The English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution

English Parliament Building

Political democracy rests on the principle that government derives power from the consent of the governed. In England, the foundation of citizen's rights included the jury trial, the Magna Carta, and common law, all of which dated back to the 1200s.

In the 1600s, Charles I ignored this long history of citizens' rights by not following the Petition of Rights and civil war erupted as a result. After the king lost and was executed for treason, Oliver Cromwell, with the support of the roundheads, gained control of the government. After Cromwell died, the monarchy was restored with Charles II, who worked very closely with Parliament.

After Charles’s death, his brother, James II, tried to assert more authority over Parliament and was pushed out of the country to France. Consequently, William and Mary of Orange were invited to become king and queen of England in what became known as the Glorious Revolution. William and Mary ensured the superiority of Parliament over the monarchy with the passage of the English Bill of Rights of 1689.