Chapter 4: From Civil War to Commonwealth

Question 1

What is a civil war?

Answer 1

When a country is fighting with itself; there is an internal conflict

Question 2

What was the English Civil War? Explain briefly. And when.

Answer 2

It happened in 1642, where thousands of Englishmen fought each other.

Question 3

What were the two sides in the English Civil War?

Answer 3

There was King Charles I and his followers, called the Royalists. On the other side were the men of Parliament and their followers, called the Parliamentarians.

Question 4

What two main powers were against each other in the English Civil War?

Answer 4

The parliament and King Charles I

Question 5

When did King James I die?

Answer 5

He died in 1625.

Question 6

Why was the Civil War fight triggered?

Answer 6

James I sent the members of the parliament back to their homes for 11 years, and only brought them back because he needed money.

Question 7

What started the preparation for the war? When?

Answer 7

In December 1641, a long list of complaints about King Charles I was given to him

Question 8

How did the Royalists get the money for the war?

Answer 8

King Charles I’s wife sold the crown jewels in Netherlands

Question 9

On what day did was the English Civil War officially declared?

Answer 9

22 August 1642

Question 10

What side did ordinary people take in the English Civil War?

Answer 10

They chose the side that got to their village/town first or what their landowner supported.

Question 11

What consequences did the ordinary Englishmen have in the Civil War?

Answer 11

They often fought with friends and family, were forced to give shelter and food to soldiers. This made people suffer as their homes, possessions and land were destroyed by the visiting soldiers.

Question 12

Which people supported the king in the Civil War?

Answer 12

Rich lords and country gentlemen. Catholics also.

Question 13

Which people supported the parliament in the Civil War?

Answer 13

Merchants, businessmen and Puritans

Question 14

Who were Cavaliers?

Answer 14

They were the royalist people in the civil war

Question 15

Who were the Roundheads

Answer 15

They were the parliamentarians in the civil war

Question 16

What is cavalry?

Answer 16

Cavalry is the army unit that are soldiers on horses

Question 17

What army unit did ordinary people become?

Answer 17

They became musketeers or pikemen

Question 18

What do you call soldiers without horses?

Answer 18

Infantry

Question 19

What clothing colour did each side wear to differentiate each other?

Answer 19

Royalists wore red slashes (a thin red cloth that they wrapped around their body), and Parliamentarians wore yellow slashes.

Question 20

Who were musketeers?

Answer 20

Musketeers were army units with muskets. Musket is a big heavy gun.

Question 21

Who were pikemen?

Answer 21

Pikemen were army units with pikes. A pike is a very very long stick with metal at the end. They also had a sword, unlike musketeers who just had a musket.

Question 22

What was the first great battle in the Civil war

Answer 22

Battle of Edgehill 1642

Question 23

What was the New Model Army?

Answer 23

It was a professional army, which was created after the first great battle of the civil war by the Parliament. It was England’s first truly professional army.

Question 24

What was Oliver Cromwell’s role in the creation of the New Model Army?

Answer 24

He criticized the army and said that it needed to be improved. The job of creating this was given to Thomas Fairfax.

Question 25

What two battles ensured the success of the New Model Army?

Answer 25

The battle of Marston Moor and Naseby.

Question 26

When did King Charles realize he couldn't do anything anymore? What did he do?

Answer 26

He gave up on May 5 1646, and went to Scotland hoping to be safe there. He was sold to the Parliament for 400,000 pounds.

Question 27

What happened after King Charles was captured by the parliament?

Answer 27

The parliament hoped to have peaceful talks with King Charles I, but he escaped and persuaded the Scots to help him fight again. They fought and lost quickly.

Question 28

When was King Charles I beheaded?

Answer 28

30 January 1649

Question 29

What led to King Charles I getting beheaded?

Answer 29

He was tried in English courts, and didn't say if he was going to plead guilty or not guilty. He was being very disobedient until eventually the court declared him a traitor and the judges signed the death warrant.

Question 30

Explain what happened on the day of the execution, before, during and after it.

Answer 30

Charles spent the few days at one of his royal palaces. He dressed in all black and walked his pet spaniel at St James's Park. He wore a blue sash as a sign or royalty. Many executioners refused to do the job until 2 people accepted the offer but did it with fake beards and everything. After Charles was beheaded, his head was picked up and shown. People paid to do weird things (dip their handkerchiefs in the blood).

Question 31

What is a Republic? and was Britain ever a Republic?

Answer 31

A Republic is a country without a king or queen, and Britain was a Republic after King Charles I death.

Question 32

For how long was Britain a Republic?

Answer 32

11 years

Question 33

Who was the unofficial leader after King Charles I's death?

Answer 33

Oliver Cromwell.

Question 34

Who was Oliver Cromwell?

Answer 34

He was a Member of the Parliament and a brilliant army leader. He was also a Puritan (a person who was a strict christian).

Question 35

Did the Parliament rule after King Charles death?

Answer 35

No, because politicians were arguing amongst each other. Instead, Oliver Cromwell, who was greatly respected, decided to rule the country himself. He divided the country into 11 regions and appointed a Major-General for each one.

Question 36

What did Major-Generals and Oliver Cromwell do as Puritans?

Answer 36

They banned many entertainments such as Football, Inns, Bear-baiting, Theaters, Maypole dancing, and gambling. They also banned several traditional days such as May Day and Christmas.

Question 37

Was Cromwell a good Puritan himself?

Answer 37

No, he frequently drank, played bowls, and liked music and hunting.

Question 38

When did Oliver Cromwell die?

Answer 38

September 1658

Question 39

What is an interregnum?

Answer 39

A period of time in a country where there are no kings, they are in between kings.

Question 40

Is Cromwell supported in Britain??

Answer 40

Some people like him, some dont.

Question 41

Why did Oliver Cromwell die?

Answer 41

Malaria

Question 42

Who was Cromwell junior?

Answer 42

He was Richard, son of Cromwell who was made Lord Protector. He didn't want the job (to work in his farm) and resigned after he couldn't solve disputes between the army and the parliament.

Question 43

Who became king after Cromwell Junior?

Answer 43

King Charles II, son of King Charles I.

Question 44

When did King Charles II become king?

Answer 44

1660

Question 45

What did King Charles II do about the people who killed King Charles?

Answer 45

He took out the heads of the people who were already dead, and executed the regicides (remember this term, it is for someone who has killed a monarch)

Question 46

What happened to Cromwell's head?

Answer 46

It was placed on a pole, but was blown off in a storm. Then a soldier finds it and eventually gives it to his family once he dies. The head was sold and placed in a museum, then sold again and put on display. Then a person bought it, whose descendants decided to bury it properly