OCR Specification focus:
‘Bill of Rights, Toleration Act, Triennial, Licensing, Mutiny Acts and Act of Settlement.’
The Political and Religious Settlement 1689–1701 marked the creation of a constitutional monarchy, redefining the relationship between Crown and Parliament and reshaping England’s religious and political identity.
The Bill of Rights (1689)
The Bill of Rights (1689) was central to limiting royal authority and cementing Parliament’s supremacy.
A high-resolution archival image of the Declaration of Rights (Bill of Rights) 1689, the parliamentary instrument limiting royal prerogative and asserting the rights of Parliament. The parchment enrolment demonstrates the statute’s formal status and helps students connect the article-style clauses to a real primary source. Minor extra paleographic details (hand, seals, docketing) appear that are not required by the syllabus but aid source literacy. Source
Emerging from the crisis of James II’s flight and the arrival of William and Mary, it articulated the principles of the Revolution Settlement.
Declared the monarchy could not suspend laws without Parliament’s consent.
Prohibited the raising of taxes and maintaining of a standing army without parliamentary approval.
Established that regular parliaments and free elections were essential for good governance.
Guaranteed freedom of speech within parliamentary proceedings.
This established a constitutional monarchy where royal prerogative was curtailed by statute.
Constitutional Monarchy: A system of government in which the monarch’s powers are limited by law, and significant authority is exercised by an elected parliament.
The Bill also reinforced Protestant succession by excluding Catholics from the throne, enshrining a fundamental religious element within the settlement.
The Toleration Act (1689)
The Toleration Act (1689) sought to resolve religious tensions while ensuring the dominance of the Anglican Church.
Granted freedom of worship to Protestant non-conformists, such as Baptists, Presbyterians, and Quakers.
Non-conformists were exempted from certain penalties if they swore oaths of allegiance to the Crown.
However, dissenters were still excluded from holding public office due to the Test Acts, which required communion in the Church of England.
Catholics and Unitarians were explicitly excluded from protection.
This reflected the balance between limited religious toleration and the maintenance of Anglican supremacy.
Non-conformists: Protestants who separated from the practices of the Church of England and refused to conform to its doctrines and rituals.
The Triennial Act (1694)
The Triennial Act (1694) ensured that parliamentary sessions became a permanent feature of governance.
First-page scan of the Meeting of Parliament Act 1694 (Triennial Act), headed with the act’s long title “An Act for the frequent Meeting and calling of Parliaments.” The page illustrates how the settlement embedded regular parliaments in statute. The preview is a high-resolution text image without extraneous graphic clutter. Source
Required that a new Parliament must be elected every three years.
Prevented monarchs from ruling without Parliament for extended periods, as Charles II and James II had done.
Enhanced the accountability of MPs to their constituencies.
Although later repealed in 1716 (replaced by the Septennial Act), it marked a decisive shift in strengthening parliamentary governance during William III’s reign.
The Licensing Act and Freedom of the Press
The Licensing Act, which had enforced government censorship of printed works, expired in 1695. Parliament chose not to renew it.
This led to the growth of a more open press.
Political pamphlets, newspapers, and periodicals flourished, enabling public debate on government affairs.
The development of a freer press contributed to the rise of a more politically engaged public sphere.
The decline of censorship reflected broader revolutionary ideals of liberty and accountability.
The Mutiny Acts (from 1689)
The Mutiny Acts, first passed in 1689, were essential in controlling the military.
They provided legal authority for military discipline and punishment of mutiny or desertion.
Crucially, they had to be renewed annually by Parliament, ensuring civilian oversight of the armed forces.
This prevented the monarch from maintaining a standing army independent of parliamentary approval.
Thus, they curtailed one of the greatest fears of the Stuart era: the arbitrary use of royal military power.
The Act of Settlement (1701)
The Act of Settlement (1701) completed the framework of the settlement by resolving the succession crisis.
First-page scan of the Act of Settlement (1701), titled “An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject.” It visually reinforces the statute’s role in securing a Protestant succession and consolidating parliamentary supremacy. Note: the Commons metadata lists the publication as “1700” by regnal year; the act is conventionally dated 1701 for OCR purposes. Source
Ensured the succession passed to the Protestant House of Hanover if William and Mary’s line failed.
Excluded all Catholics, and anyone married to a Catholic, from the throne.
Provisions safeguarded parliamentary independence, including restrictions preventing foreign-born monarchs from engaging England in continental wars without Parliament’s consent.
This act entrenched the link between monarchy and Protestantism while consolidating parliamentary supremacy.
The Broader Impact of the Settlement
The cumulative effect of these measures reshaped English governance and identity between 1689 and 1701.
Parliament’s power was secured through control over taxation, legislation, and the military.
Religious policy established the Church of England’s dominance while allowing limited pluralism.
Constitutional monarchy emerged, creating a balance between royal authority and parliamentary sovereignty.
The public sphere widened due to the lapse of censorship and increased political debate.
The settlement created a model of government in which monarchy, Parliament, religion, and law were interwoven to prevent absolutism and ensure political stability.
FAQ
The Bill of Rights built directly on grievances against James II’s abuse of power. For example, his suspension of laws without Parliament and maintenance of a standing army without approval were explicitly prohibited.
Rather than inventing new principles, the Bill restated long-standing English traditions of parliamentary rights and common law, but now firmly codified to prevent future monarchs from repeating James II’s policies.
The expiry of censorship laws allowed the press to expand rapidly, with new pamphlets, periodicals, and newspapers entering circulation.
This development:
Enabled greater public participation in politics.
Increased criticism of government policies.
Provided a platform for Whig and Tory writers to shape political opinion.
It marked the beginning of a freer political press and a more vocal public sphere in England.
The Mutiny Acts required annual renewal, giving Parliament continual oversight of the military.
This created a structural dependence of the Crown on Parliament for the legal maintenance of discipline and control within the armed forces.
It ensured the army could not become a tool of absolutist rule, reducing fears of a standing army being used to enforce arbitrary monarchical power.
While ensuring Protestant succession, the Act also introduced important constitutional safeguards:
Monarchs could not leave England without Parliament’s consent.
Foreign-born monarchs were restricted from appointing foreigners to English office.
Judicial independence was secured by ensuring judges could only be removed on parliamentary petition.
These provisions strengthened Parliament’s sovereignty and the rule of law, embedding long-term constitutional limits.
The Act excluded Catholics and Unitarians entirely, leaving them subject to harsh penal laws.
Non-conformists could worship freely but still faced restrictions:
They could not attend universities like Oxford or Cambridge.
They remained barred from holding public office due to the Test Acts.
Thus, while it widened religious tolerance, it preserved the Anglican Church’s supremacy and reinforced existing social hierarchies.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
Which two acts from the period 1689–1701 limited the power of the monarch over Parliament?
Mark scheme:
1 mark for identifying Bill of Rights (1689).
1 mark for identifying Triennial Act (1694).
(Other valid answers such as the Mutiny Acts (1689 onwards) are also acceptable. Award up to 2 marks in total.)
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain how the Toleration Act (1689) and the Act of Settlement (1701) shaped the religious and political settlement of England.
Mark scheme:
Up to 2 marks for explanation of the Toleration Act (1689): e.g., granting worship rights to Protestant non-conformists, exclusion of Catholics, maintaining Anglican dominance.
Up to 2 marks for explanation of the Act of Settlement (1701): e.g., Protestant succession through the House of Hanover, exclusion of Catholics, parliamentary controls over foreign involvement.
Up to 2 marks for linking the acts to the broader settlement of 1689–1701: e.g., consolidation of Protestant supremacy, entrenchment of constitutional monarchy, balance between toleration and Anglican authority.
