1. Use the slide sorter view to put the following slides
6.1.1 The history of parliamentary democracy
Use the slide sorter view
to put the following slides
in the correct order
to show key stages
in the development
of parliamentary democracy.

2. Civil war 1642–49
By the 17th century, Parliament had become
a powerful body, especially the Commons.
When King Charles I tried to rule without the support of Parliament, events led to Civil War. Parliament won and Charles was executed in 1649.
The country became a republic under Oliver Cromwell, but the monarchy was restored
in 1660.

3. The Glorious Revolution 1688
Parliament invited William of Orange to become king. His powers were limited by the 1689 Bill of Rights. He was a ‘constitutional monarch’ and had to get Parliament’s approval of his policies. Powers to do with making laws and the finances of the nation were handed over to Parliament.

4. Devolution
At the end of the twentieth century (1997–99), powers were transferred from the UK Parliament in Westminster to separate parliaments in Scotland (Scottish Parliament), Wales (National Assembly for Wales) and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

5. Magna Carta
In 1215, powerful barons
and nobles forced King
John to sign the Magna
Carta (Great Charter),
which restricted the power
of the king.

6. Women get the vote
Women mounted a long campaign
for the vote. The Suffragettes used
violent tactics to gain publicity. In
1918 women over the age of 30 got
the vote and in 1928 all women over
the age of 21 could vote.

7. Edward III’s Parliament
Edward III (1327–77) held regular parliaments. Representatives from counties (knights) and towns (mainly rich merchants), who were called to attend, sat separately from the king and his nobles in one chamber, which became known as the House of Commons. Members of Parliament (MPs) had the opportunity to petition the king.

8. Monarchs in control
After 1066, medieval monarchs had a ‘Great Council’ of the most powerful lords (forerunner to the House of Lords) to advise them. But kings made all the key decisions.

9. Great Reform Act 1832
Industrialisation was changing Britain and people were influenced by ideas about freedom and democracy. They wanted the vote so that Parliament would become more democratic. In the 1832 Reform Act, middle-class men who owned property (well-off) got the vote. Rotten and pocket boroughs controlled by the aristocracy were got rid of, so the House of Lords had less control of MPs in the House of Commons. But only a minority of the population could vote.

10. More men get the vote
The Second (1867) and Third (1884) Reform Acts greatly expanded the number of men who could vote. The House of Commons was now much more representative of the population and power was shifting from the Lords to the Commons. Cities and towns with larger populations were given more MPs.

11. House of Lords Reform
In 1911, the Commons forced
through the Parliament Act, which
reduced the power of the House of
Lords. They had no say in matters of taxation and could only delay Bills by two years, later reduced to one.
In 1999, most of the hereditary peers had their right to sit in the House of Lords removed. Ninety-two were allowed to carry on sitting until further reform of the House.

12. Simon de Montfort’s Parliament
In 1265, Simon de Montfort, who had defeated Henry III in battle, called his own parliament, which included not only powerful lords but also representatives from counties and large towns. It is seen as the first step to our modern Parliament.

13. Europe
In 1973, the UK joined the Common Market in Europe. The Single European Act (1987) and the Maastricht Treaty (1987) created the European Union (EU), which bound countries together in a tighter set of rules, regulations and understandings. The UK government and Parliament has to follow these, and many UK laws now have their origins in the EU.