Europe


 * English Bill of Rights** []

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** The English Bill of Rights **  ** (1689) ** ** 1999. "English Bill of Rights." //Documents in World History, vol. 2: The Modern Centuries: From 1500 to the Present//. Edited by Stearns et al. New York: Longman. ** // Among the chief characteristics //  [n1]  // These concepts have deep roots in the Classical Mediterranean and Medieval Europe. But as nation states became more centralized and powerful in the sixteenth and seventeenth century, kings began to assert greater authority. While the Stuart kings of seventeenth-century England believed that their // [n2]  //, the notions of rule of law and representative government were asserted by Parliament. This conflicting set of assumptions contributed to decades of war and political experimentation in England between 1640 and 1688. In 1649, Charles I was beheaded upon losing a war with elements of Parliament. After a failed attempt at // [n3]  // and a brief restoration of the Stuart dynasty, Parliament offered the crown to the Dutch ruler, William of Orange, in 1688. // [n4]

Whereas the said late King James II having abdicated the government, and the throne being thereby vacant, his Highness the prince of Orange (whom it hath pleased Almighty God to make the glorious instrument of delivering this kingdom from popery and arbitrary power) did ( by the advice of the lords spiritual and temporal, and diverse principal persons of the Commons [parliament]) caused letters to be written to the lords spiritual and temporal, being Protestants... to meet and sit at Westminster upon the two and twentieth day of January, in this year 1689, in order to such an establishment as that their religion, laws, and liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted; upon which letters elections have been accordingly made.

And thereupon the said lords spiritual and temporal and Commons, pursuant to their respective letters and elections, being now assembled in a full and free representation of this nation, taking into the most serious consideration the best means for attaining the ends aforesaid, do in the first place (as their ancestors in like case have usually done), for the vindication and assertion of their ancient rights and liberties, declare:  1. That the pretended power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority [n5].  2. That the pretended power of dispensing with the laws, or the execution of law by regal authority, as it hath been assumed and exercised of late, is illegal.  3. That the commission for erecting the late court of commissioners for ecclesiastical causes, and all other commissions and courts of like nature, are illegal and pernicious.  [n6]  levying money for or to use of the crown by pretense of prerogative, without grant of parliament, for longer time or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted, is illegal.  [n7]  it is the right of the subjects to petition the king, and all commitments and prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal.  [n8]  the raising or keeping of a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of parliament, is illegal.  [n9]  the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defense suitable to their conditions, and as allowed by law.  8. That election of members of parliament ought to be free.  9. That the freedom of speech, and debates or proceedings in parliament, ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament.  10. That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed, [n10]  [n11]  that for redress of all grievance and for the amending, strengthening, and preserving of the laws, parliament ought to be held frequently.

And they do claim, demand, and insist upon all and singular the premises, as their undoubted rights and liberties....

The English bill of rights is said to keep Monarch power at bay seeing as things were beginning to get out of hand during the reign of king JamesII. So in making this bill a group of Highness the prince of Orange by the advice of the lords spiritual and temporal made 11 rules that enable all proceedings to go under Parliament. These laws of course are to be discussed and possibly changed frequently if needed.

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[n1] No taxation without repersentation [n2] The misleading of electives based on whose closer to god and yet now as the churches power begins to diminish parliament must come in yet again [n3] Supreme control [n4] Power overload I would create this too just for precaution. I feel that if a king can not even protect themselves from the people of parliament then there is no chance for the community at all [n5] [n6] Even manners of self and money are left to the parliament to decide [n7] No freedom of speech of free protest [n8] I like this one because if the army was left standing I feel that it would send the wrong message to other countries [n9] Right to bare arms [n10] Is that still here today? And does it apply to times of war because I keep questioning whether our forces are using inhuman conducts in order to win [n11] Continuous changing’s of the law