Which documents and people had the most influence on US government - Essay Example

Since its founding, the United s has been influenced by certain documents or people in the development of its form of democracy. This democraticsystem, which grew in the United States, has come to be adopted by many countries in the world today. Among the most influential of these have been the Magna Carta, the Articles of Confederation, and the person of John Locke. The Magna Carta had a great sway on the development of the administration of the United States, this was because it declared that the king of England had no right to enforce his will arbitrarily over his subjects (Worcester, 2010).

The declaration in this charter may have informed the founders of the government about the liberties of individuals and ensured that the form of government created was not absolute or autocratic in its power, hence the checks and balances to the presidency. The Articles of Confederation were the agreements that directed the creation of a unification of the thirteen British colonies, these articles helped in the formation of a body that not only directed the revolutionary war against Britain, but also deal with the joint diplomatic affairs of these colonies.

They formed the basis upon which closer union between the colonies was made which resulted in the writing of the Constitution, formally creating the United States of America. John Locke was one of the people whose viewpoint came to influence the government of the United States greatly. This was because of his belief in the equality of all men as well as the right of the public to have a say in the management of their government. In addition, he believed in the existence of God, but despite this, he felt that man had the right to determine his own destiny (Goldie, 2004).

In conclusion, it can be said that the government of the United States had a lot of influence in its creation, especially from historical documents such as the Magna Carta. Furthermore, individuals who believed in democratic ideals, such as John Locke also left their imprint in the Constitution; such influence was immensely useful in placing the United States where it is in the present day.ReferencesGoldie, M. (2004). John locke icon of liberty. History Today, 54(10), 31-36. Worcester, K. (2010).

The meaning and legacy of the Magna Carta. PS, Political Science & Politics, 43(3), 451-456.