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Theme: who held power in Britain, from the Iron Age to today

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Over 2,000 years power in Britain has moved from tribal chiefs and kings to a democracy where every adult can vote.

Chiefs, emperors and kings

In the Iron Age Britain was divided among tribes led by chiefs and kings, and sometimes queens like Boudica of the Iceni, who led a revolt against Rome in about AD 60.
The Romans invaded in AD 43 and ruled much of Britain for nearly 400 years.
Anglo-Saxon kings took advice from a council called the witan. Athelstan became the first king of all England in 927.

Limiting the monarch

After 1066 Norman kings held great power. Step by step it was limited:
Magna Carta (1215): the king must obey the law. Parliament grew from 1265.
The Civil War and execution of Charles I (1649) showed Parliament could defeat a king.
The Bill of Rights (1689) made Parliament's power permanent.

Towards democracy

Reform Acts (1832, 1867, 1884) gave the vote to more men.
The Parliament Act (1911) stopped the unelected House of Lords blocking laws for ever.
Women gained the vote in 1918 and equal votes in 1928. The voting age fell to 18 in 1969.
In 1999 power was devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Worked example

Which was the biggest turning point in the history of political power in Britain?

  1. Choose one, such as the Bill of Rights (1689).
  2. Explain the change it caused: Parliament's power over the monarch became permanent.
  3. Compare it with another, such as 1928, when every adult could vote, then make a judgement.

Answer: There is no single right answer; strong answers pick one, explain its impact, and compare it with others.

Key idea

Iron Age tribes (Boudica, c. AD 60); Romans from AD 43; Anglo-Saxon witan; Athelstan king of all England (927). Monarch limited by Magna Carta (1215), the Civil War (1649) and the Bill of Rights (1689). Democracy grew through Reform Acts, the Parliament Act (1911), votes for women (1918, 1928), voting at 18 (1969) and devolution (1999).

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