Four historic milestones trace the centuries-long British struggle to limit royal power and build a government ruled by law. They moved England from absolute royal rule to a stable system where Parliament holds the ultimate power. Why are they important? Because they also became key events that ultimately led to American Liberty. Remember, the Founding Fathers were Englishmen, and this was a part of their history and their inspiration.
The Magna Carta (1215)
A historic charter forced on King John by angry noblemen (barons) at Runnymede on June 15, 1215. The basis of the Magna Carta was to establish that the king was not above the law. It enumerated Natural Rights, religious freedom and the Church’s rights, stopped unfair imprisonment, and promised fast justice. It established that the king could not unilaterally set taxes. Taxation would also require noble approval.
The English Civil War (1642–1651)
A brutal armed fight between King Charles I and Parliament over who held supreme power. Parliament argued that the king was not above the people’s represenation, but was co-equal with Parliament. Ultimately, the forces in opposition to the king’s supreme power was victorious. Charles I was put on trial and executed in 1649. England briefly became a republic before the monarchy returned to full and absolute power in 1660.
The Glorious Revolution (1688–1689)
The notion of a divine right of kings was challenged. The largely bloodless ousting of the Catholic King James II by a union of Parliament and Dutch leader William of Orange led to a return of co-equal power between the king and Parliament. Again, the message was that the king was not above the law, and could not largely operate without Parliament’s consent. As a result, James II fled. His Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William took the joint throne after agreeing to respect Parliament’s laws.
The English Declaration of Rights (1689)
The formal list of conditions (later called the English Bill of Rights) was presented to William and Mary before they took power. The document set permanent limits on the king, banning the monarch from making or stopping laws without Parliament, collecting taxes without permission, or keeping a standing army in peacetime. It guaranteed free speech in Parliament and fair trials.
