SS.7.CG.1.3 Influential Documents Vocab

English Bill of Rights

• a government document written in 1689 that expanded the powers of the English Parliament and expanded the rights of the people, as well as further limited the rights of the king

• a treaty signed in 1215 that established the principle of due process

• a declaration of independence from the monarchy written in 1776

• a constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote in 1920

consent of the governed

• the idea that government gains its power/authority from the people

• a principle that allows citizens to overthrow their government

• a theory that suggests government should operate without any input from citizens

• a concept that emphasizes the importance of military power in governance

Mayflower Compact

• an agreement between individuals that created a government that would provide order and protect the rights of the colonists; written by a group of English Puritans in Massachusetts in 1620

• a treaty signed between Native Americans and European settlers in 1621

• a document that established the first colony in Virginia in 1607

• a declaration of independence from British rule written in 1776

Common Sense

• a pamphlet published by Thomas Paine in 1776 to convince the American colonists to support becoming independent from Great Britain

• a novel written by Mark Twain in 1884 about a boy's adventures

• a speech delivered by George Washington in 1775 urging unity among the colonies

• a declaration signed by the Founding Fathers in 1776 outlining the reasons for independence

self-government

• A system where the government is run by a monarch

• A popular or representative system where the people create and run their own government

• A form of government where decisions are made by a small group of elites

• A system where the military controls the government

Habeas Corpus

• A legal principle that allows for the protection against unlawful imprisonment.

• A type of legal document used to initiate a lawsuit.

• A constitutional amendment related to voting rights.

• A procedure for appealing a court decision.

limited government

• a government that has been limited in power by a constitution, or written agreement

• a government that has unlimited power over its citizens

• a government that operates without any laws or regulations

• a government that is controlled by a single ruler

due process

• the right of people accused of crimes to have laws that treat them fairly, so that they cannot lose their life or freedom without having their legal rights protected

• a legal principle that allows individuals to be punished without a trial

• the process by which laws are created and enacted in a government

• the right to a speedy trial and public defense

Magna Carta

• a government document that limited the power of the king of England and protected the rights of the nobility; written in 1215

• a treaty that ended the Hundred Years' War

• a declaration of independence from France

• a constitution that established the Parliament of England