After the creation of Parliament, the royalty, nobility, and the common people struggled for power. In 1628, King Charles I was forced to sign the Petition of Right, which strengthened the idea that English subjects had certain rights that government could not violate.

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Important changes in English government during the middle ages caused the establishment of two important principles: separation of powers and representative government, which were embodied by Parliament, with its House of Lords and House of Commons.

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The Magna Carta confirmed certain traditional rights of the nobility. It is an early example of government by contract. This concept influenced the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

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The Magna Carta contains two important ideas that influenced the American Founders: (1) government is based on a contract between the ruler and people to be ruled and (2) both government and the governed must obey the law.

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Even under the feudal system of England, monarchs began to share power with the nobility, who then shared power with their vassals. The vassals owed the nobility allegiance and military service. For the system to work, it depended on a series of agreements or contracts. Each side had rights and responsibilities. This principle of government based on contract would later contribute to the American political system.

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William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066 and introduced a system for governing called feudalism. In this episode of 60-Second Civics, we explore how English society was arranged under the feudal system and the roles of the royalty, nobility, and the common people.

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Concepts of English law, such as common law and the rights of Englishmen, applied to the American colonists. This and The American colonists' experiences with British government greatly influenced what they thought about limited government.

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American colonists had the rights of Englishmen, at least in theory. These included the right to a trial by jury, security from unlawful entry into one's home, and no taxation without consent.

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The American Constitution gives the executive and judicial branches ways to check and control the power of Congress to make laws.

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According to the U.S. Constitution, Congress is the legislative branch of government. It makes the laws. Congress is divided into the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each chamber has a role in making laws. The powers of American government are balanced among the three branches. Each branch checks the powers of the others. This is known as checks and balances.

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