A. Passage of the English bill of rights,
B. The English peasant revolution,
C. The election of commoners to parliament,
D. The glorious revolution,
E. The English Declaration of Independence
Two significant events in Britain that indirectly influenced the American Revolution were the Passage of the English Bill of Rights and the Glorious Revolution. These events shaped the ideological and political foundation of the American colonies.
1. Passage of the English Bill of Rights (1689)
The English Bill of Rights was a landmark document that established constitutional limits on royal authority and guaranteed rights to British subjects. It had profound influences on the American Revolution:
No taxation without parliamentary consent: This principle resonated with American colonists, who later protested British-imposed taxes, arguing they lacked representation in Parliament (Wood, 1992).
Freedom of speech and debate: Influenced the American Bill of Rights, particularly its First Amendment (National Archives, 2023).
Protection against cruel and unusual punishment: Later mirrored in the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Britannica, 2022).
Regular parliamentary meetings and free elections: These ideas inspired colonial resistance to British rule, fueling demands for representative governance (Bailyn, 1967).
American colonists viewed themselves as British citizens entitled to these rights, and King George III’s refusal to uphold them contributed to revolutionary sentiment (Middlekauff, 1982).
2. The Glorious Revolution (1688)
The Glorious Revolution was a bloodless coup that replaced King James II with William III and Mary II, establishing a constitutional monarchy. Its impact on American colonists included:
Limiting royal power: The revolution reinforced that monarchs could not rule arbitrarily, inspiring American resistance to unchecked British authority (Hobsbawm, 1962).
Parliamentary supremacy: Emphasized Parliament’s role in governance, influencing the American slogan “No taxation without representation” (Brewer, 1990).
Protection of individual rights: Strengthened ideas of popular sovereignty, which later shaped the U.S. Constitution (Owen, 2011).
The Glorious Revolution demonstrated that an oppressive ruler could be overthrown, reinforcing the belief that the colonies could establish self-rule (Schama, 2000).
Conclusion
The English Bill of Rights and the Glorious Revolution were pivotal in shaping American revolutionary thought. By promoting constitutional governance, representation, and individual liberties, these events laid the ideological groundwork for the American colonies’ pursuit of independence.
References:
Bailyn, Bernard. The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Harvard University Press, 1967.
Brewer, John. The Sinews of Power: War, Money, and the English State, 1688-1783. Knopf, 1990.
Hobsbawm, Eric. The Age of Revolution: 1789-1848. Vintage, 1962.
Middlekauff, Robert. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. Oxford University Press, 1982.
National Archives. “Origins of the Bill of Rights.” 2023.
Owen, John M. The Clash of Ideas in World Politics. Princeton University Press, 2011.
Schama, Simon. A History of Britain: The Wars of the British 1603-1776. BBC Books, 2000.
Wood, Gordon S. The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Knopf, 1992.
