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Jun 15, 1215
Parliament is Established
The establishment of Parliament, or the King's royal council, was the start of the political power that would one day challenge the throne. -
Petition of Right is Passed
The Petition of Right was sent from Parliament to Charles I. After Parliament refused to fund Charles' foreign policy, the King decided that he was going to exact forced loans and would imprision those who did not contribute. This document was one of the first times that Parliament was able to overthrow an act made by a king. -
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a war fought between Parliamentarians and Royalists. Parliamentarians believed that Parliament should govern England, while Royalists believed that the King or Queen should rule England. This war showed the seperation of citizens who believed that Parliament should rule and those that believed the king should rule. -
Oliver Cromwell's Execution
Oliver Cromwell's military dictatorship and eventual execution reverted England back to monarchies. After citizens noted that neither Cromwell nor Charles I were good leaders, it became evident that the revision, not abolishment, of monarchy was necessary. -
Execution of Charles I of England
Charles I was executed on January 20th, 1649 for treason. He dissolved Parliament on multiple occasions and in 1629 he decided to rule without the assistance of Parliament completely. To charge a king was unheard of before this, as the Divine RIght of Kings proclaimed that only God can judge an unjust king. -
The "Glorious Revolution"
The "Glorious Revolution" was an event that occured when James II's wife had given birth to a son. Parliamentary opposition invited William of Orange to invade England in order to overthrow James. William arrived with his army and James fled to France. One year later, Parliament named William III and Mary II the monarchs of England. This event marked the beginning of constitutional monarchies in Britian. -
The English Bill of Rights is Passed
The English Bill of Rights declared that Great Britain would be a limited constitutional monarchy. It stated that the King or Queen could not rule without the consent of Parliament. They could not pass laws, raise armies, and could not levy taxes without the permission of Parliament.
