5.1: Constitutional Monarchy, Union, and Political Transformation

Constitutional Monarchy and the Bill of Rights

At the coronation of William and Mary, a Declaration of Rights was read, outlining key limitations on the monarch’s authority. It confirmed that the king or queen could no longer raise taxes or administer justice without Parliament’s approval. This marked a permanent shift in the balance of power between the monarchy and Parliament. The Bill of Rights of 1689 further solidified these changes, establishing the rights of Parliament and restricting the powers of the king. One crucial provision was that the monarch must be a Protestant. Parliament also required that a new election be held at least every three years (this was later extended to seven years, and today it is five years).

Every year, the monarch had to seek Parliament’s approval to renew funding for the army and navy. These changes meant that to govern effectively, the monarch needed to rely on advisers or ministers who could secure a majority in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The Rise of Party Politics and the Free Press

During this time, two political groups emerged: the Whigs and the Tories. (The modern Conservative Party still retains the nickname Tories.) This development marked the beginning of party politics in Britain.

Another significant change was the development of a free press. From 1695 onwards, newspapers were allowed to operate without a government license. This led to a growing number of publications and increased public discourse on political matters.

Constitutional Monarchy in Practice

The laws passed after the Glorious Revolution created what is known as a constitutional monarchy. While the monarch still held an important role, they could no longer enforce policies or actions without Parliament’s consent. After the reign of William III, the influence of ministers gradually surpassed that of the monarch. However, this system was not yet a democracy in the modern sense. The right to vote for members of Parliament was limited to a small portion of the population—only men who owned property of a certain value could vote, and women had no voting rights at all. Additionally, some constituencies were controlled by single wealthy families, known as pocket boroughs, while others had very few voters and were called rotten boroughs.

Immigration and Settlement

While many people left Britain and Ireland to settle in colonies, particularly in America, others immigrated to Britain. For instance, in 1656, the first Jews since the Middle Ages settled in London. Between 1680 and 1720, large numbers of Huguenots, who were Protestant refugees from France, came to Britain after being persecuted for their religion. Many of the Huguenots were educated and skilled, working as scientists, in banking, or in weaving and other crafts.

The Act or Treaty of Union in Scotland

The Union of England and Scotland

Following the reign of William and Mary, their successor, Queen Anne, had no surviving children, creating uncertainty about the succession in England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. To address this, the Act of Union (referred to as the Treaty of Union in Scotland) was agreed in 1707, forming the Kingdom of Great Britain. While Scotland was no longer an independent country, it retained its own legal and educational systems as well as its Presbyterian Church.