The Englishmen's Bill of Rights

The English Bill of Rights was a document that gave the Englishmen their rights (Jerome Blum, Cameron, Barnes 340).


The English Bill of Rights was agreed to be put in place by Parliament, and when William III and Queen Mary came to the throne, they agreed to abide by the laws within the bill. The idea of the divine right of kings was outlawed by the English Bill of Rights. It limited the power of the ruling family and increased Parliament's power. It made clear that the king would held under the law and that the Parliament would set the laws in place. The bill also gave the citizens of England their own rights(Jerome Blum, Cameron, Barnes 340).


The Bill of Rights was issued because the kings of England were abusing their power. James II had to flee for fear of losing his life due to the fact that there was a rumor that he would force England to become Catholic (Nicolson 281).When William III took over England, he and his wife, Mary, had to swear that they would consult Parliament before making a tax. They were also unable to form their own courts (Nicolson 182).

England's Bill of Rights was very influential in the first eight amendments of the United States Constitution. A few of the people who had lived during the Enlightenment were useful in making sure that parts of the English Bill of Rights were in the Constitution. The rights that the Bill of Rights gave to Englishmen when it was first issued are still in place today.


The English Bill of Rights, was a document that liberated England from the idea of the divine right of kings. It put limits on the power of the ruling family and granted more power to the Parliament. It was also influential to the United States Constitution.

Blum, Jerome, Rondo Cameron, Thomas G. Barnes. The European World: A History. Boston/Toronto; Little, Brown and Company, 1966.

Nicolson Harold. Kings, Courts And Monarchy. New York; Simon and Schuster inc., 1962.