FMW 1.3 Terms

Democracy Develops in England

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Vocab (1 pt each)

1. Common Law- Common Law is a uniform system of laws that applies to everyone in the society that the law applies to.
2. Magna Carta- This was a treaty limiting the power of the king, including their power to tax, and established the right to a fair jury for all, among other important rights. This document is one of the most important in history.
3. Due Process of Law- the concept of the law being a fair, transparent practice.

1. Contract- a legal agreement between two or more entities.
2. Parliament- Parliament is the representative and legislative body of England. It was first made up of knights, nobles, and other leaders. The assembly was split into two houses in the mid 1300s
3. Divine Rights- This was the idea that the King of England was chosen to rule by God, and that this king was only under God, and nobody else. This concept was mostly held by the kings themselves, because it legitimized their positions of power.
4. Glorious Revolution- A coup in 1689 England. The king’s sister, Mary, and her husband, William of Orange, were invited by Parliament to take power because the current king, James ll was Catholic. Most of England was Prodestant, and they were afraid of Catholic rule, so Parliament refused to recognize James ll as the rightful king. By sponsoring this, Parliament cemented its power over the monarchy.
5. Constitutional Monarchy- A constitutional monarchy is a monarchy in which the law limits the power of the ruler.
6. Bill of Rights- a legal document that outlines the rights and laws surrounding every citizen in the governed society. The most famous example is the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights.

Questions on Page 2

1. How did the principle of rule by law, as implied in the Magna Carta, limit the power of the king? (2 pts) - The principle of rule by law limited the power of the king by investing the ultimate power of the government in law, and not the decisions of the ruler. Rule by law also means that the king is not ruling the law, but the law is governing him.
2. Explain the controversy between James I and Parliament. (2 pts) - The Stuart dynasty, of which James I was a part of, held the belief of divine right, which meant that they were ruled only by God, while Parliament held the belief that England was under rule of law, not the king. These two different viewpoints do not agree on how much power the monarch had, with James I believing that he should have ultimate authority in the country, while Parliament believed the power of the king was limited by law. This conflict was compounded by James I poor understanding of English law, due to being from Scotland.
3. What impact did English common law have on the United States? (3 pts) - The concept of common law is still present here in the United States. Because the 13 colonies were British, this is probably how the concept was heard in the United States. This idea is a foundation of the concept of equal treatment, which the United States guarantees under law.
4. Compare and Contrast: In what ways was England’s absolute monarchy similar to and different from constitutional monarchy?(2 pts). - An absolute monarchy has no limits on power, while a constitutional monarchy has limited power due to a constitution or law.
5. Summarize your Answer: What were the main achievements of the Glorious Revolution? (2 pts) - The main achievements of the Glorious revolution was the return of a Prodestant monarchy in England and the establishment of that monarchy being a constitutional monarchy, as a result of the validation of their power. This validity can be found when the assembly openly rejected James II, and instead invited Mary and William of Orange to rule the country. By inviting the monarchs, Parliament put itself into a position of power over the monarchy, which remains to this day.