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Jun 15, 1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
The Magna Carta stated that no one was above the law, even the king, therefore abolishing absolute monarchy in England. It also gave more rights to church and some nobles. It is regarded as an important symbol of liberty today. -
Jun 15, 1215
Establishment of Parliament
Parliament was the legislative body of the Kingdom of England, taking that power away from the monarch. Over time, it limited the power of the monarch more and more and by the 17th century, it was a settled principle and all monarchs had to rule as constitutional monarchs with limited executive power. The Parliament changed through history, becoming a bicameral body in 1341 from a unicameral one in 1215. -
Nov 13, 1295
Model Parliament
King Edward I called a group consisting of knights, clergy members, and aristocrats, among others, to an assembly to represent the country. This model became the model for later parliamentary meetings and was the first of its kind in England. -
Petition of Right is passed
Prompted by King Charles I's act of gathering "forced loans", the Petition of Right is a major constitutional document that outlines what liberties of the citizen that the king cannot infringe on. It was the first time that Parliament overruled an act by the king. -
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a conflict that was fought between the supporters of King Charles I and Parliamentarians ("Roundheads"), supporters of Oliver Cromwell. Constitutionally, the wars established the precedent that an English monarch cannot govern without Parliament's consent. -
The Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England. After James' rule, constitutional monarchy prevailed in England with William and Mary ruling together, along with Parliament. This marks the abolition of absolute monarchy in England. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights officially stated that Great Britain would be a limited constitutional monarchy. The king or queen could not rule without the consent of Parliament. It also laid out basic rights of the individual citizen and Parliament, along with limits on the monarch.
