What significant document did King William and Queen Mary accept in 1689 that established a limited monarchy?

The significant document King William and Queen Mary accepted in 1689, which established a limited monarchy, is the Bill of Rights. This document was crucial in the development of constitutional monarchy in England. It outlined specific constitutional and civil rights, clearly limiting the powers of the monarchy and setting out the rights of Parliament.

The Bill of Rights established critical principles such as the requirement for regular parliaments, free elections, and freedom of speech within Parliament. It also prohibited the monarchy from suspending laws or imposing taxes without parliamentary consent. This shift marked a key transition from absolute monarchy towards a system where the powers of rulers were restricted by law and parliament, laying the groundwork for modern democratic governance.

In contrast, the Magna Carta, signed in 1215, was an earlier document aimed at limiting the powers of King John but did not create a parliamentary system or a constitutional monarchy. The Petition of Rights, passed in 1628, addressed specific issues of royal authority but came before the significant changes brought about by the Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Independence, drafted in 1776 by the American colonies, was a separate document that proclaimed independence from British rule and established a different framework for government.