Civics T1 U1L5 Quiz
What did the British Parliament believe was the purpose of the English Bill of Rights?
1. The document would give British nobles rights to overthrow their king.
2. Parliament was listing the rights that people already had.
3. The document would explain what the Magna Carta was for.
4. Parliament was asking the people to vote on which rights to grant,
Answers:
1. A. Parliament was listing the rights that people already had.
2. B. People with power tend to abuse it, so power should be kept in check.
3. D. natural law
4. C. a government that does not have the consent of the people it governs
5. B. Even the king must respect certain rights of the people.
6. A. Mayflower Compact
7. A. issuing paper money
8. D. One ruler
9. D. unitary
10. essay question
11. essay question
2. Parliament was listing the rights that people already had.
The British Parliament believed that the purpose of the English Bill of Rights was option 2: Parliament was listing the rights that people already had.
To answer this question, we need to understand the purpose of the English Bill of Rights according to the British Parliament. The English Bill of Rights, which was passed in 1689, played a significant role in shaping the constitutional monarchy in England. It was a response to the excessive power of the monarchy and aimed to establish the rights and liberties of the people while limiting the authority of the king.
Option 1 states that the British nobles would have rights to overthrow their king. This is not correct because the English Bill of Rights did not grant the aristocracy the right to overthrow the king. Instead, it focused more on the rights of the people as a whole.
Option 2 states that Parliament was listing the rights that people already had. This is the correct answer. The British Parliament believed that the English Bill of Rights was not creating new rights but rather enshrining and reaffirming the rights that already existed for the people. It aimed to protect individual rights like freedom of speech, the right to a fair trial, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.
Option 3 suggests that the document would explain what the Magna Carta was for. While the Magna Carta is an essential document in the history of English law and rights, the English Bill of Rights was not created specifically to explain it. Instead, it built upon the principles established in the Magna Carta.
Option 4 states that Parliament was asking the people to vote on which rights to grant. This is not accurate because the English Bill of Rights was not a result of a direct popular vote. It was a product of negotiations between Parliament and the monarchy to define and protect individual rights.
Therefore, the correct answer is option 2: Parliament was listing the rights that people already had.