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Jun 1, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carter (Great Charter) was a document issued to King John of England by his nobles, upset over the king's illrule. It limited the king's power and protected freemen under law. Image Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joao_sem_terra_assina_carta_Magna.jpg -
Petition of Right
King Charles I had to find funding for a war against Spain, so he tried appealing to parliament for the necessary money. Instead he received only a small margin of the money in addition to the Petition of Right - a list of grievances drawn up by parliament in complaint over the king's abuses of power. In it the document restated the legal rights of freemen and inhibited the king's authority to gain funds independent of the aid of parliament.
Image Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: -
The Long Parliament
In order to pay for a war against the Scots, King Charles called parliament to return. It would first begin in 1640 and lasting to 1660. This Long Parliament began to enact laws to inhibit the king and legally ensure that parliament could not enter dormancy for long period of time - thus preventing the king from ruling without parliament's interference.
Image Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/LongParliament.jpg -
The English Civil War
King Charles I, still in conflict with parliament, wanted to personally lead an army against Scotland. In addition Parliament was growing divided by religious opinion. Matters came to a head when parliament refused to give command of the army to Charles. Charles responded by attempting to arrest his political opponents. He failed, assembling an army. Parliament responded, building its own army - leading to a civil war.
Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Dunbar_1650.jp -
The Reign of Cromwell
The Parliamentarian forces win the English Civil War, removing King Charles from power. Charles is executed and Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England. His reign turns into a religious dictatorship that fell out of popularity, showing a failure in the English republican experiment. -
Restoration of the Monarchy
After Cromwell's death, many people desired for a return to the monarchy because of Cromwell's tyranny. Charles II was called back to England, where he took the throne. He and James II would fall out of popularity for their Catholic tendencies, however. Parliament and the English people once again began the search for yet another leader who might bring fairness and stability to the country. -
The Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights
Parliament, desiring to protect English protestantism from the restored monarches after the reign of Cromwell. Dutch protestant William III ascended to power in England. To put an end to the instability from the contestant power shifts, William and Mary approved a Bill of Rights limiting their royal power and enforcing the rights of the people and parliament.
Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William_III_Landing_at_Brixham,_Torbay,_5_November_1688.jpg
