The early historical documents of early colonial America were the foundation for many of the basic aspects of our modern government, such as freedom of religion, representative assemblies, and the preservation of freedom. The foundation laid out developed due to distance from Britain and the need for government. This need gave colonists their own feelings of freedom and independence that in turn led to conflicting views when the Royal government became involved.
One of the major turning points for the American colonies was the creation of their governing documents. Even though they pledged loyalty to the English king (Document #2), the Mayflower Compact was so influential because it was the first time that non-nobles could come together and …show more content…
In, Jamestown, the Virginia Company created a legislative government, which was voted on by the colonists, called the House of Burgesses (Document #1). This, along with other legislative assemblies, developed into today’s government’s legislative branch. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut outlined the judicial system in the state of Connecticut (Document #5). It ordered that there was to be two courts; these courts eventually evolved into the judicial and executive branches of government that we know today.
One of the main reasons for English migration to the colonies was for religious refuge. While the New England colonies (e.g. Massachusetts) almost solely practiced Puritan beliefs, Middle and Southern colonies placed a great important on the religious freedoms of individuals, which was kept up until the writing of the Constitution and is part of the fundamental rights of American citizens today. The rights of individuals in the colonies is very similar to the rights of individuals as ruled by the states today because of the lack of government involvement in those certain laws.
Lasting effects of documents such as the House of