by Adja Roznic

Created on: January 15, 2009

The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights have influenced other countries by serving as an excellent example of a strong constitutional government. The reason many developing nations look to these documents is because they have been in place for over two centuries. The American Revolution influenced people in Europe and Latin America to want democratic reform for their countries. Also, when France wrote their constitution in 1791 it included ideals from American documents such as the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Some of these ideals are:

-The power comes from the people and the people are the ultimate source of authority in government.

- The people in the government are servants to the people; not the masters.

- All people are political equals. No person's vote counts any more or than another's.

- The people delegate their powers for government.

- The purpose of government is to protect the peoples' rights to life, liberty, and property; and to promote the common good.

In 1991, former president Bill Clinton called for a "Global Democracy." The US worked to influence this idea through quiet diplomacy, economic pressure, mediation, and occasionally military force.

Other countries have also influenced the United States. For example, other countries influenced the framers that wrote the Constitution. In fact, when the Framers wrote the Constitution many of the ideals came from other societies. For example, the founders learned about Republican government from the ancient Greeks and Romans. They also learned about what principles must be honored by the citizens for a Republic to work. European philosophers such as John Locke and Montesquieu influenced the framers. John Locke's views on natural rights and Baron de Montesquieu's views on Separation of Power greatly influenced the constitution. Colonists had the rights of Englishmen. These rights were stated in the English Bill of Rights of 1689. Some of these rights were trial by jury, the right to be secure in one's home, and the right to express views about taxes through representation in government. The colonists felt that they were not receiving these rights. Therefore, they protested and started the American Revolution.

The nations of the world interact with each other in many ways. Such ways are cultural, science, and business exchanges, humanitarian aid, trade, diplomacy, treaties and agreements, and military force. The U.S. Constitution gives the branches of our government these powers. Congress gets

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