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The English Civil War. The English Civil War was a major struggle in England between the people (Parliament) and the monarch (rulers). All of this began in England in 1215 with the signing of the Magna Carta .
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The English Civil War The English Civil War was a major struggle in England between the people (Parliament) and the monarch (rulers). All of this began in England in 1215 with the signing of the Magna Carta. Parliament began making demands to the monarch (King Charles I). Parliament wanted Charles I to allow Parliament to begin making decisions on laws, which would limit the absolute power of the monarch. Parliament was challenging the monarchy which was based on the idea of divine rights. These challenges were based on political, economic and religious issues since the reign of Charles’ father, James I.
POLITICALLY: • Parliament wanted more input in the government, which again tried to build on the foundations of the Magna Carta. 2. Charles, like his father, refused to let Parliament meet. 3. In 1629, he physically locked them out of their meeting place at Westminster. 4. They were locked out for 11 years in what they called the Eleven Years Tyranny.
Economically: • Parliament and Charles argued over issues related to the practice of raising money by levying taxes and allowing men to buy titles. For example: When John Hampden, a member of Parliament, refused to pay a new tax called a “Ship Tax” because Parliament had not agreed on the tax. Hampden was put on trial and found guilty, yet he was a symbol of defiance by standing up to the king’s power.
In 1642, as tensions between Parliament and Charles continued to escalate, Charles sent soldiers to arrest 5 members of Parliament that he considered to be his biggest critics. • As Parliament represented the people of England, this action of Charles was seen as an attack on the people. • Civil War broke out in 1642 between the supporters of Charles I (known as Royalists) and the supporters of Parliament (the people of England who supported Parliament). • The supporters of Parliament soon fell under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell and his “New Model Army”. • The New Model Army was able to claim major victories over the Royalists.
In 1646 Charles I surrendered but in 1647 he escaped, and the next year the civil war resumed with the Royalists being quickly defeated again. • In 1649, Charles I was tried for charges of abuses of power against Parliament and the people. • He was found GUILTY and was beheaded! • The English Civil War was therefore a major event in challenges to the absolute monarchs of the time and served as a foreshadow of John Locke’s idea that government or ruler’s abuse of power should lead to its overthrow.
Times between the English Civil War (1629) and the Glorious Revolution (1688-1689)….. • England’s government was in a state of transition~ Charles II (son of Charles I) began trying to regain power in Scotland while Oliver Cromwell became “lord protector” of England. • Charles II attempted an invasion and takeover of England but failed. • After Cromwell died in 1658, his son, Richard, took over as “lord protector” but proved to be weak leader, unlike his father. • After only 8 months, Richard resigned and this led to a political situation where England became unstable. • Charles II was invited to retake the throne in 1660 and ruled until his death in 1685. • After Charles II’s death, his brother James II took the throne.
James II ~ William and Mary:(Father against daughter) • James II was Catholic and the Protestant leaders in England feared he would return England to the turmoil of becoming a Catholic nation after a century and a half (150 years) of being Protestant since the establishment of the Church of England in 1535. • The Protestant leaders turned to William of Orange, king of Scotland, for help because he was Protestant and also married to Mary, the eldest daughter of James II. • William agreed to come to England and he did with his army in 1688. • James II fled to France while William and Mary took over the throne her father had abandoned in a bloodless revolution known as The Glorious Revolution.
William and Mary Reign: • Parliament had already prearranged with William and Mary that the monarchs would agree to some limits on their power, and William and Mary agreed which led to the signing of the English Bill of Rights in 1689. This promoted a limited government in England as the monarch began sharing power by allowing Parliament to make laws and assured protection of individual rights for the people. THESE ARE THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF ALL LIMITED GOVERNMENTS THAT FOLLOWED AND WERE INSPIRATIONAL TO THE ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHERS.
