Parliament Triumphs in England

Brief Review
Magna Carta: During the Middle ages in
Europe, democracy did not exist. However, in
England the king was forced to accept limits on
his rule. He agreed to consult the most
powerful groups before making important
decisions, such as raising taxes. The Magna
Carta was one of the first documents to set
limits on the kings power. This agreement was
written during the reign of King John of
England.

Parliament
Legislative body in England that the king
turned to in order to pass various important
decisions.

The Tudors Work With

Parliament
From 1485-1603, England was ruled by Tudor
monarchs.
Tudors believed in divine right but also
recognized the value of good relations with
Parliament.
Remember Henry VII? What did he ask of
Parliament?

Elizabeth I
Gained the throne and consulted and
controlled Parliament
Her advisors conveyed the queens wishes to
Parliament and forbade discussion of certain
subjects such as foreign policy or the queens
marriage. Why do you think that is?

A Century of Revolution
Begins
Elizabeth died childless in 1603. Her heir was
her relative James Stuart, the ruling king of
Scotland.
The Stuarts were neither as popular as the
Tudors nor as skillful in dealing with Parliament.

The Stuarts
James I first Stuart monarch who agreed to
rule according to English laws and customs.
Soon, however, he was lecturing Parliament
about divine right. He clashed with Parliament
over money and foreign policy.
Members of Parliament wanted to discuss
foreign policy before voting funds. Because of
this, James dissolved Parliament and collected
taxes on his own.

 James also clashed with dissenters,

Protestants who differed with the Church of
England.
One of those groups were called the Puritans.
What do you think they wished to change?

Charles I
In 1625, Charles I inherited the throne. Like his
father, he behaved like an absolute monarch.
In 1628, Charles I needed to summon
Parliament and they forced him to sign the
Petition of Right. This document prohibited the
king from raising taxes without Parliaments
consent or from jailing anyone without legal
justification.

 Charles signed the Petition, but then he

dissolved Parliament in 1629. For 11 years, he
ignored the Petition and ruled the nation
without Parliament. During that time he
created bitter enemies, especially among the
Puritans.

The Long Parliament

Begins
The 1640 Parliament became known as the
Long Parliament because it lasted on and off
until 1653. Its actions triggered the greatest
political revolution in English history.
In 1642, he led troops into the House of
Commons to arrest its most radical leaders.
They escaped and raised their own army. The
clash moved to the battlefield.
Charles vs. Parliamentwho would win?

Fighting a Civil War

Cavaliers and Roundheads
-C for CharlesCavaliers supported Charles I.
They were wealthy nobles.
Roundheads leader was Oliver Cromwell. He was
a Puritan.
Commonwealth
-the republic of England under Oliver Cromwell.

A King is Executed
Eventually, Parliament set up a court to put the
king on trial. They called Charles I a tyrant,
traitor, murderer, and public enemy.
Charles I said, I am a martyr of the people.
The execution sent shock waves throughout
Europe. IN the past, a king had occasionally
been assassinated or killed in battle. But for
the first time, a ruling monarch had been tried
and executed by his own people.

Cromwell and the

Commonwealth
After Charles I was executed, the House of
Commons abolished the monarchy, the House
of Lords, and the established Church of
England. It declared England a republic known
as the Commonwealth under the leadership of
Oliver Cromwell.

Challenging the
Commonwealth
Many still supported Charles II, uncrowned heir
to the throne. Cromwell led forces into Ireland
and brutally crushed the uprising.
Levellers: These individuals thought that poor
men should have as much say in government
as the gentry, lawyers, and other leading
citizens. The poorest he that is in England
hath a life to live as the greatest he, wrote
one Leveller.

 As challenges grew, Cromwell took the title

Lord Protector. From then on, he ruled as a
virtual dictator through the army.

Puritans: A Sobering
Influence
Under the Commonwealth, Puritanswith their
goal of rooting out godlessnessgained a new
voice in society. The English Civil War created
a social revolution as well as a political one.
Parliament enacted a series of laws designed
to make sure that Sunday was set aside for
religious observance.

 Puritans believed in education for all

individuals, rich or poor. They wanted all
individuals to read the Bible and wanted to
spread religious knowledge.
Although Cromwell did not tolerate open
worship by Roman Catholics, he believed in
religious freedom for other Protestant groups.
He even welcomed back Jews after 350 years
of exile.

The Commonwealth Ends

Oliver Cromwell died in 1658.
Soon after, the Puritans lost their grip on
England. People were tired of military rule and
strict Puritan ways. In 1660, a newly elected
Parliament invited Charles II to return to
England from exile. Englands kingless
decade ended with the Restoration, or return of
the monarchy. Yet, Puritan ideas about morality,
equality, government, and education endured.
These ideas played an important role in shaping
Englands future.

From Restoration to
Glorious Revolution
In May 1660, cheering crowds welcomed
Charles II back to London.
He was a charming man and a popular ruler.
He reopened theatres and taverns and
presided over a lively court in the manner of
Louis XIV. Charles reestablished the Church of
England but encouraged toleration of other
Protestants such as Presbyterians, Quakers,
and Baptists.

James II Forced to Flee

Charles brother James II inherited the throne in
1685. Unlike Charles, James practiced his
Catholic faith openly. He angered many people
and they feared he would return England to
Catholicism.
In 1688, Parliament invited James Protestant
daughter,m Mary and her Dutch Protestant
husband, William III of Orange to become rulers
of England. They landed with their armybut
that wasnt necessary. James II fled to France.

 This event became known as the Glorious

Revolution.

English Bill of Rights: Before they could be

crowned, William and Mary had to accept several
acts passed by Parliament in 1689 known as the
English Bill of Rights.
The monarch had to summon Parliament regularly
and gave the house of Commons the power of
the purse. What do you think this means?

Limited Monarchy
The Glorious Revolution created not a
democracy, but a type of government known
as limited monarchy.
What is a limited monarchy?

Constitutional Government
A government whose power is defined and
limited by law.
-Political Parties Emerge
-The Cabinet System
-The Prime Minister Leads the Cabinet

Oligarchy
A government in which the ruling power
belongs to a few people.
How is a democracy different?