2. The Foundation of Democracy
• Growth of Democracy
–Not steady through
the years
–At times, governed
by monarchs
–Other times, ideas
of democracy have
spread
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3. Athens, Greece
• Athens
–1st Democracy
–Citizens took part in
Assembly (right to
speak)
–Decisions were
carried out by
Athens council who
governed
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4. Different Democracies
Direct Democracy
• Smaller population makes this
possible
Representative Democracy
• Larger population
• People choose leaders to govern
them
• Government based on
Representative democracy is called
a republic
– EX: U.S.
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5. Roman Republic
Govt. in the hands of Senate.
• Members were Patricians
(wealthy upper class)
• Two Consuls to led
– If Consul disagreed with
each other, the other could
VETO (I forbid)
• Common citizens: Plebeians:
gained political equality in
266 B.C.
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6. After the Roman Empire Collapsed
Kings and Lords ruled most of
Europe
• Inherited land, wealth, and
power
• As towns grew, Lords
weakened
• Kings’ power grow protecting
towns
– Nobles resisted
• King John rose up 1215
• Agreed to sign Magna
Carta (Great Charter) 9/30/2014 6
7. Magna Carta limited kings power
Forbade taxes on Nobles
w/o their consent
Rights to Freemen:
– Equal treatment
– Trial by one’s peers
Est. LIMITED GOVT.
– Kings do NOT have all the
power
Under the Magna Carta rights
given to nobles only
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8. Kings that Followed in England
• By 1300s’ representatives of
the common people advised
King
– Advisors become the
legislature (lawmaking
body) called Parliament
• Parliament worked well until
King Charles I dismissed
Parliament
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9. Petition of Rights
• Once Parliament as recalled,
they forced King to sign the
Petition of Rights.
– Limited King’s power more
– Civil war broke out
• Parliament put Charles I on
Trial.
– Executed
• Message to others: No King
can claim absolute power
and ignore the rule of law.
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10. James II (Charles’s brother)
• James II inherited throne
– Flaunted his Catholic Faith
• Parliament as James’s
Daughter Mary and
husband William to rule
– Arrived with army
– James Fled in Bloodless
overthrow
– Called: Glorious
Revolution.
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11. English Bill of Rights
Wm. & Mary had to accept the
English Bill of Rights before they
were crown.
– Parliament power of Monarchy
– Summon Parliament regularly
– Trail by jury
– Abolish excess fines, cruel
punishments
– Habeas Corpus (no person held in
prison w/o being charged of
crime)
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12. Limited Power of Monarchy
• DEF: Constitution or
legislative body limits
the monarch’s power
– Monarch has to obey
the law
– Govern in partnership
with parliament
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Hinweis der Redaktion
The Roman Empire collapsed around A.D. 476.
For the next 700 years, kings and lords ruled most of Europe.
Lords were noblemen who usually inherited land, wealth, and power.
Over time the growth of towns as Business and trade centers weakened the power of the lords.
The kings gained greater control of their kingdoms.
Many nobles resisted this change.
In England they rose up against King John in 1215.
They forced him to sign a document called the Magna Carta (Latin for “Great Charter”
READ: King John Signs the Magna Carta in 1215
Magna Carta limited the king’s power.
It forbade him from placing certain taxes on the nobles without the consent.
It gave rights to free men.
These included
The rights to equal treatment under the law and to trail by one’s peers.
The Magna Carta is important b/c it established the principle of LIMITED GOVERRNMENT.
This is the idea that a ruler or a government is not all- powerful.
At first, many of the rights protected by the Magna Carta applied only to nobles.
However, the Magana Carta was an important step in gaining basic rights for all the English people
For the first time the monarch’s power had been limited.
Eventually, the rights it listed were given to all English citizen including colonist.
Kings who came after John were advised by nobles and church officials.
Gradually this group grew to include representatives of the common people as well.
By the late 1300s’ the advisors had become a legislature, or lawmaking body.
It was called Parliament.
Parliament had some influence, by England’s monarchs remained strong for the next 300 years.
In the mid-1600s, a power struggle developed between the monarch and Parliament.
In 1625 King Charles I dismissed Parliament and ruled alone.
When he recalled the members in 1628, they forced him to sign the Petition of Rights.
Like the Magna Carta, this document limited the King’s power.
When Charles failed to uphold the terms of the agreement, a civil war broke out.
Eventually, Parliament set up a court to put the king on trail.
It condemned him to death as a “tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public enemy.
On a cold January day in 1649, Charles I stood on a scaffold surrounded by his enemies.
“I am a martyr of the people” he said.
Showing no fear, the king told the executioner that he himself would give the sign for him to strike.
After a brief prayer, Charles knelt and placed his neck on the block.
On the agreed signed, the executioner severed the king’s had with a single stroke.
The Execution sent shock waves throughout Europe. In the past, kings, had occasionally been assassinated or died in battle.
But for the first time, a ruling monarch had been tried and executed by his own people.
The Parliament forces had sent a clear signal that, in England, no ruler could claim absolute power and ignore the rule of law.