the english revolution

two main events of english revolution and sets of dates

english civil war - 1641-49

cromwell and the commonwealth - 1649-60

4 main reasons for english revolution

religion

foreign policy

economy

power and politics

4 main religious reasons for english revolution

• many catholics still practising in secret - threat to protestantism (threats against liz and james)

• charles married catholic - Henrietta Maria

• William Laud = ABofCant - supported many catholic practices (decorated churches, clergy in diff clothes) - LAUDIAN REFORMS

  • 1637 - introduced New Prayer Book in scotland - relied on catechism - unpopular - scots invaded england

• puritans also hated laudian reforms - dominant in parliament

  • Prynne, Bastwick, Burton wrote pamphlets criticising church

  • tried and punished - faces branded

3 foreign policy/war based reasons for english revolution

1628+29 - lost france wars, blamed Duke of Buckingham (royal fav)

1639+40 - lost Bishops wars —> paid them £850 per day (ruined finances)

1640 - called parliament (no choice)

1 economic reason for english revolution + impact

1637 - ‘ship money’ tax (everyone pay to build navy)

parliament concern = could make charles financially independent - make decisions w/o parliament

ppl refused to pay, inc John Hampden (MP) - convicted - trial publicised charles opposition

explain how power and politics was a reason for the english revolution - charles and parliament first negotiation

REASON 1:

charles believed in divine rights of kings

dissolved parliament in 1629 —> eleven years tyranny

1640 forced to call parliament - agreed to fund scot war if he…

• …didn’t pass laws w/o parliament agreement

• …didn’t raise unpopular taxes

• …stopped Laud’s religious changes

but charles refused - Short Parliament (only lasted a month)

explain how power and politics was a reason for the english revolution - royal advisor drama

REASON 2:

Thomas Wentworth - Earl of Strafford - royal advisor:

• had strong army in ireland - parliament thinks charles will use it against england

• encouraged charles to rule w/o parliament

explain how power and politics was a reason for the english revolution - charles and parliament second negotiation

REASON 3:

nov 1640 - desparate for scot funds - called parliament

charles agreed that…

• strafford executed, laud imprisoned

• some charles critics as advisors

• parliament meet every 3 yrs

• couldn’t dissolve long parliament w/o permission

• ship money = illegal

explain how power and politics was a reason for the english revolution - how war began

REASON 4:

1642 - Grand Remonstrance = 204 grievances towards charles

charles angry:

• raised army to arrest Five Members who led opposition

• stormed into parliament but they had escaped (shows charles = tyrant)

aug 1642: charles declares war on parliament = english civil war

explain the two sides to the civil war (names, class, area, commanders)

	PARLIAMENT	CHARLES
name	roundheads	cavaliers
class	middle class, peasants	wealthy landowners
area	south + london —> merchant class not happy w taxes	mainly north
commanders	oliver + thomas cromwell	king

how did some poor ppl have to navigate the civil war

forced to support whoever their lord supported

what pushed the civil war in a certain favour and when

New Model Army - oliver cromwell - feb 1645

• chose men based on ability not privilege

• high discipline

• 14,000 men (king only 9,000) - Battle of Naseby - won

• 1646: captured oxford and bristol

1647: charles captured by scots + imprisoned

what did charles do while in prison + what did it lead to

persuade scottish to fight against roundheads and NMA - promised a presbyterian church in england. scots agreed - led to second civil war

second civil war

1648 - scots defeated at Preston

parliament = can’t trust charles

aftermath of second civil war

Colonel Thomas Pride - Pride’s Purge - refused parliament entry to king-supporting MPs

king would stand trial without support

charles’ trial

accused of:

• starting war

• calling own subjects enemies

• plotting another war while negotiating

found guilty of treason - executed

what did parliament do before charles’ execution and what did it lead to

passed legislation - no monarch could be installed after king’s death

parliament took over running country - republic called The Commonwealth

cromwell = leader

3 positive actions cromwell did

won wars against dutch + spanish —> restored reputation

1651 navigation act - all ships leaving + returning must be english

turned down crown 1657

5 negative actions cromwell did

appointed major generals to 11 districts he created (strict control)

laid seige to Drogheda (killed women + children)

took land from catholics in ireland to give to protestants

imprisoned The Levellers (campaigned for free speech, annual parliaments etc)

passed on leadership to his son - like a monarch

view of cromwell in Charles II times

villain - killed king, used propaganda

his changes were reversed

head displayed outside parliament

view of cromwell in victorian times

valued for contributing to their parliament

same values (no drinking, gambling etc)

statue put up outside parliament 1899

view of cromwell 1920s-40s

critical - dictatorships around europe

how did the monarchy end up being restored

1658 - cromwell dead, son uninterested

charles ii = king —> restoration

tension btw king + parliament

William of Orange - protestant - took over. parliament happy

short term significance of english revolution

• 14,000 ppl fight the king - strength of opposition

• killed king - first time in english history

  • england = republic —> power shift to parliament

medium term significance of english revolution

• cromwell…

  • changes practices in england

  • restores intl reputation

  • becomes ‘lord protector’ (refuses crown)

medium term insignificance of english revolution

• only lasts 11 years

  • charles ii takes over again

long term significance of english revolution

• more emph on parliament’s role in law-making

• parliament takeover as leading decision-making body