The Glorious Revolution
Francisco Saravia-Jimenez2012-11-HIS-101-OL011: Western Civilization I What did the “Glorious Revolution” that took place in England in 1688 achieve, and why is it referred to as “glorious”? The Glorious Revolution of 1688 involved the overthrow of King James II from the throne of England. James, throughout his short reign, attempted to catholicize the army and government by getting his supporters into Parliament. When James had a son, England united against the prospect of a Catholic dynasty and sought help from William of Orange.
William arrived in England in November of 1688 and marched unopposed all the way to London. James fled to France and after he was denounced by Parliament, William of Orange was offered the throne if he would accept limitations on his powers. He accepted. One of the most amazing things about the Glorious Revolution was the ability of political opposition, such as the Tories and the Whigs, to come together under a common cause. Such widespread unity throughout a nation had never been seen and it set the table for a peaceful takeover of a dictator.
There were many achievements in the Glorious Revolution. Firstly, as previously mentioned, it was one of the first times an overthrow of a government required no blood to be shed. Also, it helped to issue in the Bill of Rights, which redefined the relationship between the monarch and the subjects. The Bill of Rights is one of the most important documents in history. It guaranteed the freedom of speech, the freedom of elections, parliamentary approval of taxation and the right to petition.
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Additionally it dismissed cruel and unusual punishment, standing armies and the monarch's ability to suspend law whenever he or she pleased. It also stated that no Catholic could succeed to the throne of England, thus eliminating the possibility of a Roman Catholic dynasty. The Claim of Right was issued in Scotland in 1689 and was basically the same document as the Bill of Rights. The Mutiny Act, which limited royal use of martial law to one year, was also put in place in 1689.
The Toleration Act was issued as well, and it gave freedom of worship to Dissenters. Overall, the Glorious Revolution was significant in many ways. It established one of the first Constitutional Monarchies by extending the power of the Parliament. In doing so, the power of the monarchy was severely limited. It marked a milestone, in which practical power shifted from the monarchy to the Parliament. That power that the Parliament had gained from the Glorious Revolution was never successfully challenged again.
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