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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
Laws exist, and all citizens must obey them. The King is not above the law. If the King breaks the law, his vassals can remove him from his throne. Balance of Power Even though the king is the nation's leader and authority, his vassals have both the right and responsibility to check or limit his power.
Power of the Purse The king cannot levy any extra taxes without the consent of the people who will be paying them. Without new taxes, the king cannot increase his army. -
Period: Oct 16, 1215 to
Evolution of democratic ideals
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English Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights[1] or the Bill of Rights 1688[2] is an Act of the Parliament of England passed on 16 December 1689.[3] It was a restatement in statutory form of the Declaration of Right presented by the Convention Parliament to William and Mary in March 1689 (or 1688 by Old Style dating), inviting them to become joint sovereigns of England. It lays down limits on the powers of sovereign and sets out the rights of Parliament and rules for freedom of speech in Parliament. -
Declaration of Independance
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams had put forth a resolution earlier in the year, making a subsequent formal declaration inevitable. A committee was assembled to draft the formal declaration, to be ready when congress voted on independence. -
Declaration of the rights of men and Citizens
The concepts in the Declaration come from the philosophical and political principles of the Age of Enlightenment, such as individualism, the social contract as theorized by the Swiss philosopher Rousseau, and the separation of powers espoused by the Baron de Montesquieu. As can be seen in the texts, the French declaration is heavily influenced by the political philosophy of the Enlightenment, and by Enlightenment principles of human rights. -
U.S Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These limitations serve to protect the natural rights of liberty and property. They guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and reserve some powers to the states and the public.
