Which 1688 event led to the overthrow of James II and established a constitutional framework limiting the monarchy in Britain?

• A. Glorious Revolution
• B. English Civil War
• C. Restoration
• D. The Act of Settlement

Answer: (A)

This question tests understanding of how the Glorious Revolution shifted Britain toward a constitutional monarchy by limiting royal power. In 1688, Parliament invited William of Orange and his wife Mary to take the throne, arguing that James II’s Catholic rule threatened Protestant succession and parliamentary authority. The outcome wasn’t just a change of rulers; it established a framework in which the monarchy must govern with the consent of Parliament and under the law. This culminated in the Bill of Rights of 1689, which set clear limits on royal prerogatives—taxation, keeping a standing army, and suspending laws required parliamentary approval and consent. By placing these restraints on the crown, Britain moved toward a system where the monarchy's powers were conditional and parliament held real influence.

The other options don’t fit this specific moment in 1688. The English Civil War was an earlier struggle between Parliament and the monarchy that led to temporary abolition of the crown. The Restoration refers to bringing back Charles II after the Interregnum, not to limiting royal power. The Act of Settlement came later and dealt with succession and religious qualifications, building on the constitutional framework rather than initiating it in 1688.

So, the event described is the Glorious Revolution.