Ye Olde Essential Questions

What did the English use to limit the power of their government?What is a constitution? What is it supposed to do?How does the English constitution influence the US constitution?

ENGLAND & THE MOVE TO DEMOCRACY

WHAT IS LAW?

LAW IS THE WRITTEN SET OF RULES FOR A SOCIETY

THE “RULES” OF THE GAME THAT BOTH SIDES AGREE ON AND WHICH SHOULD BE CHANGED ONLY WITH MUTUAL CONSENT

LAWS WERE CREATED TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE AGAINST A CORRUPT OR OPPRESSIVE MONARCHY OR GOVERNMENTLAWS GUARANTEE “CIVIL RIGHTS” -- THE RIGHTS OF EACH CITIZEN TO BE TREATED FAIRLY BY THE GOVERNMENTW/O LAWS, ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT WILL BE OPPRESSIVE AND CORRUPT

WHY DO SOCIETIES NEED LAWS?

INDIVIDUALS & EVENTS

1215: MAGNA CARTA

KING JOHN FORCED TO ACCEPTPOOR MILITARY LEADER -- NEEDED MONEY FROM NOBLES“NO TAX W/O REPRESENTATION”ACCUSED MUST HAVE JURY TRIALALL MUST BE GRANTED PROTECTION OF LAW

Magna Carta

In August 1215, John appealed to the Pope, who denounced the Charter, annulling it by a papal bull and excommunicated the Barons who tried to press for its clauses to be carried out. The original Magna Carta was thus in force for only two months. By September, civil war had broken out again because of this.

King John I at Runnymede

The Great Charter

1295: THE MODEL PARLIAMENT

KING EDWARD IBROUGHT COMMANDERS & NOBLES TOGETHER AS A PARLIAMENT TO ASK THEIR CONSENT TO NEW TAXESRADICAL NEW IDEA FOR A MONARCH TO ASK FOR ANYTHING

1628: CHARLES I & THE PETITION OF RIGHT

1625 CHARLES NEEDED $ & PARLIAMENT REFUSEDPARLIAMENT WAS DISBANDED1628 PARLIAMENT CALLED AGAIN AND CHARLES HAD TO ACCEPT PETITION OF RIGHT IN EXCHANGE FOR TAX MONEY

Charles I

1628: PETITION OF RIGHT

4 MAJOR POINTS:DUE PROCESS OF LAW GUARANTEEDNO TAXES LEVIED W/O CONSENT OF PARLIAMENTNO QUARTERING OF TROOPS IN PRIVATE HOMES IN TIME OF PEACENO MARTIAL LAW IN TIME OF PEACE

1642-49: ENGLISH CIVIL WAR

JANUARY 1642: CHARLES TRIED TO ARREST LEADERS OF PARLIAMENT & FAILSCIVIL WAR BEGINSKING’S SUPPORTERS KNOWN AS ROYALISTS OR CAVALIERSROUNDHEADS & PURITANS SUPPORTED PARLIAMENT. LED BY OLIVER CROMWELL

Cavalier Soldiers

1649:CHARLES I TRIED & EXECUTED FOR TREASON

OLIVER CROMWELL (r. 1649- 1658)

KNOWN AS “LORD PROTECTOR”ESTABLISHED A COMMONWEALTH AND THEN A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP CROMWELL DIED AND LEFT A WEAK SON TO RULE.PARLIAMENT VOTED IN CHARLES II. THIS IS KNOWN AS THE RESTORATION

Oliver Cromwell

THE RESTORATION1660-1688

PERIOD OF RULE BY CHARLES II AND THEN BY JAMES IIBOTH KINGS TRIED TO MINIMIZE THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTBOTH KINGS SUPPORTED THE CATHOLIC CHURCHJAMES II FORCED TO ABDICATE IN 1688 ENDING RESTORATION

1679: HABEAS CORPUS ACT

LITERALLY MEANS “TO BRING OR TO HAVE THE BODY.”RIGHT OF EVERY PRISONER TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE A JUDGE AND EITHER BE FORMALLY CHARGED WITH A CRIME AND BE TRIED, OR BE RELEASED

1688: THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION

JAMES II FORCED TO ABDICATENO BLOOD WAS SPILLEDTHRONE GIVEN TO JAMES’ DAUGHTER MARY & HER HUSBAND WILLIAM OF THE NETHERLANDSWILLIAM & MARY RULED, JOINTLY, BY AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT

William & Mary of Orange

1689: THE BILL OF RIGHTS

“…ACCORDING TO THE STATUTES OF PARLIAMENT…”FREE SPEECH FOR MPs IN THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENTFREEDOM TO PETITION KINGPARLIAMENT TO MEET ON A REGULAR AND FREQUENT BASIS

PARLIAMENT’S LAWS COULD NOT BE SUSPENDEDSUPREMACY OF PARLIAMENT CONFIRMED ONCE AND FOR ALL

MAGNA CARTA 1215

Tyranny Abuse Absolutism

MODEL PARLIAMENT 1295

PETITION OF

RIGHT 1628

GLORIOUS REVOLU-

TION

BILL OF RIGHTS 1689

CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY

RESTORATION 1660-80 ENGLISH CIVIL WAR 1642 HABEAS CORPUS ACT 1679 ACT OF TOLERATION 1689 CABINET SYSTEM 18TH CENTURY

These steps represent the first steps taken toward creating a democ-ratic form of government in Europe. England will benefit greatly from this move to democracy in the years to come when nations like France, Germany, Italy and Russia are suffering from political unrest and turmoil, and England is creating a world empire.