Since the restoration of the Stuart King monarchy in 1660, England had been knee-deep in authoritative issues between King and Parliament. Those refusing to conform to the Anglican Church were denied basic liberties. Only upon the expulsion of King James II and the “Glorious Revolution” that followed, placing King William III and Queen Mary on the throne, did the idea divine-right monarchy come to an end. Under the English Bill of Rights of 1689, William and Mary of England prompted an era of English Constitutionalism by changing government authority and granting individual and religious liberties. Before William and Mary could ascend to the throne of England they had to accept the English Bill of Rights as well as changes in governmental structure. This 1689 doctrine established the principal that power was divided between King and Parliament, the core belief of a constitutional government.
All law was to be made in this representative body, which had to be called upon at least once every three years. Parliament elections were to be free of Crown interference and the judiciary was to be independent as well. Also developing under this new government was the cabinet system. With Sir Robert Walpole as its first prime minister, the cabinet’s leaders were to hold both legislative and executive power. With the monarch’s governing powering the hands of the electorate, England was well on its way in the formation of a constitutional government. Constitutionalism, in essence, must also have a balance between the government and the rights of the subjects, and thus must grant individual liberties.
The Dissertation on Henry Viii (1491-1547), King of England
Henry VIII (1491-1547), King of England was a formidable man and one of the most important monarchs in the history of his country. He was responsible fort he English church’breach with Rome, the dissolution of the English monasteries, and the establishment of national Church of England. He also the husband of six wives an the father of Queen Elizabeth, who was one of the most important monarch at ...
England’s newfound political philosophy had much of its roots in the writings of political philosopher John Locke. Locke believed that government was to be established to protect the “natural rights” of the citizens: namely the rights of life, liberty, and property. A government overstepping this duty became a tyranny and its subjects had the right to revolt. The Bill of Rights allowed for subjects to petition the king, and all commitments and prosecutions for such petitioning were to be illegal. Freedom of speech was granted, and debates or proceedings in parliament were not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament. The monarch could also not tax its subjects without parliamentary consent.
Excessive bail and unusual punishments were banned as well. Typical of constitutionalism, the people of England had maintained as well as gained new liberties. Among new liberties granted by monarchs William and Mary were rights of religious nature. According to the Test Act of 1673, those who refused to join the Church of England could not vote, hold office, preach, teacher, attend the universities, or assemble. Under the new rule, however, subjects were granted the right to freely practice the religion of their choice. Nevertheless, Protestant domination ensued.
Additional legislation required that the English monarch be Protestant. It was also only those subjects who were Protestant that were able to have arms for their defense suitable to their conditions. Despite a Protestant bias, the English government indeed attempted at catering to all its subjects and all the more shifted to constitutionalism. The acceptance of the 1689 Bill of Rights by King William III and Mary his Queen brought about changes in government structure as well as change in individual and religious rights.
As Parliament began to establish itself as a representative body, it eventually prevented the establishment of absolute rule in England. Individuals finally had a say in government and national policy and also found new freedom in religious practice. The drive toward constitutional government in modern times has to a large extent come from England, and it is from English politics that the phrase and its associations have been borrowed.
The Essay on Comparing the Governments between England and the Colonies
Between the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 and the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the most important change that occurred in the colonies was the evolution of a society quite different from that in England. Changes in religion, economics, politics, and social structure illustrate this Americanization of the transplanted Europeans.By 1763 although some colonies still maintained established churches, ...
