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Oct 30, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta, was perhaps the start of limiting the Kings' power in England, when King John was facing a possible rebellion by the country's powerful barons, he was forced to agree to a charter of liberties. -
The Years of Personal Rule, with Charles I
King Charles had ruled the country personally with little to no help from Parliament, but he had provoked a war with Scotland. He had insufficient resources, by himself and he needed the help of parliament to pay for the war against Scotland which gave Parliament some power, and made Charles rely on Parliament, and not just himself at the crown. -
The Long Parliament
Parliament originally represented the King's financial measures and paternalistic rule. However in The Long Parliament, brought down the king's advisers, and swept away the power of the conciliar government -
The English Civil Wars
The tension from The Long Parliament, boiled over, when Charles' attempted to arrest five of its members, which caused the civil wars to break out later that year. The king was eventually defeated in 1646 and new members were elected to replace those who had joined the king. The Parliament then had executed Charles. -
James II married Anne Hyde
When King James II married Anne Hyde, a Catholic, This concerned the protestant population, and it in turn had the people of the Parliament fight to reduce the monarchy's rights. -
The English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was an act of Parliament that dealt with constitutional matters and set basic civil rights. It laid down limits on the powers of the monarchs and set out the rights of parliament. It has some clauses much like the US bill of rights such as no cruel and unusual punishment. -
The Act of Settlement
The Act of Settlement has strengthened the Bill of Rights, ensuring a parliamentary system of government in England. It has strengthened the principle of the government, and sets a line of succession.
