THE FIGHT FOR
DEMOCRACY AND THE
ENGLISH CIVIL WAR
THE REGIONS
OF GREAT
BRITAIN
GREAT BRITAIN
(INCLUDES ENGLAND
SCOTLAND, WALES)
THE UNITED KINGDOM
(INCLUDES GRT. BRT. + N. IRELAND)
THE BRITISH ISLES
(INCLUDES UK + IRELAND)
ENGLISH SOCIETY - 1600s
-
England was becoming powerful .
It began to colonize and wealthy entrepreneurs
emerged.
-
The wealthy and skilled fared well for themselves.
NOTE N. America
India
Africa
“The sun never sets
on the British Empire.”
ENGLISH SOCIETY - 1600s
-
A class system divided
England.
-
A/ UPPER CLASS - king,
nobles, high church.
-
B/ MIDDLE CLASS merchants, land owners,
military, professionals.
-
C/ LOWER CLASS - ordinary
workers
Eng. class system.
THE ROLE OF RELIGION
-
Most of England was Protestant.
The official church was the Church of
England or Anglican Church.
-
-
Supported by taxes and was seen as elaborate
There were many dissenters.
-
Protestants were stern and suspicious and opposed
elaborate ceremonies & wealth.
-
-
-
‘The Mayflower’ to N. Amer. - New England’.
Others entered parliament.
Calvanists wanted plain & simple service.
Roman Catholics and others were sometimes
tolerated but at other times were
fined or imprisoned.
WITCHES

MISFITS WHO DID NOT
FIT INTO SOCIETY.



WOMEN
UNMARRIED
Intelligent
Mathew Hopkins - Witch
Finder General
- Sentencing - innocent if
drowned.
- exposed as a fraud and
executed.
THE EARLY STUARTS
ELIZABETH I
-
Followed the Magna Carta
signed in 1215.
-
-
Monarch must rule lawfully.
Taxes approved by parliament.
Trial by jury.
died in 1603.
Left England to JAMES I
-
Aka ‘James VI of Scotland’.
JAMES I



Ignored the Magna Carta and
introduced the Divine Right of
Kings => angered parliament.
Intelligent but rude and
obnoxious.
Incompetent advisors.



Duke of Buckingham.
Ran out of money but
parliament refused higher taxes
unless they were granted more
power.
Died in 1625 from stomach
problems => left a divided
nation.
CHARLES I




Son of James
Also believed in Divine
Right.
Extravagance angered the
people.
Also relied on the hated
Duke of Buckingham


His fathers favorite advisor.
Led England into several
disasters.


Wars with France and Spain.
Alienated all support.
THE FIGHT WITH PARLIAMENT


Charles’ extravagant life needed $ and
parliament refused unless they were given their
powers back.
Charles tried to raise $ on his own.





Ship Money - money for warships which was pocketed
by Charles.
Loans, mortgages, & tunnage (customs fees)
Billeted soldiers
Sold noble titles
Used Court of Star Chamber to
convict & imprison anyone who stood
in his way.
Duke of Buckingham
 RESULTS - still needed $, parliament still
unfriendly, Duke of Buckingham killed, Puritans
destroyed his churches.
THE LONG PARLIAMENT
By 1637, Charles had big problems and shut down the Short
Parliament and created the Long Parliament.
THE LONG PARLIAMENT
-executed Charles’ trusted advisors Strafford
and Laud.
-Planned to pass the Grand Remonstrance
(remove King’s powers).
DILEMA – The Royal Prerogative allowed the
Strafford
King to act outside the law if an emergency.
Was parliament breaking the law?
Did the King have the right to rule as he saw fit?
Who was in the wrong?
Even parliament was divided.
The King saw his chance & sold the
crown jewels to buy an army to fight back.
Laud
CIVIL WAR
CHARLES

Royalists or
Cavaliers


vs.

PARLIAMENT
Local militia.

Experienced riders
& fighters.
Had to win quick
victory => no $$$.


Controlled the navy.
Allied with the
Scots.

Cavaliers
Cromwell
Farmers etc. no
experience.

New Model Army
was led by Oliver
Cromwell (Puritan)
Called the
Roundheads.
RUMP PARLIAMENT

The King lost, and all
the King’s supporters
(Presbyterians) are
removed from
parliament.

The King is charged
with treason (by the
Puritans).
Pride’s Purge – the Puritans drove
all Presbyterians out of parliament
THE TRIAL OF THE KING
King Charles was found guilty of treason
and executed in 1649.
NOTE – In 1649 treason was
defined as “ the act of trying to
overthrow the King.
Is it possible for the King to
overthrow
himself?
The
Trial of
Charles
The execution of King Charles
Was it a sin?????
OLIVER CROMWELL

THE LORD PROTECTOR
Rump Parliament voted out Charles II (the rightful heir to


England = Republic/Commonwealth
“Might Makes Right.”

Scottish & Irish (Ireland still suffers
from Cromwell’s decisions)





Presbyterians & Catholic.
Anyone opposed.
Even the Rump Parliament.
Became a dictator.
Issued the Blue Laws

No dancing, X-mas, sports, etc.
NOTE – Cromwell died in 1658. He
considered himself a failure as he opposed
dictatorships.
the throne)
THE RESTORATION
After Cromwell died:








A new parliament elected.
Charles II invited to be King.
Constitutional Monarchy established.
Eliminated Blue Laws.
“Tories” supported King / “Whigs’
opposed the King.
Rump Parliament members were
tortured.
Cromwell’s body dug up & displayed as
a warning to others.
Parliament issued the Test Act –
banned Catholics & made Church of
England supreme. (Charles’ own brother
= Catholic)
Charles II
THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION
After the death of Charles II problems arose.




Charles’ successor/brother, James II, was
Catholic.
James II believed in the Divine Right of Kings.
People rebelled.
Bloody Assizes – James’ Reign Of Terror.

Executed the rebels.
James II
The Glorious Revolution
-James II was forced to abdicate.
-Mary and William of Orange
were invited to be the
1689
new King and Queen.
-Bill Of Rights implemented.
Mary & William