Question

As you read, highlight text that describes the civil rights guaranteed by the English Bill of Rights. Use sticky notes to paraphrase them in your own words. The English Bill of Rights was created in 1689, following the Glorious Revolution. The lords of Parliament wanted to ensure that their new monarchs, William and Mary, would respect the rights and liberties of their English subjects, and made it a condition of their rule. The Bill of Rights limited the power of the monarchy to act without the consent of Parliament. The Bill of Rights stated that all Englishmen had certain inalienable rights. Kings and queens had to swear to keep the Church of England as the nation’s official faith. Unless Parliament consented, monarchs could not raise taxes, raise an army, or prevent Englishmen from owning firearms. Other acts were also prohibited, including imposing fines or punishment without trial, and imposing cruel or unusual punishment. Certain rights were protected, including the right to free speech and the right to petition the monarch. Many of these same rights are protected in the US Constitution, and are found in the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments. The following is an excerpt from this influential document, which is better known by its informal name, “The English Bill of Rights.” An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown Whereas the late King James the Second, by the assistance of diverse evil counsellors, judges and ministers employed by him, did endeavour to subvert . . . the Protestant religion and the laws and liberties of this kingdom; By assuming and exercising a power of dispensing with and suspending of laws and the execution of laws without consent of Parliament . . . . By levying money for and to the use of the Crown by pretence of prerogative for other time and in other manner than the same was granted by Parliament; By raising and keeping a standing army within this kingdom in time of peace without consent of Parliament, and quartering soldiers contrary to law . . . . By violating the freedom of election of members to serve in Parliament . . . . And excessive bail hath been required of persons committed in criminal cases to elude the benefit of the laws made for the liberty of the subjects; And excessive fines have been imposed; And illegal and cruel punishments inflicted; And several grants and promises made of fines and forfeitures before any conviction or judgment against the persons upon whom the same were to be levied; All which are utterly and directly contrary to the known laws and statutes and freedom of this realm; And whereas the said late King James the Second 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 [send letters to the Lords] . . . 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 . . . . According to the paragraph above, what was the authors’ purpose in creating this document

Answer 1

Have a great day

Answer included within this

The purpose of creating the English Bill of Rights was to ensure that the rights and liberties of English subjects were protected and that the monarchy could not act without the consent of Parliament. The authors wanted to limit the power of the monarchy and prevent the abuses that had occurred under King James II. They sought to establish a system where the monarchs, in this case William and Mary, would respect the rights of the English people and abide by certain limitations. The Bill of Rights guaranteed various civil rights to Englishmen, such as: 1. The right to have the Church of England as the nation's official faith. 2. The prohibition of raising taxes, raising an army, or restricting Englishmen from owning firearms without the consent of Parliament. 3. The prohibition of imposing fines or punishments without a fair trial. 4. The prohibition of imposing cruel or unusual punishment. 5. The protection of the right to free speech. 6. The protection of the right to petition the monarch. These rights ensured that the monarchy would not have absolute power and that English subjects would have certain protections and freedoms. It is worth noting that many of these same rights are protected in the US Constitution, particularly in the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments.