The United States Constitution was written to protect the people of the United States from its own government. It was also written to keep the government from having total control over the people. Many events and historical documents such as The Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Federalist Papers were influential in developing the U.S. Constitution.
The Founding Fathers searched for historical documents to inspire them when writing the Constitution. One such document, the Magna Carta created in 1215, was influential to the writers of the Constitution by acknowledging no man is above the law. The Magna Carta also established the rights of individuals, which are a legacy of the Bill of Rights. The Magna Carta stood against Tyranny and protected the individual freedoms of its people.
In 1620 the Mayflower Compact created laws and offices that aided the people. It brought about the Lockean idea of government, which was created by John Locke. John Locke believed that Monarchy was a false form of government. He believed that liberty and political order could co-exist and that men should work for what he receives. He also believed that men are subject to Gods laws. His ideas influenced that the Constitution would be written for One Nation under God, that men are created equal and have the right to “The Pursuit of life, liberty and Happiness.” The Mayflower Compact brought forth the idea that all men are created by God and belong to God, and the government should be separate from mans religious freedoms.
The Declaration of Independence had a very strong influence on the writing of the Constitution. The idea that everyone is created equal was included the Declaration just as it was in the Mayflower Compact. The Declaration secured these rights by stating that the government did not have the power over the people but rather the people are the government. If the government becomes corrupt the people have the authority to change or abolish it and start over with a new government. The Declaration also broke the ties between America and Great Britain influencing the Constitution by creating principals of a fair and just government.
The Articles of Confederation influenced the writing of the constitution in many ways. Even though they did not create a strong National Government, they gave each state the rights to their own government and independence. The Constitution allows states to govern, however the Federal Government monitors and controls the states to be sure that the states are working for the people and not against them. The Articles of Confederation also gave the states the rights to their own courts and laws for which each state would enforce. Congress did not have the power to tax people, which influenced the writers of the constitution to allow congress to collect and impose taxed fairly so that the government could function for the people.
The Federalist Papers consisted of eighty-five articles asking for the ratification of the Constitution. The primary influence that the Federalist Papers had on the development of the constitution was that the authors of the letters wanted to limit government control over the people. They wanted the government to belong to the people, and the government officials to work for the people with their best interests at heart. The Federalist papers also offered warnings to those writing the Constitution, making them aware that big government could easily become corrupt. They wanted the Constitution to be a fair document that would protect the people and the Nation.
Many different events and documents were influential in creating the U.S. Constitution, which was created for the people by the people insuring the Freedom of all Americans to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. The Framers of the Constitution used the influence of The Magna Carta, The Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the Federalist Papers when writing the Constitution. They used these influences to protect the people of America from its own government, and ensure every man and woman the freedoms that come with being One Nation Under God.
References
www.usconstitution.net
Patterson, T.E. American Democracy
