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Period: Jul 6, 1189 to
English Common Law
Before English common law, courts in England varied widely in practice. Common law sought to correct this. The lasting effect of common law is that it set the foundation for modern U.S. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The reason behind the Magna Carta was to create peace between the current king of England and several rebel barons. It failed in doing so, but was eventually drafted as a major part of English law. The effect on U.S. government is that several sections of the Constitution are based in rights given by the Magna Carta. -
Period: Jan 1, 1300 to
English Parliament
Parliament was caused by the monarch's need for a council of advisors. The purpose was to provide a secondary legislative body. This affects the U.S. by dispelling the idea that one ruler has to have near absolute power. -
Virginia House of Burgesses
Created to impose a tax on tobacco in Virginia, the House of Burgesses was the first representative government in the American colonies, and as such, paved the way for our government today. -
Mayflower Compact
The first document of self-governance in the American colonies, it was caused by the colonists' ambition to set up a self-sufficient society. -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The first written constitution in the American colonies, it was written in Connecticut by people being persecuted for their religious beliefs who found refuge in what is now Connecticut. It called for an assembly of representatives from each town to make laws. -
The Glorious Revolution
Parliament overthrew King James II and in doing so, asserted parliament as the most powerful political institution in England. This affected the US by dispelling the idea of absolute monarchy. -
English Bill of Rights
This Bill of Rights was written to further limit the power of the monarch in England, as he already had too much. This furthered the idea of rule by the people in the U.S. -
Period: to
American Enlightenment
A movement which brought the colonies into a new philosophical age, the Enlightenment was started in England and brought to the colonies in the form of thinkers like Locke and Montesquieu. They believed that the universe was orderly and could be determined through reasoning, including human society.
