Basic documents affecting American Society essays

Basic documents affecting American Society essays BASIC DOCUMENTS AFFECTING AMERICAN SOCIETY There are three basic documents which affect American society almost daily in day to day affairs. They are the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights. Each The sentiments in favor of independence from England was growing in the American Colonies during the last days of 1775. The opening battles of the revolution, at Lexengton and Concord and at Bunker Hill, had already taken place when, in January 1776, Tom Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense. The pamphlet was a violent attack on monarchy and on king George 111 and was a strong plea for an immediate declaration of indepen- dence. It sold more than one 100,000 copies within three months and led to a major increase The rights that Declaration cites, such as the right to life, are defined as natural rights given to man by God and not privileges granted by the government. The government is duty bound to protect and nurture these rights or else the people may overthrow it. Constitution of the United States is the supreme law and plan of the government. The Cons- titution was described the then British Prime Minister William Gladstone as the most wonderful work ever struck off at one time by the brain and purpose of man. The oldest written constitution still in use among the major nations, it has had great influence on constitutions later adopted by other countries. The principle of limited government, as enshrined in the Constitution, was applied in several ways. Devolution of power among the component States and the Federal government proved forerunner for such federal structures throughout the democratically elected governments in Many of the rights contained in the Bill of Rights were developed in England during the ...