Which group of documents would likely help students understand the development of American democracy?

The Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence are foundational documents in the history of American democracy. The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, established the principle that everyone, including the king, is subject to the law, laying groundwork for constitutional governance. It introduced important concepts such as limited government and individual rights, which would later influence American political thought.

The Declaration of Independence, adopted in 1776, formalized the American colonies' separation from Britain and articulated core ideals of democracy, such as natural rights, government by consent, and the right to revolution against tyranny. Together, these documents illustrate the evolution of democratic principles and the foundational ideas that would shape the United States.

Understanding these documents allows students to see how early influences on governance contributed to the development of democratic values and systems in America, making this set of documents particularly significant in a study of American democracy. Other sets of documents mentioned—while individually important—do not cover the breadth of the early philosophical and practical steps toward democracy as well as the chosen pair.