Please sit quietly and get out paper and a pencil/pen English Beginnings Please sit quietly and get out paper and a pencil/pen

Notebook Set Up Put your “Table of Contents” in the front of your folder. The first assignment (today) will be titled “English Beginnings”

The British Empire

The year is 1215… King John of England wants to conquer France New taxes Forced his subjects to give him loans (that he never intended to pay back) Made demands on the Church

The barons (leading nobles) have joined with Church leaders and England’s largest towns in an armed rebellion against the King.

Magna Carta To end the rebellion, King John met with his unhappy barons on the field of Runnymede in 1215. John signed a charter of rights that he granted to his subjects, which became known as Magna Carta, or the “Great Charter” (the original was written in Latin)

63 Clauses promising rights Clause 12. No scutage or aid (special taxes) shall be imposed on our kingdom, unless by common counsel of our kingdom… Clause 14. And for obtaining the common counsel of the kingdom…we will cause to be summoned the archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, and greater barons, severally by our letters… Clause 39. No freeman shall be taken or imprisoned or [have his property taken] or exiled or in any way destroyed, nor will we go upon him nor send upon him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land. Clause 40. To no one…will we refuse or delay, right or justice.

Rights Magna Carta granted rights to all free Englishmen (not just the barons). The king would not imprison or take away the property of his subjects without a trial by a jury of peers (equals) or according to the law of the land. The king would not impose new taxes without the approval of a committee of 25 barons. (There’s also a clause about fishing rights in the rivers.)

Parliament Because of Magna Carta, English kings began calling together assemblies of nobles whenever they needed more money. They also began inviting representatives from counties and towns to participate. These assemblies became known as Parliaments. To parley means “to talk”.

Parliament House of Commons House of Lords English nobles (inherited titles) House of Commons Representatives from counties and towns

Question Time! Please get out a blank sheet of paper and title it “English Beginnings” You do not need to copy the questions, but you MUST answer in full sentences!

Questions Remember to answer in FULL SENTENCES!!! 1) Who wrote/signed Magna Carta? “Magna Carta was written by….and signed by…” 2) When and where was Magna Carta written? “Magna Carta was written in (place), in (year).” 3) Why was it written? “Magna Carta was written because…” 4) What rights did the Magna Carta give to Englishmen? “Magna Carta gave Englishmen the right to…”

A few more kings (and queens) agreed to respect the rights granted in Magna Carta This guy really hated being told no!

Until this guy… King Charles I REALLY didn’t like Magna Carta or Parliament He believed in the “divine right of kings” (that he only had to answer to God, and no man) Imposed new taxes and forced loans Tried to rule without Parliament Civil War 1642-1651, Parliament won King Charles I lost his head (literally) in 1649

England became a Commonwealth (they had no king) Oliver Cromwell ruled for a little while, until he died Then Charles II became king in 1660

English Bill of Rights Read the “English Bill of Rights” handout Answer the questions (in full sentences) on the same piece of paper you wrote on earlier