Final answer:
William and Mary relinquished the philosophy of 'divine right of kings' and absolute monarchy, establishing a constitutional monarchy with the English Bill of Rights, which limited royal power and protected citizens' liberties, influencing democratic principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The philosophy that was done away with in England when William and Mary accepted the Bill of Rights in 1689 was the idea of the 'divine right of kings' and absolute monarchy. Instead, they agreed to a constitutional monarchy where the power of the monarch was limited by Parliament and the English Bill of Rights. This document set forth rights for citizens and emphasized a balance of power between the monarchy and Parliament, stipulating that the king could not override parliamentary legislation and establishing various civil liberties for individuals.
Notably, the English Bill of Rights was influenced by the work of philosopher John Locke and other previous charter documents like the Petition of Right. It cemented the rights of individuals including trial by jury, habeas corpus, the necessity of parliamentary approval for taxation, the right to bear arms for self-defense, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishments. Consequently, the Bill of Rights marked a significant shift from absolute monarchy to a system in which the sovereign ruled with the consent of the governed, establishing a precedent for modern democracy.