Unit 3: Politics Flashcards
Click on the link and find out the political meaning of the Round Table in the myth of King Arthur
-On a square table there is 2 sides and the powerful sit on both sides. On a round table, everyone is on the same level.
Read the following text and find out the reasons that caused Magna Carta to be written. Afer reading the clauses from Magna Carta provided in this text, can you imagine examples of the kind of reality the Barons tried to change with it? How was the situation before Magna carta?
-Reasons: lordship and kingship as a system of oppression.
-They tried to change the tax system and the economic system
-The king and his tenants possessed more than the barons
-King John had political failures in his reign (losing parts of his territories and quarrels with leading men)
-ability of arbitrary relief (0payment to take up a heritage) was removed
-Magna Carta was later annulled by the Pope and reissued by successors of King John
a) How did the bubonic plague affect British social structure during the 14th century?
-population decreased by third or half
-peasants revolt 1381 (happened due to too high taxes and ruling class insensitivity)
-Everyone moved up one or two steps in the economic ladder because the wages increased
- People gained more land and the poor people that didn’t have much, gained some more
b) Why was Richard II deposed?
-His policies became arbitrary (willkürlich) and he rejected wise counsel
-he was jealous of his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and sent him to exile
-Henry came back when Richard was on vacation and reclaimed his inheritance, then was crowned as Henry IV
c) Which do you think might have been the conditions accepted by Henry Bolingbroke to become Henry IV of England?
-Richard II claimed that he was above the law, which was not so since the Magna Carta 1381
-Henry IV had to take into account that he was not over the law and over God (kingship had to obey this law)
Read the following text by Stoyle and answer the following questions:
a) What do you think about Charles I possibly being a Catholic? Do you think this suspicion was justified? Why?
-Civil War: supporters of Charles I: Royalists VS. Supporters of the Parliament: Parliamentarians
-Civil War was class war but primarily religious
-It could be that he was catholic, he was part of the “high church” which was a branch of the Anglican Church that was closer to Catholicism, he invented a new form of prayer book
b) Who sided with the king and who sided with the Parliament? Why?
The royalists (higher classes, conservative protestants and remaining catholics) sided with the kind and the Parliamentarians (lower classes, sometimes workers, puritans (protestants) supported the Parliament.
Watch the videos about the Glorious Revolution and answer the following questions:
a) What was James II religious project for England?
That people would be catholic. His project was to create a Catholic State
b) How was the project of James II against interests of the Parliament?
The parliament was protestant and wanted to stay protestant. The king threatened the parliament with religious violence.
c) Which was the Parliament’s alternative to James II?
Find a person who is catholic William the Orange
d) Which were the terms that William and Mary of Orange had to comply with if they wanted to be invited to become British Monarchs?
-To be monarchs.
-Do the job that would else be for one person.
-List of demands at the coronation. Bill of rights: implement laws, levy taxes, maintain army and free elections of Parliament, free speech, parliamentary sovereignty.
Read the following excerpt from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s famous 1988 “Speech to the College of Europe”. Known as “The Bruges Speech” and list:
a) The historical sources of British current politics she mentions
Roman Empire, Norman and Angevin rule in the 11th and 12th century, glorious revolution, William the Orange, Magna Carta, Colonization, 1st World War
b) The contributions of the British Empire
Common experience as Europe, fought for Europe to not be only a single power culture, justice and liberty.
: Read the text on the conflict in Northern Ireland and answer the following questions:
a) What is the main conflict existing between Northern Ireland and Britain?
-1170-The Norman invasion (small area around Dublin under British control
-Native Irish are Catholic British Protestants invaded Ireland
-1609-The plantation of Ulster (religious, cultural and territorial differences)
-Dublin had British system in Parliament and enforced laws against Catholics
-1802-Act of Union British rule was established and Irish parliament abolished
-IRA and Sinn Fein nationalists Party
-1918-1921- War of Independence
-1920-Government of Ireland Act Northern Ireland belongs to Britain, independence of Northern Ireland from Britain
b) What are the main parties involved and which are their positions?
Unionists vs. Nationalists
Unionists:
-want to have Ireland united with Britain
-UUP-Ulster Unionist Party and DUP-Democratic Unionist Party (more populistic)
Nationalists:
-Unify Ireland
-SDLP (Social Democratic and Labour Party) and Sinn Féin (political arm of IRA)
Paramilitary Organisations:
-Sinn Féin
-they think that only force will remove the British out of Ireland
The united Kingdom:
-Northern Ireland is part of Britain
-1985: The Anglo-Irish Agreement
The Irish Republic:
-move towards unity requires agreement of majority of Northern Ireland
