I. English Heritage
A. Magna Carta (1215)
1. 1st document to outline
the rights of citizens and limit the authority of the king
2. 1st document to promote
"limited government" (the idea that the power of the govt. should be limited
in
writing) .
B. Parliament
1. began as an informal
advisory group to the king
2. 1300's: evolved into
a legislature (made laws)
3. split into 2 houses (which
meant it was bicameral)
a. House of Lords
b. House of Commons
C. Glorious Revolution (1688)
1. James II was removed
and replaced by William & Mary
2. leaders of Parliament
led this movement
3. this signaled a transfer
of power: Parliament's power (which comes from the people) is superior
to that of the king
D. English Bill of Rights (1689)
1. Parliament now asserted
control over taxes, army, election laws, and other laws
2. the legislature (chosen
in part by the people) now has more control over laws than the king
II. Philosophical Origins
A. John Locke (2nd Treatise on Civil Government
~ 1689)
1. "consent of the governed"
a. the govt. only rules with the consent (permission) of the governed (people)
b. govt. gains its right to rule ONLY if the people agree to it
c. the people have the right to withdraw their consent if the govt. violates
the Social Contract
2. Equality
a. men could use education and reason to move up the social ladder
b. this did not include women or minorities, but his ideas were still a
challenge to the old medieval ideas
3. Natual Rights (we are
born with these)
a. life
b. liberty
c. property
B. Montesquieu (French)
1. separation of powers
a. the authority of govt. must be divided into different parts to prevent
abuse of power and tyranny