Abstract Fundamental Rights Law is a ubiquitous feature of modern American jurisprudence. Where did the term “Fundamental Rights” come from, and how was it applied in early American case law? This article outlines the genesis of fundamental rights law in early 17th century England and how this law developed and was applied over time. The English Bill of Rights of 1689 was the first attempt to codify these rights in English law. When the English legal system emigrated to America along with the early American colonists, it included the English conception of fundamental rights. The framers of the United States Constitution incorporated and expanded these rights. Early American Case law kept strictly within this tradition for the most past, and used the term “fundamental rights” usually for rights which had long been recognized in Anglo-American society. This article notes the concordance between the application of fundamental rights in early American case law and the long tradition of fundamental rights which ripened in the Anglo-American legal tradition.

中文翻译：

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美国早期判例法的基本权利：1789-1859年

摘要基本权利法是现代美国法学的普遍特征。“基本权利”一词从何而来？它在美国早期判例法中如何应用？本文概述了17世纪初期英国基本权利法的起源以及该法的发展和应用情况。1689年的《英国权利法案》是将这些权利编纂成英国法律的首次尝试。当英国的法律体系与早期的美国殖民者一起移民到美国时，它包括了基本权利的英语概念。美国宪法的制定者纳入并扩展了这些权利。早期的美国判例法在过去的大部分时间里都严格遵循这种传统，并且通常将“基本权利”一词用于英美社会早已认可的权利。本文指出了美国早期判例法中基本权利的适用与英美法律传统中成熟的悠久的基本权利传统之间的一致性。