For Prof. Moses

The documents created at the inception of American democracy trace their lineage to the Magna Carta signed by King John of England in 1215. The Magna Carta was written by King John’s Barons to protect their rights and property from the King. They forced the King to affix his seal to the document under threat of civil war. The American colonists believed they were the inheritors of those rights from the King of England and as a result the Magna Carta was an inspiration for the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration of Independence, wrote about every man’s fundamental right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The framers of the United States Constitution sought to design a system of government that would help make the ideals of the Declaration of Independence a reality. Today, United States Supreme Court justices refer to the Constitution as “the supreme law of the land” for guidance as they attempt to adjudicate modern-day conflicts. Much of the influence and authority of the Supreme Court rests in the interpretation of the original concepts and principles of the Constitution.