Democratic Developments

in England

Growth of Royal PowerIn medieval England the Christian church, the nobility and the monarchy all had considerable wealth and influenceFeudalism– Loosely organized system of rule in which

powerful local lords divided their land holdings among lesser lords, in exchange they pledged their loyalty

– Came about because monarchs were too weak to maintain law and order and people needed protection from invaders

Monarchs, Nobles and the Church

Nobles/Church held as much power as the monarch – had their own courts– collected their own taxes – had their own armies

Strong Monarchs William the Conqueror– Established an efficient tax collecting

systemHenry III– Established common law

• A legal system based on custom and court ruling that applied to all of England

• Standardized law/punishment• Local citizens took part in trials

– Establishment of common law and jury system led to further advances on the road to democratic rule

Check for Understanding

What new practices did strong

monarchs introduce in England?

King John and the Magna Carta

King John constantly struggled with the nobles over his taxes and abuse of power1215 a group of rebellious barons made King John (Henry II’s son) accept the Magna Carta affirming a long list of feudal rightsKing could not raise taxes without first consulting the Great Council or lords and clergy

The Magna CartaContained two important principles– Asserted all nobles had rights which was

later to include all English citizens– Monarch must obey the law

Nobles protected their privilegesPeople could not be arrested or imprisoned unless by a jury of their peersRule of law is a key principle in democratic traditions

Development of ParliamentGreat Council became ParliamentWhen France and Britain fought in the Hundred Years War England changed politicallyEnglish rulers turned to Parliament for funds which helped them win the power of the purse winning the right to approve any new taxes

Development of ParliamentParliament could now insist that the monarch meet its demands before voting for taxesThis way Parliament could check or limit the power of the monarchLater most democratic governments would incorporate similar checks on power in their constitution

Check for Understanding

How did the English Parliament limit the

power of the monarch?

The Glorious Revolution Storyboard

Complete the storyboard outline in your Unit 1 Notebook.

Visit www.storyboardthat.com and create your story of the Glorious Revolution