Difference between Magna Carta and Bill of Rights

The Magna Carta is one of the most significant documents of the Medieval Era. This document is considered to be the “sacred text” of liberty in the Western World. It was written as a charter for England in 1215. The document was, “Originally issued by King John of England as a practical solution to the political crisis he faced in 1215, Magna Carta established for the first time the principle that everybody, including the king, was subject to law” . The document was created to establish a treaty, which would be used to create peace to guarantee free will. There are a few misconceptions about the Magna Carta, but it was not the first document to ever attempt to guarantee free will or even limit the power of the king. Many barons of Great Britain were engaged in violent activities against the king which made him agree to the Magna Carta to put an end to the activities. This proved to be a failure in general because the act of violence continued, and the authority of the king was undermined over time. Some of the powers from the 1215 edition of The Magna Carta are still in force today and it includes the guaranteed freedom of the church of England and the right of due process in the judicial department.

The English Declaration of Rights also known as the Bill of Rights was passed in 1689. The set out strict limits on the Royal Family’s legal privileges. It banned the arbitrary suspension of Parliament’s laws. This bill contains the rights of freedom of speech in parliament and it allows the citizen the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. More importantly, it limits the right to raise money through taxation to Parliament. The English had seriously insulted the Protestant Church of England when they began to endorse the Roman Catholic religion, despite the laws that had passed. After William of Orange and his wife Mary were crowned King and Queen of England. The Bill was completely passed through Parliament after the ceremony of coronation for William and Mary. The Bill of Rights was created to control the power of kings and queens. Another factor was to make them subject to laws passed by Parliament. This adjustment by the royal family in England was Known as the glorious revolution or the bloodless revolution. It played a major role at the beginning of an era of a tolerant privilege. The English Declaration of Rights influenced the North American colonies and the United States constitution tremendously.

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