested checks and balances, two systems which are currently in place …show more content…
However, aside from taxes, Parliament passed several pieces of legislation that angered the colonists, the effects of which can be seen in how our government was formed. For example, shortly after the conclusion of the war, the Proclamation of 1763 prohibited settlements on native lands west of the frontier line in spite of the fact that this land had been promised to the colonists by previous charters. Additionally, the proclamation stated that the colonists were responsible for one-third of the million dollar cost of the war and sent troops to the frontier line, which specifically violated the British custom of having no standing army during peacetime. The Sugar Act, passed in 1764, stated that smugglers would be tried in Admiralty Court, without a jury - a direct contradiction to the Magna Carta, one of the most important pieces of English common law. The Quartering Act stated that colonists were required to house and feed British soldiers - outrage over this invasion of privacy translated to the third amendment, which explicitly bans this. The Declaratory Act, passed following the repeal of the Quartering Act, stated that Parliament could legally bind the colonists “in all cases whatsoever” - our republican form of government ensures that laws passed are in the best interests of the majority. The Townshend Acts, while raising