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Jun 15, 1215
The Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was written by the barons of King John of England who forced him to sign it. The document limited the power of the King of England and gave more powers to the barons. It ensured the rights of the English people and was the first document to significantly limit the King's power and would inspire and be the basis of later English laws and documents. Image Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joao_sem_terra_assina_carta_Magna.jpg -
Jul 7, 1307
Reign of Edward I of England
Edward I ruled England from November 16, 1272 to July 7, 1307. Under Edward I, Parliament's power began to increase as Edward I wanted to unite his subjects and so if they had an issue he had them petition Parliament. This set a precedent for Parliament as from then forward their power would slowly increase and members of Parliament would not allow their power to be taken away so easily. Image Source:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edward_I_of_England.png -
Petition of Right
The Petition of Right was created by the members of Parliament and given to King Charles I addressing their complaints and grievances against him. Parliament wanted the King to recognize principles that included, that the King had no right to tax or force loans without their consent, and that no one should go to prison with no proper cause. This was another event which attempted to limit the power or the King.
Image Source:http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/File:Petition_of_Right.jpg -
Long Parliament
Charles I recalled Parliament after Englands defeat at the Battle of Newburn which became known as the Long Parliament for it lasted from 1640-1660. Parliament required they be consulted before taxes were raised or imposed and that no more than three years occur between their meetings. The Long Parliament was important as it showed that Parliament was growing in power as the King was losing power. Image Source:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LongParliament.jpg -
Execution of Charles I
The execution of Charles I showed the power the monarchy had lost as the people had executed their own monarch. It also showed the rise in the power of Parliament as they now controled England without a monarchy and though it would be restored it would be limited. Image Sources: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Execution_of_Charles_I.jpg -
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution King James II of England and brought in William and Mary to rule England. William and Mary recognized the Bill of Rights which restricted the powers of the monarchy and ensured the rights of the people. This marked the beginning of a limited monarchy and prevented any further attempt of turning England into an absolute monarchy. Image Source:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_and_Mary.jpg -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights severly limited the power of the English monarch and gave most of the power to the English Parliament. The English monarch could not pass laws or taxes without the approval of Parliament. The basic rights of English people were declared such as the rights to bear arms and petition the monarch. Image Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:English_Bill_of_Rights_of_1689_(top).jpg
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