England 1603–1714: Connected History and Literature Revision

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering major historical events, political transitions, and literary movements in England from 1603 to 1714.

Divine Right of Kings

The political belief that royal authority comes directly from God.

Gunpowder Plot (1605)

A failed Catholic conspiracy that resulted in stronger anti-Catholic fears across England.

Petition of Right (1628)

A parliamentary challenge to Charles I that questioned arbitrary imprisonment and royal taxation.

Personal Rule (1629–40)

The period during which Charles I ruled without summoning Parliament, increasing public mistrust of the Crown.

Ship Money

A tax extended beyond coastal areas in 1635 that became a prominent symbol of taxation without parliamentary consent.

Long Parliament (1640–42)

Parliament summoned by Charles I due to his financial needs, which demanded reform and precipitated an irreconcilable political crisis.

New Model Army

A disciplined Parliamentarian army that secured victory over the Royalists in the English Civil War.

Commonwealth

The republic established in England in 1649 following the trial and execution of Charles I.

Protectorate

The period of military government and Puritan discipline dominated by Oliver Cromwell following the creation of the Commonwealth.

Restoration (1660)

The return of Charles II, which restored the monarchy and the House of Lords and led to the reopening of theatres.

Glorious Revolution (1688–89)

The political shift in which William and Mary replaced James II, establishing a constitutionally limited monarchy.

Bill of Rights (1689)

An act that restricted royal power and permanently strengthened the authority of Parliament.

Act of Settlement (1701)

Legislation that secured Protestant succession to the throne under parliamentary influence.

Act of Union (1707)

The legislative union of England and Scotland that created the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Treaty of Utrecht (1713)

The peace agreement that ended the War of Spanish Succession, securing strategic and commercial advantages for Britain.

Comedy of Manners

A witty, sophisticated form of Restoration drama that satirised upper-class social behaviour, focus, marriage, money, and relationships.

Daniel Defoe

Author of Robinson Crusoe, a literary work that reflected values of survival, work, enterprise, self-reliance, and middle-class individualism.

Samuel Richardson

Author of Pamela, who used the epistolary novel form to highlight inner thoughts, moral choices, and individual psychology.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement stressing reason, observation, science, education, and the critique of unquestioned authority.

Augustan Age

An 18th-century cultural movement that viewed the period as a 'golden age' defined by reason, moderation, politeness, civility, and balance.

Civility

An 18th-century cultural ideal where good manners and controlled behaviour served as marks of a respectable individual.

Realistic Novel

A literary genre focused on believable individuals, realistic settings, and everyday experiences catering to a growing middle-class readership.