Jury System – Henry II (1154-1189) –
royal courts, grand jury investigations,
some cases trial by jury
Magna Carta – 1215 King John – limit
royal power
Parliament – 1295 Edward I expanded
“Great Council” to include middle class
Common Law – late 13th century legal
precedents
REVOLUTIONS – (1642-1660) – (16881689) overthrow of two Kings (Charles I,
James II)
Confirmed the constitutional powers of an
elected monarchy
Laid the foundations for the idea that
gov’t must guarantee certain rights for
people under the law
Henry VII, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I
Outwardly appeared to consult
parliament and the people – actually
dominated
Aided the middle class – trade,
overseas expansion, law and order
Popular, intelligent, capable
James I (1603-1625)
Charles I (1625-1649)
ENGLSIH CIVIL WAR (1642-49)
THE COMMONWEALTH (16491660)
Charles II (1660-1685)
James II (1685-1688)
William III (1689-1702) & Mary
II (1689-1694)
Anne (1702-1714)
1566-1625
James VI Scotland
Son of Mary Queen of
Scots
Blundering tongue,
ungracious manners
Divine Right of Kings –
“Kings are the breathing
images of God on earth.”
Ruled Scotland for 58 years
and England for 22 years
Tried to unite Scotland,
Ireland, and England – term
Great Britain
Patron of the arts –
“Macbeth”
1598 – The Trew Law of
Free Monarchy
“Urged to wave to the
crowds who waited to
greet their new ruler,
James was tired and
threatened to drop his
breeches ‘so they can
cheer at my arse.”
November 5th Guy
Fawkes Night - 1605
“Gun Powder, Treason,
and Plot
We see no reason why
gunpowder treason
Should ever be
forgot.”
PARLIAMENT -POWER
STRUGGLE
RELIGION:
Puritans
“No Bishop No King”
Spanish Match
ECONOMIC:
Taxation – control of
the ‘purse strings’
(r. 1625-1649)
Son of James I
Married Henrietta Maria –
Catholic Princess of France
Arrogant, narrow-minded,
obstinate
Divine Right
Stately, dignified, hardworking
Petition of Right (1628)
“Stuart Magna Carta”
Parliament protested
Charles I claim to
Divine Right
Assertion of Power
Control of “Purse
Strings”
1629-1640 Charles disregards the
Petition of Right and asserts “divine
right”
Illegally raises money “tonnage &
poundage” and Ship Money
Star Chamber Courts – accused denied
jury, tortured
Due to the Scottish Rebellion Charles
needs $$$$$$
Parliament refused to grant Charles I
money unless he addressed their
grievances
After meeting for 3 short weeks
Charles dismissed Parliament
April 1640
Nov. 1640-March 1660
REFORMS
1. Removal of Royal Favorites
Thomas Wentworth – Earl of Strafford (1641)
William Laud – Archbishop of Canterbury (1645)
2. Triennial Act
King to summon Parliament once every 3 yrs
Sheriffs of the countries could hold elections if the
King did not
Parliament could not be dissolved without consent
Charles furious, sent soldiers to arrest
the 5 leading members of Parliament
Two factors caused Parliament to be
victorious
Scots fought on the side of the
Roundheads
“New Model Army” – created by
Oliver Cromwell
Royalists
(Cavaliers)
Parliamentarians
(Roundheads)
a
House of Lords
† House of Commons
a
N & W England
† S & E England
a
Aristocracy
† Puritans
a
Large landowners
† Merchants
a
Church officials
† Townspeople
a
More rural, less
prosperous
† More urban , more
prosperous
1599-1658
“New Model Army” – (1645)
22,000 men
Battle of Naseby (1645)
The Commonwealth 1649-1653
The Protectorate 1654-1660
Strict Puritan
Banned newspapers, used a
network of spies, silenced
enemies
Military Dictatorship?
Rump Parliament (1648) 70 members
Rump Resolution = Charles I – traitor,
convicted of treason “Man of Blood”
Charles offered no defense refused to
recognize the court
On the 5th day condemned to death
“I go from a corruptible crown to an
incorruptible crown” – Charles I
Jan 30, 1649
“Walking upon the scaffold with a firm
step, the king in a speech disclaim all
guilt. He calmly laid his head on the
block, prayed silently for a short time,
and extended his arms as a signal to
the executioner. His head was severed
with one blow.”
1649-1660
Written Constitution – Instrument of
Government
Cromwell Lord Protector – Ireland, Scotland,
England
Irish Uprisings – Cromwellian Settlement
“Curse of Cromwell” – Scottish settlement in
Ulster (Northern Ireland)
“Blue Laws” – Prohibited Gambling, Horseracing,
Dancing, Fancy Dress, Theater
1660-1688
Charles II (r. 1660-1685)
“Merry Monarch”
Restored theaters, reopened
pubs
Charm, poise, political skills
Religious Toleration
Political power-sharing
(r. 1685-1688)
Openly Catholic
Second Declaration of
Indulgence (1687) –
suspended all laws
against Catholic
dissenters
Tories – strong
hereditary monarchy,
restore ceremony of the
Anglican Church
Whigs – parliamentary
supremacy, toleration
for protestant dissenters
William married to James II
daughter Mary
7 leaders of the Whigs and
Tories invite William and
Mary to be crowned
1688 they arrived with
16,000 troops
Bloodless victory
GLORIOUS REVOLUTION?
It settled all of the
major issues between
King & Parliament
It served as a model
for the U. S. Bill of
Rights
It also formed a base
for the steady
expansion of civil
liberties in the 18c and
early 19c in England.
1. The King could not suspend the operation of laws.
2. The King could not interfere with the ordinary course of
justice.
3. No taxes levied or standard army maintained in peacetime
without Parliament’s consent.
4. Freedom of speech in Parliament.
5. Sessions of Parliament would be held frequently.
6. Subjects had the right of bail, petition, and freedom from
excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment.
7. The monarch must be a Protestant.
8. Freedom from arbitrary arrest.
9. Censorship of the press was dropped.
10. Religious toleration.
William III (1689-1702)
Mary II (1689-1694)
The Toleration Act (1689) – freedom to
PROTESTANT dissenters – NOT CATHOLICS
Act of Settlement (1701) – To insure
Protestant rule – HANOVER DYNASTY
Act of Union (1707) – United Kingdom of Great
Britain
IS ENGLAND A DEMOCRACY?
NOT YET?
1689-1832 – ruled by the elite
ROBERT WALPOLE (16761745)
First Prime Minister
CONSTITUTIONALISM & ABSOLUTISM
two main responses to the disorder and
breakdown of religious wars
DUTCH REPUBLIC (1648)
Stadholders
House of Orange
POLAND-LITHUANIA
Elected Monarchy
Parliament (Sejm) “free veto”