English Civil War – Glorious Revolution

James I wanted absolute power when he inherited the throne from Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth wanted absolute power too, but was better at flattering parliament to get her way

Always conflict between the royalty and parliament over $ - royalty wants $ for royal court and foreign wars

English kings want to be absolute monarchs

Problem – English kings need Parliament (representative assembly) for money

James I dies and son Charles I takes overCharles I 1. 1628 – summons Parliament because he needs money

2. Parliament forces him to sign Petition of Right – king cannot raise taxes without Parliament’s consent and king cannot imprison anyone without just cause-

3. 1629 – Charles I dismisses Parliament

Petition of RightNo imprisonment without due causeNo taxation without parliament’s

consentNo putting soldiers in private homesNo martial law during peacetime

Charles I signed the petition and then ignored it – even dissolved parliament again and levied mad taxes on the people

The people hated the taxes (obviously)

1640-1653 – Long Parliament declared that Parliament could not be dissolved without its consent

1642 Charles I led troops into Parliament English Civil War begins

Cavaliers (supported Charles I) vs. Roundheads (supported Parliament and its leader – Oliver Cromwell)

Roundheads got their names because they had short hair- exposing their “round head”

1649 Charles I executed – first time that a ruling monarch had been tried and executed by his own people

Commonwealth – England ruled by a commoner (Oliver Cromwell) and not by a king

Cromwell promoted Puritan beliefs (closed theaters, pubs, etc…)

No sporting events

Cromwell dies1660 Parliament invited Charles

II (son of Charles I) to rule England – restoring monarchy to England

Charles II – reopened theaters and taverns & restored Church of England –People

1685 James II becomes king of England

James II was openly Catholic and appointed Catholics to high office problem because England is a Protestant nation

Many feared James II would restore Catholic Church

1688 Parliament invited William and Mary (Protestant daughter of James II) to rule England – bloodless revolution

James II fled1689 Bill of Rights – trial by jury

& abolished excessive fines and cruel and unjust punishment

Limited Monarchy monarch + representative assembly

Habeas Corpus no person can be held in prison without being charged with a specific crime “to have the body” People need to know why they’re arrested Could not be held indefinitely without trial

Parliament is more powerful than the king