Final answer:
The two principles of government that the English colonists brought with them to America were self-government, based on a tradition of representative government in the British Parliament, and limited government, established by the Magna Carta and the British Bill of Rights of 1689 which ultimately influenced the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Principles of Government Brought by English Colonists
The English colonists brought with them to America important principles that shaped the future of American governance. First and foremost, they believed in the concept of self-government, a tradition rooted in the practices of the British government where laws were made by Parliament, and property-owning males could vote for representatives. Colonial establishments like Virginia's House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact signified the early application of this principle. This underscored the colonists' expectation of a say in their governance, leading eventually to the call for independence when their self-governance was threatened.
The second principle can be traced back to iconic legal documents such as the Magna Carta and the British Bill of Rights of 1689, which established popular sovereignty and the precept that the monarchy was not above the law. These documents affirmed that citizens were entitled to foundational rights such as a trial by jury and had the right to input on taxation without direct representation which was a significant contention leading up to the Revolution. The principle of limited government was subsequently manifested in the reluctance to grant the national government excessive authority, as seen in the drafting of the Articles of Confederation and later, the Constitution of the United States.