ipl-logo

American Colonies Influence On Self Government

635 Words3 Pages

Since the early 1600s, the colonies had been practicing self-government. With the influence of the British, the American colonies were able to create a representative government. With the rights of its people in mind, the government continues to put in force the policies and laws formed by the colonies. Those policies, formed so long ago by the colonies, have helped to shape and maintain our Constitutional Republic today. The Petition of Right (1628) was England 's most famous Constitutional charter created to extend “the rights of commoners" to have a voice in the government. " Four of its main points include: “No taxes could be levied without Parliament 's consent. No English subject could be imprisoned without cause--thus reinforcing the right of habeas corpus. No quartering of soldiers in citizens’ homes. No martial law may be used in peacetime.” This is similar to the English Bill of Rights (1688), which guaranteed free elections and rights for citizens accused of crime. Both these charters protected the rights of its citizens. These foundational charters helped provide the foundation for colonial government. The government was based on a charter that later influences the adoption of the use of Federal, and state constitutions. The British …show more content…

The Religious Freedom policy also influenced the colonies and the formation of the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson from the colony of Virginia was the primary architect of his state’s religious freedom model. In Britain, there was limited religious freedom through an established church known as the Church of England. A portion of taxes would go to the official state religion even if you were not a member of that church. In Virginia, they decide on freedom to exercise which, the other colonies and Britain had to some extent but they took the extra step and said that government should "not establish religion" so no government taxes for any religious groups. This is the model that the Founders adopted in the 1st

Open Document