Name the two houses of national legislature of Great Britain
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Nicknamed the "Mother of Parliaments" , the British parliament is respected as the most ancient parliament in today's world. Apart from a few brief interruptions , it has carried out its business on the same spot, called the Palace of Westminster, since the year 1265. It was in this year that the Simon de Montfort - an Anglo-Norman baron - convened the first elected parliament of England: the men met at Westminster, which was at the time a village outside the medieval city of London. These elected officials were, of course, lords and barons, not ordinary people, and they were elected by their peers, not by universal suffrage; but each one was there to represent one of the counties or cities in the kingdom of England.
The idea of a "parliament" was not totally new. Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, the Anglo-Saxon kings ruled their kingdom with the help of a council of elders called the Witan or Witenagemot ; like other early parliaments, the Witan was made up of nobles and men of the church. They chose the next king , and advised the sovereign, but had no real power in terms of government. After the Norman Conquest , William the Conqueror and his successors relied on their system of barons and territorial councils to govern the country; this was the basis of the Anglo-Norman feudal system.
The English Parliament operated fairly steadily for four centuries, acting as a counterweight to the power of the king, and it did so until the seventeenth century. From the 14th century, Parliament consisted of two chambers, the House of Lords (the "upper" house) and the House of Commons (the "lower" house) . But in the middle of the 17th century , King Charles 1st precipitated the English Civil War - the English Revolution - by trying to rule without Parliament. The Civil War opposed the Royalist forces and the Parliamentary forces, under the command of Oliver Cromwell; it ended in the victory of the Parliamentarians . From then on, the English Parliament was firmly established as an essential force in the running of the country.
In 1660 Parliament declared the restoration of the monarchy and established a system ofparliamentary monarchy. Parliament's power was however quickly put to the test, and in 1688 Parliament deposed King James II and invited Dutch prince William of Orange to take the crown of England. The success of the "Glorious Revolution" confirmed the role of the English Parliament, a role that was constitutionallydefined the following year by the signing of the Deed of Rights or Bill of Rights , one of the major constitutional acts of the United Kingdom. This Bill(new law) formally established the role of parliament and the limits of royal power.
This was the beginning of the modern parliament, with its system of political parties. In 1707 , following the Act of Union between England and Scotland, the English Parliament, based in London, became the British Parliament.
During the 19th century, parliamentary power became increasingly concentrated in the hands of the House of Commons; at the beginning of the century, most Prime Ministers came from the House of Lords (Lords North and Liverpool, the Duke of Wellington); but by the end of the century, the British government was largely in the hands of Prime Ministers chosen from elected members of the House of Commons; these included Gladstone and Disraeli. The last Government led by a Lord was that of the Marquis of Salisbury from 1898 to 1902. Since then (1), all Prime Ministers have sat in the House of Commons .
In 1911, the Parliament formally confirmed the supremacy of the House of Commons; from then on, the Lords could not block bills made by the Government in the House of Commons , and could not even delay budget and tax measures. The 1911 Act was amended in 1949.
Structure and Functioning of the British Parliament today
Britain is a parliamentary monarchy . The British Parliament is a bicameral parliament , that is to say that it is made up of two chambers, or two "Houses"; above the two Houses, but in an essentially formal role , there is the Sovereign - king or queen - also known as "the crown."
The idea of a "parliament" was not totally new. Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, the Anglo-Saxon kings ruled their kingdom with the help of a council of elders called the Witan or Witenagemot ; like other early parliaments, the Witan was made up of nobles and men of the church. They chose the next king , and advised the sovereign, but had no real power in terms of government. After the Norman Conquest , William the Conqueror and his successors relied on their system of barons and territorial councils to govern the country; this was the basis of the Anglo-Norman feudal system.
The English Parliament operated fairly steadily for four centuries, acting as a counterweight to the power of the king, and it did so until the seventeenth century. From the 14th century, Parliament consisted of two chambers, the House of Lords (the "upper" house) and the House of Commons (the "lower" house) . But in the middle of the 17th century , King Charles 1st precipitated the English Civil War - the English Revolution - by trying to rule without Parliament. The Civil War opposed the Royalist forces and the Parliamentary forces, under the command of Oliver Cromwell; it ended in the victory of the Parliamentarians . From then on, the English Parliament was firmly established as an essential force in the running of the country.
In 1660 Parliament declared the restoration of the monarchy and established a system ofparliamentary monarchy. Parliament's power was however quickly put to the test, and in 1688 Parliament deposed King James II and invited Dutch prince William of Orange to take the crown of England. The success of the "Glorious Revolution" confirmed the role of the English Parliament, a role that was constitutionallydefined the following year by the signing of the Deed of Rights or Bill of Rights , one of the major constitutional acts of the United Kingdom. This Bill(new law) formally established the role of parliament and the limits of royal power.
This was the beginning of the modern parliament, with its system of political parties. In 1707 , following the Act of Union between England and Scotland, the English Parliament, based in London, became the British Parliament.
During the 19th century, parliamentary power became increasingly concentrated in the hands of the House of Commons; at the beginning of the century, most Prime Ministers came from the House of Lords (Lords North and Liverpool, the Duke of Wellington); but by the end of the century, the British government was largely in the hands of Prime Ministers chosen from elected members of the House of Commons; these included Gladstone and Disraeli. The last Government led by a Lord was that of the Marquis of Salisbury from 1898 to 1902. Since then (1), all Prime Ministers have sat in the House of Commons .
In 1911, the Parliament formally confirmed the supremacy of the House of Commons; from then on, the Lords could not block bills made by the Government in the House of Commons , and could not even delay budget and tax measures. The 1911 Act was amended in 1949.
Structure and Functioning of the British Parliament today
Britain is a parliamentary monarchy . The British Parliament is a bicameral parliament , that is to say that it is made up of two chambers, or two "Houses"; above the two Houses, but in an essentially formal role , there is the Sovereign - king or queen - also known as "the crown."
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