Founding Documents
The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first signs of a basic plan of government. While not a constitution, the compact was a document stating and limiting the purpose and functions of government. The basic purpose of the compact was to agree that all the new settlers should do was for the betterment of the newly growing colony. In the actual document they say "... combine ourselves together into a civil body politic" showing how all the settlers came together to agree on a set of values and rules to keep their colony growing. As colonies in the New World became more popular, they all took note of Plymouth's government, and soon self-government was promoting democracy through all the new settlers who were used to a monarch over their heads. Overall, The Mayflower Compact set up the USA's government system for years to come.
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
Following after the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Acts of Connecticut was another incidence of self-government. Connecticut as colony was created in the first place to even out the power of government, as Thomas Hooker didn't like how much power Massachusetts Bay gave to Puritan governor. By writing this document, Hooker gave all property-owning men the right to vote and limited the chosen governor's powers. In the actual text, they've written "... That to maintain the peace and union of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Government established" describing how while Connecticut did need a government, it was being established in order to keep the colony peaceful and successful.
Maryland Acts of Toleration
Even though Catholics founded Maryland, many Protestants had started to movie into the area and there were many religious conflicts between the beliefs of the Catholics and the Protestants. Lord Baltimore created a Toleration Act of 1649 to attempt to reduce conflicts among the the two religious groups. The Toleration Act made it a crime to restrict the religious rights of Christians and was the first law supporting religious tolerance passed in English colonies. In the actual text, it's written that "... utter any reproachfull words or speeches concerning the blessed Virgin Mary (...) or any of then shall in such case for the first offence forfeit to the said Lord," proving just how seriously the Acts were taken for the benefit of religious tolerance.
Framework of Pennsylvania
The Frame of Government was an expression of Penn's religious and political ideas. He planned to create a framework that would end political fault and prevent a ruler from taking absolute power over the growing community. Penn employed the concept of balancing forces, a concept that the e U.S. Constitution would later use, to spread the powers. Freedom of worship was set to be certain, and all the basic English rights were to be protected, as Penn didn't want to stray too far for tradition by starting a more solid government. Expelled for being a Quaker, religious freedom took a huge role in the up incoming framework.