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A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History
The United States Constitution Back to History Unit

(a) explaining the origins of the Constitution, including the Articles of Confederation;


The Magna Carta
Yale University Law School: The Avalon Project

The Mayflower Compact
Yale University Law School: The Avalon Project

Description: The Magna Carta and The Mayflower Compact are two examples of early attempts of democratic government. The Magna Carta was written by King John in 1215 while under duress from his rebellious barons. The Magna Carta is significant for many reasons, one being that it allowed the power of a king to be limited. The Mayflower Compact written in 1620 was a written covenant among the Pilgrim settlers and stated that once they formed their government the members would obey the laws. From the Mayflower Compact, one can demonstrate the function of the social contract later outlined by John Locke and also derive that a government’s legitimacy is derived from the consent of the governed. Both of these principles continue throughout the themes of the Charters of Freedom.



Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestions
  • Discuss how the Pilgrims viewed covenants between God and man and also between men to be sacred and uncompromising. Then, discuss the magnitude of the Mayflower Compact and the necessity of such a document.
  • Compare the Pilgrim’s government to that of the English settlement at Jamestown. Discuss the different approaches to governing a new settlement. Relate the settlers experience with the experience of creating a new national government.
  • Provide a brief insight into the background of the Magna Carta. Discuss how the barons limited King John’s power through it and why that was monumental.
  • Discuss how through the Magna Carta a historian can gain information about the society that created it.
Suggestions for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson
  • Assign small groups phrases of the following quote from the Mayflower Compact to put into their own words. Then, come together as a class to create a modern day interpretation of the Mayflower Compact. After studying more about the United States Constitution return to this document and define any similarities.
  • Assign small groups or individuals portions of the Magna Carta. From their section, ask students to identify which rights were being violated prior to the agreement. Ask students to create parallels between the concept of the Magna Carta and the United States Constitution focusing on limiting power and declaring certain civil rights.

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