Legal and political changes

Question 1

What idea does the Magna Carta establish?

Answer 1

That the King is subject to the law?

Question 2

What is the Magna Carta?

Answer 2

• A charter of rights
• Protects the nobility
• Restricts the King’s power to:
  
  • Collect taxes
  • Change laws

Moving forward, the King needs to involve Noblemen in decisions

Question 3

When did King John grant the “Charter of Liberties”?

The “Charter of Liberties” was subsequently known as the “Magna Carta”.

Answer 3

13th Century

1215

June 15

Question 4

Where was the Magna Carta (Charter of Liberties) signed?

Answer 4

Runnymede, on the River Thames near Windsor in the south of England

Question 5

What does “Magna Carta” mean?

Answer 5

The Great Charter

Question 6

Parliament’s origins can be traced back to the King’s council of advisers?

Who was included/took part in the King’s council of advisers?

Answer 6

The King’s council of advisers included:

• Important noblemen
• and the leaders of the Church.

Question 7

After 1215, how could the King of England consult his nobles?

Answer 7

By calling parliaments

Question 8

What is the ethymology of “parliament”?

Answer 8

• The English term is derived from Anglo-Norman
• It dates to the 14th century,
• Coming from the 11th century Old French parlement, from parler, meaning “to talk”.

Question 9

What was a typical reason for the King of England to call parliament?

Answer 9

To raise money

Question 10

What is the name of the 2 parts that make up Parliament in England?

Answer 10

• House of Lords
• House of Commons

Question 11

In the Middle Ages, who sat in the House of Lords?

Answer 11

• The Nobility
• Great Landowners
• Bishops

Note: Smaller landowners could be elected to sit in the House of Commons

Question 12

In the Middle Ages, who sat in the House of Commons?

Answer 12

• Knights (who were usually smaller landowners)
• Wealthy people from Towns and Cities

Question 13

In the Middle Ages, how did you become a member of the House of Commons?

Answer 13

• You had to be elected
• Only a small part of the population was able to join in electing the members of the Commons.

Question 14

In the Middle Ages, what parts made up the Scottish Parliament?

Answer 14

The Scottish Parliament has 3 Houses called “Estates”:

• The Lords
• The Clergy
• The Commons

Question 15

When did the principle that judges are independant of the government begin to be established?

Answer 15

​During the Middle Ages

Note: Formal judicial independence came into being in England and Wales in 1701 with the enactment of the Act of Settlement.

Question 16

What is the difference between the way English and Scotish law developed?

Answer 16

• In England - “common law” is based on precedence (it follows previous decisions) and tradition
• In Scotland - it is “codified” (it is written down)

Question 17

In the Middle Ages, Parliament began to develop into the institution it is today. Where can its origins be traced to?

Answer 17

The King’s council of advisers, which included important nobleman and leaders of the Church.

Question 18

There were few formal limits to the king’s power until when? What happened to change this?

Answer 18

1214. King John was forced by his nobleman to agree to a number of demands, including creating the Magna Carta.

Question 19

What is the Magna Carta? What does it mean?

Answer 19

It means “Great Charter”. It established the idea that even the king was subject to the law. It protected the rights of the nobility and restricted the king’s power to collect taxes, or to make or change laws. In the future, the king would need to involve his nobleman in decisions.

Question 20

Why were parliaments called for the king to consult his nobles?

Answer 20

Particularly when the king needed to raise money.

Question 21

The numbers attending Parliament increased and two separate parts, known as Houses, were established. What are their names, and what were they made up of?

Answer 21

House of Lords and House of Commons.

Question 22

What is the House of Lords made up of?

Answer 22

House of Lords was made up of nobility, great landowners, and bishops.

Question 23

What is the House of Commons made up of?

Answer 23

House of Commons was made up of knights and smaller landowners, and wealthy people - Commons people were elected by a small number of the population.

Question 24

A similar Parliament developed in Scotland. How was it different?

Answer 24

It had three Houses, called Estates: The Lords, the Commons, and the Clergy.

Question 25

This was also a time of development in the legal system. The principle that judges are independent from the government began to be established. In England, what did judges develop?

Answer 25

Common Law.

Question 26

What is “Common Law”?

Answer 26

It is the body of law derived from judicial decisions of courts and similar tribunals, previously set by precedence and tradition.

Question 27

In Scotland, the legal system developed differently - how?

Answer 27

They were “codified” (written down).