The United Kingdom - Constitutional Landmarks
1215 Magna Carta: King John accepts that his will is bound by the law. Counsel of “archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls and greater barons” is summoned.
1265 First Parliament summoned to advise the king; distant forerunner of representative parliament.
Ca. 1350 Parliament divided into House of Lords and House of Commons.
1628 Petition of Rights: King acknowledges ancient rights of his subjects, such as the citi-zen's right not to be taxed without parliamentary con¬sent or not to be imprisoned arbitrarily.
1679 Habeas Corpus Act: Legal order requiring somebody who holds somebody else prisoner to bring this person before a court, together with grounds for his or her deten-tion, so that the court can test the legality of the detention.
1689 Bill of Rights: After the “Glorious Revolution” William of Orange had to sign this document, which established Britain’s constitutional monarchy. The monarch reigned not by the grace of God but by the grace of Parliament.
1707 Act of Union with Scotland: Created a United Kingdom of Great Britain uniting England and Scotland and establishing a new UK Parliament.
1832 Great Reform Bill: The necessary consequence of the Industrial Revolution. As home-based and agricultural trades gave way to factory-based industries, the population was redistributed and the old system of representation in disorder. This first Reform Bill removed representation from a large number of depopulated (“rotten") boroughs and gave it to important towns such as Manchester and Birmingham. It also identified the right to vote with economic achievement, as it gave the vote to householders and shopkeepers who paid more than £ 10 a year in rent.
1867 Second Reform Bill: Franchise extended to working classes in towns.
1884 Third Reform Bill: Household suffrage extended to voters in the counties; about 630/0 of the adult male population now had the right to vote.
1911 Parliament Act: Consent of House of Lords t6 money bills no longer necessary.
1918 Fourth Reform Bill: Franchise to all men over 21 and to all women over 30 years of age; plural voting - the right of shop owners, factory owners etc. to cast more than one vote - restricted.
1928 Equal Franchise Act: Voting age for women reduced from 30 to 21 years.
1948 Representation of the People Act: Established the principle "one man one vote" by abolishing the extra votes belonging to owners of shops, factories etc., and by abolishing the university seats in the House of Commons.
1949 Parliament Act: Asserted the primacy of the House of Commons in the event of conflict with the House of Lords.
1969 Representation of the People Act: Voting age lowered to 18.
1972 European Community Act: Made Britain a member of the Common Market.
1976 Race Relations Act: Recognized legal rights of racial minorities, established the Commission for Racial Equality.
