Revolution in Government

Question 1

Which historian argued that there was a revolution in government?

Answer 1

Elton

Question 2

Which historian argued that there was not a revolution in government?

Answer 2

Starkey

Question 3

Privy Council - YES revolution in government

Answer 3

Created in 1536 with Cromwell as Principal Secretary

Efficient form of day-to-day governing - had its own staff, took minutes, set agendas etc…

Reduced normal council members down from around 70 to 19

Became regency council - clearly very important and shown to work

Question 4

Privy Council - NO revolution in government

Answer 4

Historian Guy argues that PC was a response to the PoG

1537-40 Cromwell built up his own power to combat PC

Developed further AFTER Cromwell fell (e.g. gained own register and secretariat)

Based on Wol’s Eltham Ordinances

Question 5

Parliament - YES revolution in government

Answer 5

1215-1509 = 1092 pages of law

1509-47 = 1032 pages of law (+ now could legislate on religious matters, e.g. Act of Six Articles)

King IN Parl - statute law became highest form of law

Henry could not have broken from Rome without Parliament

More MPs (e.g. 24 new Welsh MPs)

Question 6

Parliament - NO revolution in government

Answer 6

Not planned revolution in government but simply natural changes for the political context

Parliament continued its historic role of granting taxes

Didn’t gain real power - arbitrarily grew in importance when Cromwell sat there (HoC more important when Cromwell was there, HoL more important from 1539 when he sat there)

Question 7

Finance - YES revolution in government

Answer 7

DissOfMons - royal income grew by £160,000

Royal income expanded due to acts like Act of Dispensations, Act of First Fruits and Tenths, Act of Restraint of Annates

New courts set up to handle this new revenue - Court of Augmentations (1536), Court of Wards (1540), Court of First Fruits and Tenths (1540), Court of General Surveyors (1540), Court of the Duchy of Lancaster

Cromwell made these courts answerable to him by appointing loyalists e.g. Gostwick 1st Fr and 1/10

Question 8

Finance - NO revolution in government

Answer 8

Did not simplify finances - no single body organising it all

Mainly reactionary (e.g. Ct of First Fruits and Tenths)

Cromwell might have had potential top revolutionise finance but Henry spent most of the money on FP (e.g. £800,000 on French and Scottish campaigns in 1540s)

Despite all of Crowmell’s changes, the Crown was £100k in debt to Antwerp by 1547

Question 9

King’s household - YES revolution in government

Answer 9

Under Cromwell, huge shift away from personal government –> bureaucratic government

Question 10

Local government - YES revolution in government

Answer 10

1536 Act Against Liberties and Franchises created a uniform pattern of law across the country and reduced power of the Neville and Percy families

Acts of Union w/ Wales (1536 and 1543) -1st sent Welsh MPs to Parliament, established English legal system in Wales and the Council of Wales, 2nd established English as the language of government in Wales

Council of the North established in 1537 - had a legal and administrative role as well as the power to deal with treason. Targeted in the Wakefield Plot (1541), showing its power.

Council of the West established in 1539

Question 11

Local government - NO revolution in government

Answer 11

Role of JPs stays the same and many are corrupt

Council of the North arguably a reactionary measure to PoG

Council of the West only met once and lapsed in 1540