Due Wed/Thurs (9/28 & 9/29):
Read pages 218 - 224 in your textbook. Answer the Reading Check questions.
The English Civil War and Glorious Revolution -- Outline
I. Introduction
- The problem of political disintegration in early 17th century England - the English Revolution
- England - Absolutism and Constitutionalism in competition.
II. Elizabeth I (1558-1603) - Practical Constitutionalism
- Withdrawal of nobility from politics.
- Working with the gentry.
- The Gentry as a class - hold local power.
- Parliament.
- Ministers - the Cecils.
NB: Great age of literature in England - Shakespeare, Spencer,
Jonson, Webster.
III. The Stuart Family - Attempted Absolutism
- Mary, Queen of Scots, granddaughter of Henry VII.
- James I & VI came to the English throne in 1603.
- James I & VI 1603-25
- Charles I 1625-49
They promoted absolutism and the Divine Right of Kings.
James VI A Trew Law of Free Monarchies 1598
- advocated the Divine Right of kings to rule.
A. Problems Faced by the Stuart Kings
- Fiscal problems.
Issue of Taxation and Consent. - Religious issues between Anglican Kings and very Protestant
parts of the population.
Also there were Protestants in Scotland - opposed to bishops. - Problem for Kings in England was the strong tradition of Parliament.
- James I and Charles I were not tactful in dealing with the Gentry class who controlled Parliament. James I and titles, plus favorites - Duke of Buckingham.
- Also had dirty habits. He had ruled well in Scotland, but
did not go down well in England.
IV. The English Civil War 1642-49
- Charles II tried to rule without Parliament but he needed it for direct taxation.
- Archbishop William Laud (1573-1645), Archbishop after 1633. Episcopacy in Scotland.
- Parliament called 1628.
Petition of Right - against taxes and arbitrary royal power. - Intellectual Debate in the Period
Ranters Baptists evellers Unitarians Quakers Congregationalists - War with Scotland
Forced Charles to call Parliament twice in 1640. Short and Long Parliament, - War broke out between Charles and Parliament.
Cavaliers and Roundheads.
He lost. Beheaded 1649 - The Parliamentry Army (New Model Army)
Marston Moor 1644, Nasby June 1645
V. The Commonwealth 1649-1660
- Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) (Destroyer of Ireland) Cromwell became Lord Protector/Military Dictator died 1658
- England a Republic
Scotland and Ireland conquered.
VI. The Restoration 1660-
- The Stuarts were restored 1660.
- Charles II (1660-1685) was clever king. died a Catholic.
- 1662 - Anglicanism restored fully
- Mercantilism - competition in trade.
- Restoration culture. Plays. Science
VII. James II & VII (1685-1688)
- Roman Catholic - belief in England in Catholic plots His aim
was absolutism.
VIII. 1688 - The Glorious Revolution
- James II deposed - a bloodless coup known as the Glorious Revolution.
- William III of Orange and Mary (James' daughter) became joint monarchs.
- 1688 Bill of Rights said sovereignty - the right to rule - rested with "the King in parliament"