1. Documents that influenced the U.S. Constitution

2. Magna Carta A weak king was forced to sign
1st time king gave up some power
Major ideas:
king must follow some laws too
People have some rights
Habeus Corpus: protects against unlawful imprisonment

3. Mayflower Compact Written and signed before leaving the ship.
Allegiance sworn to king, majority rules in decisions.
Social Contract: people agreed to follow the compact’s rules for good of colony (survival).

4. English Bill of Rights
List of rights all Englishmen have (king signed off)
petition government (complain)
Bear arms
no cruel or unusual punishment
Parliament approval of laws/ taxes

5. John Locke (1690) Social Contract Theory
People have rights, but can be selfish
Government is needed to protect rights
If government does not: overthrow it

6. John Locke Social Contract
In entering into civil society, people sacrifice the physical freedom of being able to do whatever they please, but they gain the civil freedom of being able to think and act rationally and morally.

7. Baron de Montesquieu No ONE person or group should have all power.
Separate it: If power is divided, it can be more balanced and fair
He believed political freedom could be created by separating political powers into different branches, and he developed the political theory of 'checks and balances' that became an important part of the American Constitution.