How the Medieval Period influenced Modern Government

How has history shaped the United States government we know of today? A common example people would bring up is how the United States government took inspiration from Athen's democracy, or how the justice system we know of today has certainly been influenced by Rome. However, what is not as commonly brought up is how Medieval history influenced the United States government. The United States took inspiration from documents such as the Magna Carta and how it limited the king's power, a parliament modeled by Edward I, and an extensive judicial system similar to how Henry II implemented.

Historically, The Magna Carta was the first signed document to limit the king's power. The document was created because people with power would often abuse their powers, and this document offered a way to guarantee a person, regardless of status, a right to justice. Clause 39 says, "No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land." Compare this with Article III, Section 2, "The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed."Another lesser known example would be how the Magna Carta states, "The English church is to be free, and is to have its rights in whole and liberties unharmed." Again, we see the same thing in the Constitution - the freedom of religion is guaranteed to all in America. One could argue that the Magna Carta played a significant role in the creation of the United States Constitution. The similarity between the two articles shows how the Constitution of the United States may have taken inspiration from documents such as the Magna Carta.

King Edwards I was the first to actually create the bicameral system of government. He decided that England's parliament would comprise the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords consisted mainly of religious leaders and the monarch's ministers, while the House of Commons would comprise representatives of landholders and property owners. America also has two branches: The House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives would definitely be similar to the House of Commons, as they both comprised "representatives", and the Senate would definitely be more similar to the House of Lords. The similarity between these two branches show how the United States may have taken inspiration from medieval England's government.

Finally, elements from King Henry II's judicial system are still seen in use today. Going back to the Magna Carta, everyone was ensured the right to justice, and it is still the same today. Clause 39 in the Magna Carta can also be interpreted as innocent until proven guilty, a common phrase we hear thrown around today in the current justice system. Another similarity between King Henry II's judicial system and the modern judicial system is the jury. The term "trial by jury" is actually an expression borrowed from the Magna Carta's "judgment of peers." The United States government's judicial system has definitely been influenced by King Henry II's implementation of a judicial system.

History has definitely shaped the United States government we know of today. For example, the United States Constitution that we know of today contains similar elements from those in the Magna Carta, like the right to justice. Another example would be the bicameral system of government. The House of Lords is similar to the Senate we have in America, and the House of Commons would be similar to the House of Representatives. Finally, King Henry II's judicial system has influenced the modern judicial system, like being innocent until proven guilty to a right to a jury. It is these elements of history that have helped shape the America that we know of today.