Main Ideas
The Glorious Revolution occurred because Parliament and the people of England resented the absolute rule of of King James II. The king ruled with absolute power and did not allow Parliament to have a say in what happened, and also persecuted Protestants because they did not agree with his Catholic beliefs. When Parliament found out that James's wife had given birth to a son, they reacted by inviting William and Mary of Orange to invade England. Parliament considered them legitimate rulers because Mary was James's sister. William and Mary invaded England in a bloodless revolution, and James II fled with his family. William and Mary were then crowned as joint monarchs.
Details
The Glorious Revolution resulted in several positive changes to England's government. The major change was the inclusion of a bill of rights. The English Bill of Rights restricted the monarch's power. It gave Parliament power, and kept the monarch from interfering with the law. It gave people the freedom of speech without fear of being punished. It also established checks and balances to prevent the government from becoming absolute.