The Magna Carta and it's influence on shaping the United States Government - Essay Example

The English Charter, originally issued in 1215 by the King John had made the supremacy of law over capricious decision of the imperial powers. It had stressed the freedom of the people. Even though the law was projected for the favor of a few barons in England, it was a stepping stone for the development of democracy, later, in many parts of the world. The English settlers in America had taken the basic aspects of the Charter in shaping the Constitution of United States. It was Magna Carta that acted as an inspirational force for the independence of American colonies from the clutches of the British government and further for the shaping of a democratic prophet.

The Magna Carta and American Democracy Magna Carta played a great role in shaping the democracy in United States. It is the written law that had diminished the powers of king. When the English colonies came into existence in the United States, it played a crucial role for the democracy on the land. As quoting by Thomas Garden Barnes and Allen D. Boyer, “For those who were starting a new, it offered even more: they were beginning to build policies from the ground up and they were concerned to preserve the laws and liberties of Englishmen” (Barnes & Boyer, 2008, p.30). The American democracy rests much upon the attributes of the Magna Carta.

It acted as a strong force for their battle against the British imperialism. The writers still move on to say that the Magna Carta had been more accepted in America than in England. It paved for the growth of the democracy in America. The Magna Carta’s contribution to the creation of United States The Magna Carta was an inspiring cause for the creation of the United States of America. When the colonies were struggling too much under the British rule, they tried their best to over throw off the arbitrary rule of the imperial government.

The attempts of the barons in making King John signing the charter acted as a great strength for the colonists to fight against the British. This has made some unity among the colonies in America. Both Magna Carta and Bill of Rights demanded for the various liberties. America’s strength lies in its Bill of Rights. The book, Magna Carta by James Clarke Holt describes the comparison between the Bill of Rights and Magna Carta. The Bill of Rights of Virginia of 1776 stresses on the inherent rights of men.

It says that men have the rights of enjoyment of life and liberty, with the rights of acquiring of property, pursuing happiness and liberty. In the same manner Magna Carta cha.8 says, “…to lie down that no man was to be deprived of his liberty, ‘except by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers’ (Holt, 1992, p.18). So it can be undoubtedly say that Magna Carta was acting a powerful source for the creation of the United States. The War of Independence was a clear replica of the situations that led to the signing of Magna Carta on June 15, 1215.

Magna Carta’s Contribution to the new American Government The new American government is resting on the principles of democracy and freedom of its subjects. The Magna Carta was the beginning of its constitutional changes on the land. Many law reforms take its attributes to the first ‘Bills of Rights’ of the land. The ‘Bill of Rights ‘in America mainly stresses on the principles of the Magna Carta. The Americans were all suffocating under heavy taxes of the British government. They were not at all ready to give due representation for the colonists in America.

These situations in America gave birth for the unification of the 13 colonies and all turned against the British. The imperial rule came to an end in 1775 with the declaration of independence. The Magna Carta w