Comparing the Magna Carta to the U.S.

{center“Comparing the Magna Carta to the Constitution and England’s Representation government for the Middle Ages to that of the U.S. today.”

by Andrew Creech

The Magna Carta of the Middle Ages is similar to the United States government today. When a group of noble forced King John to sing the Magna Carta, they were just afraid of losing their power. The Magna Carta set limits on royal power. It made it illegal for the King to collect taxes without permission from the Great Council.
When the nobles wrote the Magna Carta, they had only wanted to protect their rights, but it eventually protected all people.
The government of the United States is based on the Magna Carta. In the U.S., we do not let the government tax us unfairly or put people in prison without a trial. in 1787, the leaders of the U.S. met in Philadelphia. They proceeded to write the constitution. It set up a federal system and divided political authority between a national and a state government. Because of the Constitution, the U.S. became a republic. In 1787, the white males who owned land voted and elected George Washington. As of 1789, the U.S. was the only country in the world with democratic rule.
Later in 1789, the government wrote and added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution. The Bill of Rights were really ten amendments to it. It gives citizens certain rights that the government had to respect and protect. The Bill of Rights include rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, the right to own private property, and the right to a fair trial if accused of a crime.
Many people misinterpret the Bill of Rights. They think that because they have free speech, they do not have to be quiet. This was really written to protect people, who spoke bad about the government and leaders. If there were not this amendment, there would be a lot of people would be in prison now.
If England had kept the values of the Magna Carta, the U.S. might would still be a part of England today. In the 1700’s, the U.S., or America, was a group of colonies under England. But England decided to set an unfair tax on tea, which was a major drink at the time, so the colonies revolted. They dressed as Indians and boarded an English Ship. They destroyed all of the tea on board. They were then charged with the crime and the port was closed until the tea was paid for in full. England also reduced America’s right of self-government and required them to house British soldiers.
Because of these events, the colonists wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, the Congress adopted it and sent it to King George III. Because of it, they revolted against England. It was called the Revolutionary War or the War of Independence. The war was very long and bitter.
America had a disadvantage. They were not skilled fighters, and would be destroyed in an open field battle against the British. They convinced the French to join them and were able to beat the British. In October 1781, the British army surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia. In this way, England lost a powerful part of their country. In 1783, England finally officially recognized America’s independence.