Question

How did both the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights influence colonists' views on government?

A) Both documents introduced the idea of absolute monarchy.
B) Both documents introduced the idea of social benefits.
C) Both documents introduced the idea of self-government.
D) Both documents limited the government's power.

Answer 1

The Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights influenced colonists by advocating for limited government and protecting individual rights, fueling the ideology that led to the American Revolution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights significantly influenced the colonists' views on government by affirming the principle that government should have limited powers. These historical documents contributed to a fundamental shift from absolute monarchy toward a system that acknowledged and protected individual rights and liberties. In particular, the Magna Carta, created in 1215, laid the groundwork for the concept of limited government, ensuring that even the monarch was subject to the rule of law and required to respect the rights of subjects, including protections for life, liberty, and property.

By institutionalizing protections such as due process and trial by jury, as well as establishing a check on the monarch's power to impose taxes and interfere with self-government, these documents became a cornerstone of liberty. Colonists in North America, considering themselves heirs to these rights, viewed deviations from these principles as violations of their English liberties, ultimately contributing to the American Revolution.