Political Divisions And Experiments: Republicanism And The Rump; Millenarianism And The Nominated Assembly

Question 1

When was the Dutch war?

Answer 1

• 1652-54

Question 2

Why was the Dutch war problematic?

Answer 2

• rump struggled to maintain authority due to the Dutch war
• the army saw the Protestant, mainly merchant class dutch republic as a natural ally because, during the years of laudian persecution -the religiously tolerant Dutch republic was a haven for many English radicals
• Dutch lost their economic advantaged when the rump’s navigation act of 1651 was passed - specified only English ships should bring goods into England and its colonies, and only English shops should bring fish into England
• Dutch war created army resentment over money being spent on the navy instead of the army - army also disliked fighting another Protestant country

Question 3

Why did the rump fail?

Answer 3

• army grew frustrated with the rump’s limited reform
• many of the MPs were relatively conservative and had not wanted regicide + sought to limit the revolution
• only 15% were classed as revolutionaries

Question 4

What were Cromwell’s aims

Answer 4

• imposing godliness
• healing and settling

Question 5

Why was the rump heavily conservative?

Answer 5

• economic ; rump came to power during a time of bad economy -this necessitated a more conservative approach, therefore they were not in agreement of extensive reform
• conservatism of individual MPs: out of 41 MPs on the council of state - 22 refused to swear an oath approving the regime and the abolition of the lords and monarchy
• serious situation - threat from Ireland and Scotland - therefore establishing the regime was more of a priority than reform
• fear of radical religious groups- further delayed reform
• the Dutch war became the attention

Question 6

What was the nature of the relationship of the rump and the army?

Answer 6

• fragile
• parliament could only function under the protection of the army

Question 7

What was the 1652 blasphemy act?

Answer 7

• prevent the increasing threat of religious radicalism
• further emphasised that the rump were more religiously conservative than the army wanted them to be

Question 8

What did the rump introduce in September 1650?

Answer 8

• end to compulsory church attendance of the national church
• also decided that legal proceedings would be in English not Latin

Question 9

What was the army’s main issue with the rump?

Answer 9

• their failure to introduce constitutional reform
• army felt as though they could not put pressure on the rump until Ireland and Scotland had been defeated

Question 10

Why did Cromwell forcibly dissolve the rump in April 1653?

Answer 10

• the rump’s cutting of the army budget
• April 1653 - discovered that the rump intended to set up its own committee to judge those who would be elected - felt this would maintain the rump’s power and prevent reform
• Cromwell dissolved the rump with the help of Thomas Harrison - leading fifth monarchist

Question 11

What came after the rump?

Answer 11

• the nominated assembly - army officers selected 139 MPs to form the next parliament

Question 12

How did the fifth monarchists want the regime to look?

Answer 12

• run exclusively by the saints based on their interpretation of the bible - particularly biblical books of Daniel and revelation
• these books suggested to them that the thousand year kingdom of saints was close - derived belief from millenarianism
• supported the army + believed that the political revolution symbolised the end of days
• saw the rump as preventing the establishment of godly rule

Question 13

When was the nominated assembly formed?

Answer 13

• July 1653 - lasted until December

Question 14

What was the nominated assembly derided as?

Answer 14

• barebones parliament

Question 15

What were the positives of the nominated assembly?

Answer 15

• looked at many reform proposals - eg
• reform of the law and debt
• more humane treatment of the insane
• civil registration of births, deaths and marriages
• tougher measure against thieves and highwaymen
• none of these measures were too radical to frighten moderates

Question 16

How many of fifth monarchists were in the nominated assembly?

Answer 16

12

Question 17

What did the fifth monarchists members of the rump achieve?

Answer 17

• able to get through the assembly controversial votes to abolish the court of chancery and lay patronage of church livings - as well as signal their desire to get rid of tithes, which was not pushed through

Question 18

What was the legislative record of the nominated assembly?

Answer 18

• sat 6 days a week, starting at 8am - rump had only sat 12 hours in contrast
• passed 26 ordinances in 5 months - eg allowing civil marriage

Question 19

What were the failures of the nominated assembly?

Answer 19

• divided between religious radicals and conservatives
• propertied members were upset with the assembly’s call to abolish tithes - saw it as a serious attack in their property rights - led to a coup d’etat

Question 20

How many members of the nominated assembly had preciously sat in the rump?

Answer 20

18

Question 21

What did the religious radicals in the nominated assembly aim for?

Answer 21

• no national church
• abolish tithes

Question 22

What did law reform radicals aim for in the nominated assembly ?

Answer 22

• fifth monarchists believed only in the laws in the bible
• common law seen as non- scriptural
• abolish court of chancery

Question 23

What did moderate members of the nominated assembly aim for in terms of religion?

Answer 23

• national church leading by example
• toleration extended to all Protestants
  -keep tithes

Question 24

What did moderate members of the nominated assembly aim for in terms of law reform?

Answer 24

• preserve common law
  -follow the lead of The Hale commission - which suggested reforms such as : reforming the court of chancery, abolishing imprisonment of debt etc
• make the law more humane