DBQ - Unit 3: Absolutism and Constitutionalism (1648 - 1815)
Contextualization
Charles I was struggling during his reign because he declined the Parliament and they had conflict with each other because he did not want his power to be taken away. He believed in divine-rights which caused conflict religion wise, and made a split between Catholicism and Protestantism. The English Civil War started in 1642
Thesis
?
Documents
Document 1
Summary
- Sir Thomas Payton discussing about king Charles I and how he was during a meeting with the House of Lords and the House of Commons. He was very respectful with the House of lords because he wants to convince more members from that group to keep him as king and praise his work. He talked not as well about the House of Commons because they were sided with the Parliament and so he didn’t attempt to treat them with respect. However to keep the House of Commons on Charles I side, he promised to keep Protestantism in the Church so he would at least have a chance to have the House of Commons convince he was treating Protestantism well like Catholicism.
House of Lords:
- The House of Lords were either nobles or bishops. They either agreed with Charles I or disagreed with him
House of Commons:
- They ensured Parliament like the Triennial Act or the Long Parliament. They were passing legislation to limit Charles I’s power
DESCRIBE:
- In 1640, a man named Sir Thomas Payton sent a letter to his brother-in-law and he says in document 1 how Charles I treated the House of Lords better than the House of Commons, however, he promised to the House of Commons that he will keep protestantism.
SUPPORT:
- Charles I did keep protestantism so he can have more power by making the House of Commons believe he was going to give equal treatment to Protestantism and Catholicism. He ended up not giving equal treatment which ended up causing the English Civil War.
EXPLAINS:
- In the point of view of the House of Commons, Charles I seemed to have things in check and gave Protestantism a chance in the church. However, this was a lie because he ended up treating Catholicism better.
Document 2
Summary
- A man was not going to the church regularly like how the law of 35 Elizabeth states. He states that the rule is not a good rule and how the church is not fit to be a good church because there are no churches that bring true faith so the rule is not accurate. Since the king followed with this law, the king was not obeyed religious wise because it wasn’t a good law, but obeyed in civil things.
Law of 35 Elizabeth:
- A law where mostly Catholics had to attend the church regularly or they would lose possessions or land.
DESCRIBE:
- Document 2 states how the Church should not be attended because there is no true faith. Since the king Charles I follows this rule, people should not listen to his rule for religious wise but should still listen to his other rules other than religion because it wrong.
SUPPORT:
- Religion plays a big role in this because people want to go to a church that give you faith instead of feeling forced to go everyday because of a law, which makes religion tied with politics which lessens the faith. People decide to go against Charles I for following this law because they can do whatever with their religion and despised the fact they might lose property due to this belief. So they’'ll start a war with their leader because of how they follow their religion.
EXPLAIN:
- In the eyes of the people, they do not want to follow a law that could take their possessions and property because they didn’t attend a church that did not bring any faith. So they will rebel for their religion rights. Instead, they will only listen to the rules that king Charles I makes that is not religious.
Document 3
Summary
- The wife was writing about her husband, Mr Hutchinson who is convinced that there were attempts to bring back Catholicism from King Charles I and to overthrow protestantism which was unfair to the people who believed in it. However, he did not believe that conflict was the cause of the civil war and he believed it was because of the English liberties.
DESCRIBE:
- In Document 3, Mr. Hutchinson acknowledged that catholicism was returning and how protestantism was being overthrown which was not fair to the people who believed in it. However, he believed that the English liberties were the cause of the English civil war.
SUPPORT:
- While Mr. Hutchinson disagrees that religion was the cause of the English civil war, he does acknowledge it and describes how the protestants are being overthrown and how catholicism like the Roman church was returning which could lead to many problems with the people who believe in protestantism.
EXPLAIN:
- This was to show the audience what Mr. Hutchinson believed what started the English civil war while also explaining what other problems that were happening before the English civil war.
Document 4
Summary
- Lady Sydenham writes to Lady Verney about Lady Verney’s husband and how his decision on siding with king Charles I was the strongest options because Charles I has more power but, wasn’t the best option. She discusses how she believes it’s unfair to have a king take things from people who have a different belief in him. She feels sorry for Verney and believes that king Charles should lose his spot as king, but in a peaceful manner not in violent way like using weapons.
DESCRIBE:
- Verney’s husband sided with Charles I in document 4 and Lady Sydenham doesn’t agree with her husband and believes that he didn’t choose the best side. She believes the king should lose his spot in a peaceful way, and not in a forceful way like using weapons.
SUPPORT:
- Verney stands up for the people who have a different belief than king Charles I because people are convinced that he is converting into Catholicism. She believes it’s unfair that he takes opportunities and possessions away from people who have a different belief in him.
EXPLAIN:
- This gives an image on how king Charles treats his people who are protestantism because he is leaning more towards Catholicism and promoting it more. This leads people to want to depose Charles I from his position as king because he is treating them unfair because of their religion.
Document 5
Summary
- Jonathan Langely explaining how he is not sided with any side, Parliament or King Charles I. He describes how both sides are constantly in conflict with each other. The Parliaments declaring that the king is bringing back Roman Catholics (Papists). The king saying how the Parliament is only promoting their religion which is protestantism (schism). However, he believes both are supporting the religion Protestant.
DESCRIBE:
- In document 5, it describes how Jonathan shows how both sides are in conflict with each other, but supporting the Protestant religion, because they are giving it so much attention, bad or good. However, he does not side with the king nor the Parliament.
SUPPORT:
- The Parliament is shown fighting for the Protestant religion since it was considered as a schism by the king which is to only promote their religion. Even when Jonathan doesn’t side with either, he does believe that both sides are supporting the Protestant religion, especially the parliament because it also wants to include Protestantism into the church.
EXPLAIN:
- In the perspective of Jonathan, he is not on either side, but believe both sides are supporting the Protestant religion. He does make a good argument for both sides, but as for religious wise, he explains how the Parliament is promoting Protestants.
Document 6
DESCRIBE:
- The words in the flags in document 6 during the English Civil War define as someone praying to God so they could watch over the king which is king Charles I in this period of time, so he would make good decisions and keep society safe and fair. Which means he has to be fair to the Protestants like he does with Catholics.
SUPPORT:
- King Charles I prefers more Catholics to Protestants so it leads to conflict with the people who believe in Protestantism, which will cause the English Civil War. Charles I is not following the prayer that this the flag says because he is not being fair to society by choosing Catholics over Protestants.
EXPLAIN:
- As society understand what the prayer on the flag means, shows society that Charles I is not fair with religion like Catholicism and Protestantism which brings unsafely to his people because he is causing a civil war to break out from him unfair to Protestantism.
Document 7
Summary
- This man talks about how he will fight for the king so he can believe in the Parliament because right King Charles I is bringing the nation back to Roman Catholicism which is a thing to avoid. He wants to fight for the Parliament that is trying to keep the nation in check but cannot because of what Charles I believes in. He wants Charles I to join the Parliament and lose his power because it will be the greater good for the country and and give them the best nation. This man fights for the Protestant religion and if the other side wins then the religion will be taken down and their country will be sent back and have problems like the sale of indulgences all over again.
DESCRIBE:
- The man fights for the Parliament in document 7 and believes its the best way to go to bring the nation into it’s peak, and if it doesn’t follow the Protestant religion then it will be unsuccessful and will repeat history all over again and face the same problems like the Roman Catholicism.
SUPPORT:
- If the army that is against the Protestant religion then the nation will be sent back like how the man said and this brings problems because king Charles I does not wants to side with the Protestant religion, so he will keep fighting for Catholicism which will eventually lead to Civil war in England because of religion. The people will fight back because they do not want to have the same situation happen again like in the Roman Catholic church.
EXPLAIN:
- The man gets his point across to make us understand that having king Charles I to give his power to the Parliament will lead benefits to the country. However, since Charles I is converting into Catholicism, he is causing a civil war to break through in England so he is just holding the country back.