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[English Bill of Rights] An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and Settling the Succession of the Crown
Artifact IDTL 2026.1.31
Object Type
Temporary Loan
Date
1689
Printer
Bill and Newcomb
(English, active 1680 - 1691)
Place MadeLondon, England
Medium
Thick quarto book
DimensionsOverall W 13 3/4 in x D 11 1/4 in (34.9 cm x 28.6 cm )
Physical DescriptionBook, bound. [English Bill of Rights] An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and Settling the Succession of the Crown.
(London: Bill and Newcomb, 1689).
(London: Bill and Newcomb, 1689).
Historical NoteThis original Act of the English Parliament served as a primary ideological blueprint for the American Revolution by establishing core constitutional protections against executive tyranny. American colonists heavily relied on its guarantees—such as the prohibition of taxation without legislative consent, the right to petition the government, and freedom from standing armies during peacetime—to articulate their grievances against King George III. When these traditional "rights of Englishmen" were denied to the colonies, provincial leaders used the 1689 statute to legally justify their resistance, directly modeling early state constitutions and the 1789 U.S. Bill of Rights after its principles.
Additional DetailsCredit LineCourtesy of the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection
National Archives Catalog CollectionJohn F. Kennedy Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 1676934)
National Archives Catalog SeriesPolitical Memorabilia (National Archives Identifier 1677287)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - FullyUse Restriction NoteThe use of this image and document information is fully restricted. Reproduction in any manner is not allowed.Not on view