English bill of rights

Seven Steps to a Limited Monarchy

By Maeve Howard
  • Jun 15, 1215

    Magna Carta signed by King John of England

    Magna Carta signed by King John of England
    Perhaps one of Europe's earliest concessions by the monarchy to the nobility, the Magna Carta, or Great Charter, was forced upon King John of England in 1215. It limited the powers of the king in a written document in exchange for the support and manpower of the "feudal barons" in wars. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John,_Magna_Carta.jpg
  • Dec 14, 1264

    First Parliament Formed

    First Parliament Formed
    The first Parliament with representatives from each region was summoned on this date by Simon de Montfort, a French noble. Though this Parliament did not accomplish very much in the short time it met, it provided a precedent for future parliaments that were the voices of the people in cases such as the removal of Charles I. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Medieval_Parliament_of_England.png

  • Tensions Build Between Parliament and the Monarchy

    Tensions Build Between Parliament and the Monarchy
    Charles I of England had already married a Catholic woman and shown considerable tolerance towards the Catholics of England. Though this would be considered good today, it meant that the mainly Protestant people disagreed with his policies. When his aid to Frederick V in Bohemia caused a major loss for the Protestant agenda, growing discontent began to form among Parliament's supporters, such as Henry Cromwell (pictured). http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Henry_Cromwell.jpg

  • Petition of Right Passed by Parliament

    Petition of Right Passed by Parliament
    As an article basically asking the king to abide by the laws of his predecessors and, through Parliament, the land, the Petition of Right tried to remind the king that he could no longer do whatever he wanted. This was a change from previous documents since, though respectful, it called the king out on his actions and told him to stop trying to raise money without Parliament's consent, along with various other "petitions". http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Petition_of_Right.jpg

  • Charles I Executed

    Charles I Executed
    The thought that a monarch, a member of the royal family, could be executed by the people would have been preposterous to a ruler such as Queen Elizabeth I. However, after the Second English Civil War, that is exactly what happened. Charles was proved to be just a man as he was executed by his own people; despite the awe that may have surrounded him previously, he failed to utilize his "divine right" to save himself. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_I_(1630s).jpg

  • Two Treatises of Government published by John Locke

    Two Treatises of Government published by John Locke
    The publication of John Locke's ideas on man's "natural rights" to "life, liberty, and property" not only affected the beliefs of the American colonists later on; it also resonated deeply with an English populace that was sick of abusive monarchs and was beginning to realize, as Locke had, that it didn't really have to put up with the loss of its rights. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Locke.jpg

  • Creation of the English Bill of Rights

    Creation of the English Bill of Rights
    When the Bill of Rights was passed, it became a standard for the limited monarchy found later on in English history. It served as an acknowledgement of the power of the people and proved that a monarch no longer had absolute power of his or her kingdom by ceding rights to Parliament. This placed more power in the hands of the nobility and even the poor than ever before officially seen. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:English_Bill_of_Rights_of_1689.jpg