1. English Government

2. Who makes the laws? Legislature – lawmaking body of a government
Parliament – legislative body in Britain

3. Magna Carta
In 1215, nobles forced King John to sign this document giving nobles certain rights, especially over land ownership
Showed the king would now have limits to power by guaranteeing no one was above the law - Rule of Law
Viewed as the most important document in the history of government - Established the concept of limited government

4. Magna Carta

5. Parliament King Henry III met with nobles regularly
Developed into Parliament or the legislative/ law making body for England
Britain moved from an Authoritarian Absolute Monarchy to a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy by the late 1300s
Parliament

6. Other Key Events in English Gov’t History
1688 – Parliament removed King James from his position
Showed parliament was the true power of England
1689 – English Bill of Rights
Gave parliament power to raise taxes, make laws and control the army
Monarch could not suspend Parliamentary laws
Parliament is the TRUE power
Parliament would be elected freely
Free speech & a right to trial were established
Banned cruel & unusual punishment

7. Based on precedents (an earlier ruling in a similar situation)
Rests on Court decisions rather than lawmakers
Common Law

8. The Enlightenment Greatest influence on American government
Philosophy in which reason or ability to think was used as the basis for authority
Examples
Documents: Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights
The Enlightenment

9. Principals of American Democracy
Rule of Law – No one is above the law
Limited Government –Government is not all powerful, it may only do what people have given it to do
Consent of the Governed – citizens source of power
Individual rights – seen in the Declaration of Independence – protected by the government
Principals of American Democracy

10. Principals of American Democracy cont.
Representative Government – government represents the wants & needs of citizens
Majority Rule – When differences arise, we will abide by what most people want
Minority Rights – at the same time as going with the majority, we will respect the rights of the minority
Principals of American Democracy cont.