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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
-Limited powers of the king
-Laid the basis for due process of the law -- law should be known and orderly
-Prohibited king from taking taxes or property without consent of council -
English Bill of Rights
-Guaranteed free elections and frequent meetings of Parliament
-Forbade excessive fines and cruel punishment
-Gave people the right to complain to the king or queen in Parliament
-Established representative government—laws made by a group that acts for the people -
American Declaration of Independance
-Said that all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; these are unalienable rights—rights that government cannot take away
-Said that governments get their power from the consent of the governed—the idea of popular sovereignty -
French Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
-Said that “men are born and remain free and equal in rights”
-Said that the purpose of government is to protect “natural” rights, including “liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression”
-Guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of religion
-Took place at begiinning of French Revolution -
French Revolution
-Public was upset with unfair taxing from Monarchy
-Starvation caused from bad weather and unfair holding by upper classes
-Estates General took place since around 160 years back, where all three estates gathered: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd; the 3rd being the poorest and the least fairly treated -
US Bill of Rights
-Guaranteed freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press
-Guaranteed due process of law, including protection from unfair imprisonment
-Guaranteed trial by jury; protected people from “cruel and unusual punishment” -
After French Rev: Constitutional Monarchy, Democratic Despotism, Napoleonic Empire
People first revolted against unfair taxes -- decided to establish constitutional monarchy
King didn’t like idea and tried to restore original power, but was caught
Started republic -- idea of killing off republic seemed like good idea at first but got out of control (Reign of Terror)
In meantime, other anti-republican forces didn’t like idea of people having freedom so they attacked France
Napoleon proved to be a good leader so he and two others were chosen to lead country and end Reign of Ter -
Nationalism: The Congress of Vienna
-What and Why: A series of international meetings to secure peace across Europe
-Countries around France were made stronger to weaken France and provide a balance of power across Europe
-Monarchies that had been dethroned under Napoleon were restored and their legitimacy—hereditary right to rule—was proclaimed in France and elsewhere -
Nationalism: Concert of Europe
-What and Why: An international alliance that met when peacekeeping issues arose
-Royal rulers promised to help each other in the event of revolution -
Revolutions of 1848
What and Why: Uprisings for self-government in France, the Austrian Empire, and the German and Italian state
Nationalists wanted nation-states—national governments that are independent from royal rule and serve the people and their ideals.
Nationalists believed they would be united by their shared history, culture, and land rather than by any one ruler
The uprisings were quickly repressed, but their ideals persisted; within 20 years nationalist movements had turned the scattered states of German