From the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment: Foundations of Modern England

Flashcards covering Dr. Blanchet's introductory lecture on British Civilization at Guelma University, tracing the historical development of England from the Norman Conquest through the Tudor and Stuart eras to the Enlightenment.

What event marked the beginning of the Middle Ages in England, and what social system was introduced as a result?

The Norman Conquest of 1066 following the Battle of Hastings; William the Conqueror established the feudal system.

How was society structured under the medieval feudal system in England?

The king granted land to nobles in exchange for loyalty and military service, while peasants (or serfs) worked the land under the authority of their lords.

What charter did King John sign in 1215, and what was its significance?

The Magna Carta; it limited royal authority and affirmed certain rights of nobles, laying the groundwork for English liberties and constitutional government.

Which major victories did English armies achieve against France during the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453)?

Victories at Crécy and Agincourt.

How did the Black Death (1347–1351) impact the English feudal system?

It decimated nearly one-third of the population, causing labor shortages that allowed peasants to demand higher wages and greater freedom, which undermined the feudal system.

Which major uprising occurred in 1381 due to economic shifts and social unrest in England?

The Peasants' Revolt of 1381.

Into which two houses was the emerging English Parliament divided, and who composed each house?

The House of Lords (nobles and clergy) and the House of Commons (knights and townsmen).

What was the Wars of the Roses (1455–1485), and how did it end?

A civil war between the rival houses of York and Lancaster; it ended with the victory of Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

How did Henry VII consolidate royal authority during his reign (1485–1509)?

He reduced the power of the nobility and secured financial stability through cautious taxation and diplomacy.

What direct cause led Henry VIII to break with Rome, and what act formalized this break in 1534?

Pope Clement VII refused to annul Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon; the break was formalized by the Act of Supremacy (1534), declaring Henry Supreme Head of the Church of England.

What was the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII?

The confiscation and closure of monasteries, which transferred immense wealth and land from the Catholic Church to the Crown.

How did English religious policies differ under the successive reigns of Edward VI and Mary I?

Under Edward VI (1547–1553), Protestant reforms gained strength through Calvinist and Lutheran ideas; under Mary I (1553–1558), Catholicism was temporarily restored and Protestants were persecuted.

What was the Elizabethan Religious Settlement of 1559?

A compromise established by Elizabeth I that balanced Protestant doctrine with traditional Catholic practices, securing the Church of England.

What was Elizabeth I's major foreign policy triumph in 1588?

The defeat of the Spanish Armada, which protected England's independence from Catholic Europe and enhanced its naval reputation.

Which key cultural and exploratory figures flourished during the reign of Elizabeth I?

Playwrights William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, and explorers Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh.

What political belief held by James I caused conflict with Parliament after he united the English and Scottish crowns in 1603?

The divine right of kings—the belief that monarchs derived their authority directly from God and could govern without parliamentary consent.

What issues during the reign of Charles I sparked the English Civil War (1642–1651)?

Charles I's insistence on raising taxes without parliamentary approval and his perceived favoritism toward Catholic practices.

What unprecedented event followed the defeat of royalist forces in 1649?

The execution of King Charles I, which signaled the temporary overthrow of the English monarchy.

What was the Commonwealth (1649–1660), and who led it as Lord Protector?

A period during which England was governed as a republic under the authoritarian rule of Oliver Cromwell.

Which two major calamities struck London during the reign of Charles II following the Restoration of 1660?

The Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666.

What caused the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and who ascended the throne?

Opposition to the Catholic monarch James II and his promotion of Catholic tolerance; he was overthrown in favor of his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange.

What was the significance of the Bill of Rights accepted by William and Mary in 1689?

It limited royal power, ensured parliamentary supremacy, and laid the foundations for Britain's constitutional monarchy.

Which two Enlightenment thinkers are cited as influencing political thought and science in the eighteenth century?

John Locke, who advanced ideas of natural rights and government by consent, and Isaac Newton, who used observation and mathematics to explain the universe.