Limited Monarchy in England

By alexabosley
  • Jun 15, 1215

    The Magna Carta

    The Magna Carta
    The first publication of the Magna Carta was in 1215. It was written by subjects of King John to force him to accept that people had certain liberties to live by. This was the first document which challenged the absolute power of the monarchy and it has influenced the making of many government documents since. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magna-Carta-1297-Canberra.jpg
  • Jan 1, 1265

    The Establishment of Parliament

    The Establishment of Parliament
    The first gathering of the English Parliament occurred in 1265 uder the poor leadership of Henry III. Noblemen disliked Henry, so they has a meeting to discuss laws, taxes, and other aspects of the government. Over time, this group gained more power and became a necessary part of decision making. It helped aid the king in ruling. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Medieval_Parliament_of_England.png

  • English Civil War

    English Civil War
    The English Civil War began in 1642 and was a conflict between those who supported the Parliament, known as Roundheads, and those who supported the king, known as Cavaliers or Royalists. In 1652, the war ended with the execution of King Charles I. This win for the Parliament was a huge step towards limiting the monarchy in England. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_Charles_I_(van_Dyck).jpg

  • Habeas Corpus Act

    Habeas Corpus Act
    The Habeas Corpus Act was passed by Parliament in 1679 under the rule of Charles II. This act supported the idea of habeas corpus, or the right for a person to go to court and be judged before being convicted. The implimentation of this act opposed the absolutist idea that a monarch could arrest someone without reason. This limited the power of the monarchs and gave more to Parliament. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gavel_(PSF).png

  • William and Mary Take the Throne

    William and Mary Take the Throne
    In February 1689, Parliament overthrew King James II and placed William and Mary on the throne in England. With their support, Parliament began to gain more power and England began to move rapidly in a direction towards limited monarchy. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_and_Mary.jpg

  • The Two Treatises of Government

    The Two Treatises of Government
    The Two Treatises of Government was pulished in 1689 as a work by John Locke. Locke claimed to have written this document to support William's ascent to the English throne. He wrote that society should be based on the idea of natural rights and that a country should be run with the consent of its citizens. His writing criticized the idea of absolutism and supported the limited monarchy of William and Mary's time. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Locke_treatises_of_government_page.jpg

  • The Bill of Rights

    The Bill of Rights
    The English Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament on December 16, 1689. It opposed the idea of absolutism and favored Parliamentary power. It gave a list of rules to be followed regarding the government, such as a king's inability to impliment a tax without Parliament's consent,as well as a list of basic civil liberties.This document severly limited the powers of the monarchy.
    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:English_Bill_of_Rights_of_1689_(bottom).jpg