The English Bill of Rights (1689)?

Question

What caused this document to be created and what were the effects from it. How did it play a part in the French and Indian war?

Answer 1

The English Bill of Rights, 1689 is one of a series of acts considered collectively as the British Constitution. It treats three related topics -- the supremacy of Parliament, the succession and role of the monarch (who may succeed to the throne and how) and "rights" of the British subject. (Note that the last of these is understood to be connected to the establishment of the power and rights of PARLIAMENT, since it is Parliament that is regarded as expressing the will of the people.)

How these fit together might be better seen by noting the FULL title of this bill:

"An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown."

This bill was passed in conjunction with the "Glorious Revolution", when William and Mary ascended the throne in place of James II, the Catholic monarch, who was forced out by Parliament because of his acts favorable to Catholicism.

On the Protestant vs. Catholic issue, note the following excerpt from the bill:

"And whereas it hath been found by experience that it is inconsistent with the safety and welfare of this Protestant kingdom to be governed by a popish prince, or by any king or queen marrying a papist, the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons do further pray that it may be enacted, that all and every person and persons that is, are or shall be reconciled to or shall hold communion with the see or Church of Rome, or shall profess the popish religion, or shall marry a papist, shall be excluded and be for ever incapable to inherit, possess or enjoy the crown and government of this realm and Ireland and the dominions thereunto belonging or any part of the same, or to have, use or exercise any regal power, authority or jurisdiction within the same; and in all and every such case or cases the people of these realms shall be and are hereby absolved of their allegiance; and the said crown and government shall from time to time descend to and be enjoyed by such person or persons being Protestants. . ."

Note that all of this was an INTERNATIONAL issue. This bill had international import (as did the Glorious Revolution), in that i it helped solidify Northern Protestant coalitions vs. France, Catholic powers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Grand_Alliance#.27Glorious_Revolution.27_.281688.E2.80.9389.29


Now as one might expect, James (as a Catholic) had much friendlier relations with France than the Protestant monarchs of Europe. Indeed the Glorious Revolution was closely connected to the first of a SERIES of European wars over the next century, basically between the Catholic and Protestant monarchs. Some of these were, in fact, "world wars" for the European colonies were an important theater of the wars. The part of these wars that was fought out in the Americas have collectively been called "the French and Indian Wars" (note the plural!) and the American part of the last of them, the "Seven Years War" in which Britain finally prevailed over France, was known to the colonists as "the French and Indian War".

It is difficult to show a PRECISE connection between the Bill of Rights and the French and Indian War, but we can see a general connection once we recognize the role of the Bill or Rights in establishing a Protestant monarch in Britain, and so as a piece of the European wars over the next several decades.

Note also that ONE element in the beginning of the French and Indian war was related to the Catholic issue:
"The British colonists feared papal influence in North America (New France was administered by French governors and Roman Catholic hierarchy and missionaries such as Armand de La Richardie were active). For the predominantly Protestant British settlers, French control over North America could have represented a threat to their religious and other freedoms that were provided by English law."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_and_Indian_War#Causes


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_Revolution#Legacy

Answer 2

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RE:
The English Bill of Rights (1689)?
What caused this document to be created and what were the effects from it. How did it play a part in the French and Indian war?

Answer 3

You will get everything on the English Bill of Rights 1689, on the wiki, browse for the same and suggested other links therein!!

Answer 4

1689 The English Bill of Rights guarantees free speech to members of Parliament, bans cruel and unusual punishment, and supports a limited right to bear arms.

The civil liberties we have today weren't created; they evolved.

The British system of law that once allowed for the absolute rule of the monarch gradually became a system that respected Parliament and, when it was transplanted to the United States, eliminated the monarchy from the equation entirely. The Bill of Rights, once an unenforceable series of promises, has become the centerpiece of our criminal justice system.

Answer 5

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English Bill of Rights 1689 An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown Whereas the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled at Westminster, lawfully, fully and freely representing all the estates of the people of this realm, did upon the thirteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty-eight [old style date] present unto their Majesties, then called and known by the names and style of William and Mary, prince and princess of Orange, being present in their proper persons, a certain declaration in writing made by the said Lords and Commons in the words following, viz.: Whereas the late King James the Second, by the assistance of divers evil counsellors, judges and ministers employed by him, did endeavour to subvert and extirpate the Protestant religion and the laws and liberties of this kingdom; By assuming and exercising a power of dispensing with and suspending of laws and the execution of laws without consent of Parliament; By committing and prosecuting divers worthy prelates for humbly petitioning to be excused from concurring to the said assumed power; By issuing and causing to be executed a commission under the great seal for erecting a court called the Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes; By levying money for and to the use of the Crown by pretence of prerogative for other time and in other manner than the same was granted by Parliament; By raising and keeping a standing army within this kingdom in time of peace without consent of Parliament, and quartering soldiers contrary to law; By causing several good subjects being Protestants to be disarmed at the same time when papists were both armed and employed contrary to law; By violating the freedom of election of members to serve in Parliament; By prosecutions in the Court of King's Bench for matters and causes cognizable only in Parliament, and by divers other arbitrary and illegal courses; And whereas of late years partial corrupt and unqualified persons have been returned and served on juries in trials, and particularly divers jurors in trials for high treason which were not freeholders; And excessive bail hath been required of persons committed in criminal cases to elude the benefit of the laws made for the liberty of the subjects; And excessive fines have been imposed; And illegal and cruel punishments inflicted; And several grants and promises made of fines and forfeitures before any conviction or judgment against the persons upon whom the same were to be levied; All which are utterly and directly contrary to the known laws and statutes and freedom of this realm; And whereas the said late King James the Second having abdicated the government and the throne being thereby vacant, his Highness the prince of Orange (whom it hath pleased Almighty God to make the glorious instrument of delivering this kingdom from popery and arbitrary power) did (by the advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and divers principal persons of the Commons) cause letters to be written to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being Protestants, and other letters to the several counties, cities, universities, boroughs and cinque ports, for the choosing of such persons to represent them as were of right to be sent to Parliament, to meet and sit at Westminster upon the two and twentieth day of January in this year one thousand six hundred eighty and eight [old style date], in order to such an establishment as that their religion, laws and liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted, upon which letters elections having been accordingly made; And thereupon the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons, pursuant to their respective letters and elections, being now assembled in a full and free representative of this nation, taking into their most serious consideration the best means for attaining the ends aforesaid, do in the first place (as their ancestors in like case have usually done) for the vindicating and asserting their ancient rights and liberties declare That the pretended power of suspending the laws or the execution of laws by regal authority without consent of Parliament is illegal; That the pretended power of dispensing with laws or the execution of laws by regal authority, as it hath been assumed and exercised of late, is illegal; That the commission for erecting the late Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes, and all other commissions and courts of like nature, are illegal and pernicious;