Government in Great Britain Flashcards
Need to know years of Magna Carta, Petition or Right, and English Bill of Rights
Why was the Magna Carta made?
Year:
Becuase of the feudal system, nobles got used to having certain rights, so when King John tried to take back some rights, the nobles rebelled and forced him to sign the Magna Carta
1215
What is the Magna Carta?
The most important early example of a law limiting the power of a ruler
Early step leading to the idea that government should include all the people
Some powers taken away from the king: needs to maintain the kingdom, can’t move the court to unfair places, can’t take rights away from a person
Magna Carta
2 Important Ideas that Influcenced the Founders:
- Government is based on a contract between the ruler and the governed, also includes the idea that if either side breaks the contract, it is no longer valid
- Rule of Law- Magna Carta expresses idea of limited government; the king couldn’t take away property of a noble without following agreed-upon rules
What was the Petition of Right?
Year:
Strengthened the idea that English subjects had certain rights that the government could not violate
1628
King could not raise taxes or house soldiers in people’s home without consent of Parliament
Why was the Petition of Right made?
The king tried to pressure people for money and make them house solidres in their homes, so Parliament forced him to agree to the Petition of Right
What was the English Bill of Rights?
Year:
Law gave certain rights to Parliament that further limited the powers of the monarch
Our Bill of Rights is very similar
1689
People have the right to petition the king, freedom of speech in Parliament, monarchy can’t have excessive bails of cruel punishments or declare that laws made by Paraliment should not be obeyed
What is Common Law?
Definition:
Law based on custom and the decisions of law courts
The constitution of Great Brittian is made up of common law and laws passed by Parliament
What is Rule of law?
Opposite:
A principle that both the government and the governed must obey the law and are subject to the same laws
* First seen in the Magna Carta to limit the power of the king
Opposite to the rule of men where those in power make laws as they please
What is Feudalism?
A system of social, economic, and political organization. Based on the control of land.
What are the 3 social classes in Feudalism?
Royalty- king, queen, and their families
Nobility- included the lords and ladies who held titles, worked of the monarchy and made it possible for the king and queen to control England
Common People- knights, merchants, and pheasants, they farmed the land and were not able to leave the area
What happened in the Feudal System?
In the feudal system, the monarch owned all public land, but it was too much for one person to rule, so the monarch gave some responsibility of controlling parts of the land and the people who lived there to the nobles. In return, the nobles pledged to be loyal to the king. The nobles then further divided the land and gave control to vassals who in turn owed the nobility loyalty and military service
Who are Aristocrats?
People of the highest class of society who held inherited titles.
* Often part of the ruling class in government
In the Roman Republic, the common people and aristocrats shared the power of governing
Importance of Feudalism
- The feudal system is important to the development of constitutional government because it introduced the idea of governemnt based on a contract
- During this time the monarchs started to share power with the nobles
