History Fact Finder | Government and Politics - When Was The British Parliament Founded?

When was the British Parliament founded?

The British Parliament, the law-making body of Great Britain, has roots in the thirteenth century when a council, known as the Curia Regis (great council), advised the king. Made up of noblemen and church officials, the present-day Parliament evolved over time, and progressively gained more governing power.

Today the Parliament consists of the House of Commons, a democratically elected body (similar to the U.S. House of Representatives); the House of Lords, which consists of noblemen (dukes, marquees, earls, viscounts, and barons) as well as high-ranking Church of England clergy (bishops and abbots); and the monarch (king or queen). Beginning in 1911 the House of Lords has had less power, since the House of Commons is charged with electing the prime minister (who must be a member of Commons). The prime minister, not the monarch, is the executive head of...

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