English 1642-1660

Question 1

The New Model Army

Answer 1

New Model Ordinance passed in February 1945 which created the New Model Army for the Parliamentarians

Army based on merit rather than status which had been seen in previous armies

4 months after its creation it decisively defeated the royalists at Naseby

Important figures include Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell

Conscription and Puritanism helped increase the New Model Armies numbers

Question 2

Royalists

Answer 2

Supported King Charles in the war

Nicknamed “Cavaliers”

Laudian

Key figures include Charles and Prince Rupert

Question 3

Why did the Parliamentarians win?

Answer 3

Superior resources and finances attributed to their control of London

The parliamentarians controlled the Navy

Alliance with the Scots - Solemn League and Covenant (1644) which said the Scots would support the parliamentarian in return for a Presbyterian church in England

Self Denying Ordinance (either sit in parliament or retain commissions in the army) - many great leaders like Fairfax and Cromwell

Charles surrenders to the Scots

Question 4

What factions emerged within parliament after the first civil war?

Answer 4

Political independents - links to New Model Army

Political presbyterians - links to Scotland

Question 5

Newcastle propositions

Answer 5

July 1646 - set of demands intoduced by political presbyterians which Charles was indecisive about - as a consequence, Charles is handed over to parliament

They demanded:
Abolish Bishops + presbyterian Church set up for 3 years

Strict anti-Catholic laws enforced

Parliament has control of army for next 20 years

New parliaments every 3 years

Parliament to nominate 13 officers of state

Presbyterian church for three years’ trial

58 royalists will lose land for fighting with the king

48 royalists will be dismissed from office for life

Question 6

The emergence of the army as a political force

Answer 6

Levellers - radical group who believe in the equality of man - society should be “levelled” - had a big presence in the army

Parliament tried to disband army the army without pay - refused to disband

Political spokesperson = Agitators

Cornet Joyce, on behalf of the army, seizes the king

Army offered the king their own proposals

Question 7

Heads of Proposals

Answer 7

August 1647 - Heads of Proposals - new set of demands created by Ireton

Triennial act repealed + replace with Biennial Parliament

Parliament would nominate key officers of state for 10 years

Parliament would control the militia for 10 years

Bishops would remain, but their power reduced

Royal family to be restored without personal constraint

No Presbyterian church

Seven royalists not to be pardoned

Parliament’s enemies to be dismissed from offices for 5 years

Question 9

What were the Putney Debates?

Answer 9

The levellers want pay, rights and opportunities after the war

Levellers obsessed with franchise

Levellers making it harder for parliament to negotiate with the king

Question 10

Charles at the start of the second civil war

Answer 10

Escaped captivity under Cornet Joyce but got caught and sent to Isle of Wight at Carisbrooke Castle

Charles negotiated The Engagement With The Scots which would provide Charles with an army in exchange for making England have a presbyterian church for 3 years. This happened in December 1647 and sparked the Second Civil War

Question 11

The Second Civil War

Answer 11

Started in 1648 and lasted 7 months (Feb-Aug)

Charles is defeated in the Battle of Preston

Made parliament feel that they could no longer negotiate with Charles - He proved he was a traitor and regicide was discussed

Question 12

How did Parliament execute the king?

Answer 12

Many wanted to continue negotiations, some wanted to execute Charles

To put Charles on trial, the moderates had to be removed from parliament

Prides Purge - Colonel Thomas Pride arrested 45 and excluded 186 MP’s

Charles put on trial for establishing a rule with unlimited power and breaking the ancient right of having the public’s grievances and wishes heard

Executed on 30 January 1649

Question 13

What years were each era?

Answer 13

Commonwealth - 1649-53
Protectorate - 1653-59
Restoration - 1660-85

Question 14

Rump Parliament

Answer 14

Radical reform of government

The house of lords is abolished in 1649

Abolished the monarchy

Council of state created

Declared England as a commonwealth to be run by a single-chamber parliament

Question 15

What issues did the Rump face?

Answer 15

Ireland and Scotland angry - Ireland royalist supporters

New religious groups established

Costs of war

Threat of foreign invasion - France

Small minority wanted regicide

Question 16

Actions taken by the Rump as a result of backlash

Answer 16

Invade Ireland and forcibly suppress opposition - royalist sympathisers

Little wanted regicide - Rump formed and reliance on Lower Gentry to take up local positions

Debt was legalised and an end to high taxation

To fight off money problems - sold crown land and monthly assessment raise - taxation

Parliament fights Scotland - Charles II on Scots side and defeated at Dunbar in 1650, then

New religious groups - enforced tithes (church tax) and passed the blasphemy act of August 1650 which restricted radical religious beliefs and abolished bishops

Question 17

First Anglo-Dutch War

Answer 17

1652-54

Driven by commercial rivalry

Dutch claimed exclusive right to fishing in the North Sea

England demanded recognition of sovereignty in the English Channel

English introduce Navigation Act which harmed Dutch trade

Question 18

What was the Navigation Act?

Answer 18

Imports had to be on British ships or from ships of the trades origin

Question 19

What is mercantilism?

Answer 19

Government promoting trade - increasing exports and reducing imports

Question 20

Success of the Rump

Answer 20

Minor legal reforms like abolishing the use of Latin and abolishing privileges for MP’s

Victories in Ireland

Taxation

Sale of Crown Lands

Victories in Scotland

Abolish Bishops

Question 21

Failures of the Rump

Answer 21

Oath of Engagement, 1650, required every man to take an oath to the commonwealth but failed to promote actual loyalty

Conservative nature of the Rump led to very little reform taking place

Act of Oblivion, 1651, aimed to reconcile former Royalists to the Commonwealth but it failed due to multiple exceptions

High taxes to maintain the army

Question 22

Why did the Rump end?

Answer 22

Cromwell dissolves it in 1653 by force - “Riding the Tiger” - heavily influenced by the army

Slow pace of introducing social and religious reforms angered the New Model Army and radicals

Elections would most likely lead to more conservatives and so less reform

Question 23

Nominated Assembly

Answer 23

Known as the Barebones Parliament after Praise-God Barebone who was a 5th Monarchist

Members were chosen by churches and radical groups for their godliness

140 members

Clear New Model Army influence

Split between radical 5th Monarchists and the conservative gentry

Question 24

Actions of the Nominated Assembly

Answer 24

Civil Marriages

Continued war with Dutch for trade routes

Regulations concerning treatment of “lunatics”

Created Council of State

Question 25

What was the Instrument of Government?

Answer 25

Written up by Major General, John Lambert as an attempt at a constitution in 1653 Made Cromwell Lord Protector Power laid in Lord Protector and his Council of State as well as a single-chamber parliament Parliaments elected every 3 years by voters with minimum £200 property and would sit for a minimum of 5 months Cromwell stays head of New Model Army and Council of State chooses new protector upon his death No religious toleration for Roman Catholics and supporters of episcopacy Opposition from both sides of parliament

Question 26

When was the First Protectorate Parliament?

Answer 26

1654-55

Question 27

What happened to the Nominated Assembly?

Answer 27

The discourse between the Radicals and Conservatives led to the Conservatives calling for an abdication of parliament

Question 28

When did the first Protectorate Parliament meet?

Answer 28

3rd September 1654

Question 29

How long did the First Protectorate Parliament last?

Answer 29

3rd September 1654 - 22nd January 1655 5 months

Question 30

Why did Cromwell dissolve the First Protectorate Parliament?

Answer 30

Parliament pursued a radical agenda which Cromwell disliked

Question 31

Rule of the Major Generals

Answer 31

In Spring of 1655, a Royalist uprising led by John Penruddock - Cromwell decided that provinces needed greater control over provinces New Model Army in control 11 districts all ruled by a Major-General Major-General assisted in their task by a new militia Military rule funded by decimation tax - 10% on Royalist estates Encouraged to attempt “reformation of manners” across the social spectrum Closed 200 alehouses, suppressed theatres and horse racing Commissions of Triers and Ejectors to supervise the running of Church - emphasis on quality of preaching and flexibility of belief Hardline Puritan policies in some areas Martial law indicative of a failure to find permanent constitutional settlement

Question 32

How long did the Rule of the Major-Generals last?

Answer 32

August 1655 - January 1657

Question 33

When was the Second Protectorate Parliament?

Answer 33

17th September 1656 - 4th February 1658

Question 34

Why was the Second Protectorate Parliament created?

Answer 34

The Major-Generals believed it to be the best way to fund the Anglo-Spanish War

Question 35

What was the Humble Petition and Advice?

Answer 35

Remonstrance given to Cromwell which proposed: A hereditary Monarchy with Cromwell as king A second chamber of parliament

Question 36

How did Cromwell alter the Humble Petition and Advice?

Answer 36

Replaced the hereditary Monarchy with the announcement of an heir as Lord Protector

Question 37

How was religion perceived under Cromwell?

Answer 37

Desire to build a "godly society" Largely tolerant of protestant dissent - not really persecuted Quakers persecuted - James Nayler case Persecution of Catholics: Oath of Abjuration - oath to deny belief Catholic Chapels closed Catholics had to pay 2x the assessment tax

Question 38

Richard Cromwell, General Monck and the restoration

Answer 38

After Cromwell's death, his son Richard Cromwell took the mantle of Lord Protector Richard was incompetent and was not supported, especially by the army who seized parliament and then dissolved it They then recalled the Rump who dismissed Richard Cromwell General Monck rides into London and dissolves the Rump and calls for new elections These elections lead to the convention parliament Charles II told to go from France to Netherlands as negotiations looked more favourable On May 25th 1660, Charles returns to England

Question 39

Declaration of Breda

Answer 39

4th April 1660 Co-operation and harmony with the political nation Amnesty for actions taken in the year of the war except for those who signed his Fathers death warrant The settlement of outstanding issues in partnership with parliament Pay for the army and religious toleration would continue Charles accepted the Declaration of Breda

Question 40

Successes of the Interregnum

Answer 40

Comparative religious toleration in England Effective unification of England, Ireland and Scotland No serious Royalist threats Navigation Act leading to mercantilist government (pro-trade) Imperial expansion - Jamaica, Dunkirk etc

Question 41

Failures of the Interregnum

Answer 41

Not being able to establish a permanent constitutional settlement Irish Genocide Dutch war leading to recession Unpopularity of Major-generals Failure to reach agreement with any parliament Over reliance on the army