第一册书unit 3amp;4.pptVIP

Unit 3 The government of the UK Queen Elizabeth II Born in 1926 Reign: since Feb. 6,1952 Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Ascended to the throne on the death of her father, George VI 1 The Monarchy: the ancient doctrine of the “divine right of kings”. The oldest institution of government 1) The Civil War: in the 17th century, between the republican Roundheads, led by Oliver Cromwell, who wanted to abolish the monarchy, and royalists who wanted it to continue. The Roundheads succeeded in ousting the monarch, Charles I in 1642, but 18 years later, the monarchy was restored. 2) the monarch’s unwillingness to receive advice from prominent men led to many battles between the king and other powerful groups like the Church and powerful land-owning feudal barons. 3) Magna Carta --- a medieval Latin name meaning ”Great Charter”. In 1215, King John was forced by a group of feudal barons and the Church to grant them a charter of liberty and political rights. Magna Carta placed some limits on the king’s ability to abuse his royal power. This is still regarded as Britain’s key expression of the rights of citizens against the Crown. 4) The Monarchy today 1. symbolize the tradition and unity of the British State 2. legally head of the executive(行政部) 3. an integral part of the legislature(立法机关) 4. head of the judiciary(司法部) 5. commander in chief of the armed forces 6. “supreme governor” of the Church of England The role of the monarch today is primarily to symbolize the tradition and unity of the British state. Most Britons felt the Queen’s important jobs were 1. represent Britain at home and abroad 2. set standards of good citizenship and family life 3. a confidante(知己,密友) to the Prime Minister, offering valuable observations on the running of government 2 The Parliament 1) The Great Council （大议会） --- in medieval times, this referred to a group of leading, wealthy barons who were summoned by the king several times a year to give the king some extra money. By the