Constitutionalism in England

Puritans

English Calvinists trying to make the established Anglican Church more Calvinist.

Divine Right

The belief that a monarch's authority comes directly from God.

English Civil War

A series of civil wars and political machinations between 1642 and 1651 in England, fought between Royalists and Parliamentarians.

Impositions

Custom duties introduced by James I to provide sources of royal income, often seen as illegal taxes.

Hampton Court Conference

A 1604 meeting where James I viewed Puritans as a threat to royal power and granted no concessions.

King James Bible

An English translation of the Bible published in 1611, meant to satisfy both Puritans and Anglicans.

Gunpowder Plot

A failed assassination attempt against King James I in 1605, which intensified anti-Catholic sentiments.

Rump Parliament

The Parliament that remained after Pride's Purge and voted to abolish the monarchy.

Act of Succession

Laws establishing provisions for who could inherit the English throne.

Bill of Rights 1689

A document that defined the powers of the monarch and Parliament, securing parliamentary rights to assemble and vote on taxation.

Toleration Act of 1689

An act granting Protestant dissenters the right to worship freely but not hold public office.

Cromwell's Protectorate

The period from 1653-1658 when Oliver Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector of England.

Petition of Right

A 1628 document asserting that the king must follow the law and cannot levy taxes without parliamentary approval.

Militia Ordinance

Legislation passed by the House of Commons granting Parliament the right to raise an army.

Dutch Wars

A series of naval conflicts fought mainly over trade routes and overseas colonies in the second half of the 17th century.

The Great Fire of London

A catastrophic event in 1666 blamed on Catholics, resulting in widespread distrust.

Restoration Settlement

The events surrounding Charles II's return to England and the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

Charles I

King who dismissed Parliament and ruled for 11 years, ultimately executed for high treason.

Oliver Cromwell

Parliamentarian leader during the English Civil War who ruled as Lord Protector.

James II

The last Catholic King of England, who maintained a standing army in peacetime and attempted to allow Catholics to serve in high military positions.

Glorious Revolution

The largely bloodless overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with William III, Prince of Orange, in 1688.

Roundheads

The name given to Parliamentarian supporters during the English Civil War, often characterized by their short hairstyles.

Cavaliers

The name given to Royalist supporters of King Charles I during the English Civil War, often characterized by their long hair and elaborate clothing.

Ship Money

A levy imposed by English kings on coastal towns for naval defense, controversially extended by Charles I to inland counties without parliamentary consent.

Long Parliament

The English Parliament summoned by King Charles I in 1640, which sat through the English Civil War and was ultimately dissolved in 1660.

Test Act

A series of English penal laws that served as a religious test for public office and other positions, effectively excluding Catholics and non-Anglican Protestants.

New Model Army

The Parliamentarian army reorganized by Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax during the English Civil War, known for its professionalism and Puritan discipline.

Exclusion Crisis

A political crisis in England from 1678–1681, aimed at excluding James, Duke of York (later James II), from the succession to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland because he was Catholic.

Act of Unifromity

An act passed by the English Parliament requiring the use of the Book of Common Prayer in religious services and mandating adherence to Anglican doctrine for clergy, effectively persecuting Puritans and other nonconformists.