Topic > Comparison of the circumstances that led to the signing of the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence

IndexSocial structureEconomic factorsIdeological changeReferenceIt is known that in world history there are many documents that have significant meanings and value. In British history, the Magna Carta is an important constitutional document that represents the limitation of the king's power. And in American history, the Declaration of Independence marks the founding of the United States. The circumstances of the signing of these two documents have similarities and differences. And the similarities and differences are discussed in terms of three levels: social level, economic level and ideological level, followed by the explanation of their implications. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssaySocial StructureFirst, the social structures that contribute to the signing of the two documents are different, but both create the context for such things to happen. From 1066, Britain gradually formed the feudal system in which the king had “feudal incidents” (Turner, 2003, p. 16). According to Turner, King John aggressively exploited feudal incidents, demanding exorbitant sums from baronial heirs and controlling minor marriages; therefore, King John's behavior has something to do with social structure. And eventually conflicts arose. Furthermore, the idea of ​​feudalism is intrinsic in people's hearts. Clohesy's PowerPoint states that for a long time people have believed in the rightness of hierarchy (2019); therefore, the barons chose to let King John sign a charter rather than overthrow the government. In the American colonies, the truncated society was established. Except for slaves, people are more equal to each other. Therefore, they did not accept an absolute foreign power and chose to rebel. Furthermore, since the truncated society created a totally different culture, they formed their own identity; so, in the end, they fought for independence. This implies that the way society is organized influences the social conflicts they have and the solutions they use. If society is organized hierarchically, people tend to use less radical methods to limit someone's power, as the barons did in Britain. They chose to negotiate with the one who held absolute power and let him sign a charter. If society is organized less hierarchically, people tend to use more radical methods to solve the problem, as the colonists in America did. After some struggles, they finally declared themselves independent. Economic Factors Secondly, regarding economic factors, the conflicts in both countries have something to do with increasing taxes. In Britain, according to Turner, "King John's personal slights and financial extortions against individual barons sparked rumblings of wider discontent as early as 1208 and 1209". Continuing financial tension between the barons and King John leads to the signing of the Magna Carta. The same goes for signing the Declaration of Independence. The conflict in the American colonies arose from the British government's demand for high taxes to pay for the war. Since the conflict ultimately could not be resolved, the colonists declared themselves independent. To summarize, in both situations, the tax increase made people angry, and then people used their own way to rebel. This implies that money is important in social life. When one party's economic interests are violated, along with other factors, it is very likely that conflicts may occur. Money is not only an essential part in human daily life, but also a.