English Bill of Rights?

Question

Compare the English Bill of Rights (1689) and the Declaration of Independance.

Answer 1

The Bill of Rights 1689 has some very strong functional parallels with the Declaration of Independence (though the specific enumeration of rights included in it is better compared with the Bill of Rights added to the U.S. Constitution, esp. to the first eight amendments).

The British document was issued both to assert the liberties of the English subject and the authority of Parliament (as representative of the people) and to justify the "Glorious Revolution" in which James II was driven from the throne and replaced by William and Mary.

Thus the Bill of Rights begins by listing the reasons for this action, that is, the various ways in which Parliament regarded James to have violated their rights. In the same way, the Declaration of Independence is justifying Congress's action on the "unalienable" rights they claim have been violated, and esp. by King George. Thus BOTH documents are explaining why the people involved (speaking through their representatives in assembly) are no longer obligated to the (former) King.


You can compare a number of specific points of language in the two, but some of the best come in the list of particular charges/justifications against the kings.

Here are perhaps the closest parallels (in each case, the first is from the Bill of Rights, the rest from the Declaration of Independence)

By raising and keeping a standing army within this kingdom in time of peace without consent of Parliament, and quartering soldiers contrary to law
* He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

By assuming and exercising a power of dispensing with and suspending of laws and the execution of laws without consent of Parliament;
* He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
* For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever

By violating the freedom of election of members to serve in Parliament;
* He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise;

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;
* For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

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;
* For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
* For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For the texts

Bill of Rights 1689
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/england.htm

Declaration of Independence ("indictment" section):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence#Indictment

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689

Answer 2

First of all, you must understand the principle of the bill of rights and the Declartion of Independence. I recomend these following sites.

Bill of Rights: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights
Declartion of Independence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights

Now that you understand the principle, from that, you should be able to compare them.

Answer 3

Do you go to Bolsa Grande High School in Garden Grove? Because I saw your question about being new to public school. (: Email me if you need help. :D