Freedom of Assembly Principle
Freedom of Assembly Origin of the Principle
Introduction to Freedom of Assembly Principle
In 1215 a group of barons persuaded King John of England to sign the Magna Carta, a document designed to spell out the proper relationship between a king and his subjects. The process of having the king sign this document was an example of using the right of petition, since the barons essentially brought the king a petition (or charter) to sign. From this episode, the people later claimed the right to petition those who govern them.
However, royal support for the right of petition was not uniform. During the English Revolution of the mid-17th century, the political upheaval of a civil war led to the overthrow of King Charles I. In 1661, after the monarchy had been restored under Charles II, Parliament (the British legislature) passed an act that prohibited more than ten people from petitioning Parliament or the king. In 1670 the royal government prosecuted English Quaker William Penn for his public preaching, in part claiming that he had organized unlawful assemblies. A jury found Penn innocent, and this acquittal became a key event in the development of the concept of individual liberty (freedom of action) and freedom of assembly.
The English colonizers of North America, including William Penn, brought their notions of freedom of assembly with them. From their time of settlement, the New England colonies held annual meetings that all voters were expected to attend. These town meetings allowed for debate of political, social, and economic issues. In the years preceding the outbreak of the American Revolution (1775-1783), masses of people often assembled to protest British imperial policies, such as the Stamp Act. Sometimes these gatherings degenerated into mobs or violent confrontations with the authorities. As British authorities attempted to prevent the people from gathering, the colonists became convinced that the right of assembly was essential to their liberty. ” (1)
Resources
Notes and References
- Information about Freedom of Assembly Principle in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia
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