Parliament is Englands legislature; they held the purse strings
Parliaments financial power was an obstacle to English rulers
becoming absolute monarchs In 1603, James I becomes king; doesnt
want to share any power with Parliament Fought with Puritans who
wanted the church to be less like Catholic churches James I didnt
make any major changes, but he did have a new translation of the
Bible
Slide 3
1625 Charles I becomes king - absolute monarch Charles needs
money for war with Spain and France When Parliament refuses to give
him money, he dissolves it (cancels it) 1628 recalls Parliament to
give him money Parliament wont give it to him until he signs the
Petition of Right -law was higher than the king Contradicted
absolute monarchy no taxes w/out consent no quartering of troops no
imprisonment w/out cause no martial law Charles signs it, then
ignores it
Slide 4
1629 Charles dissolves Parliament again and refuses to call it
back - Gets money by fees and fines on the English people - Makes
him very unpopular Charles wants English & Scottish in Anglican
Church Scots rebel - Charles needs $$$ to fight them Needs
Parliament, this as an opportunity to oppose him - Parliament
passes laws limiting royal power Charles tries to arrest
Parliaments leaders, but they escape Riots force Charles to flee
London and raise an army in the north
Slide 5
Charles fights back and Civil War begins (1642 1649) Supporters
of Charles and the monarchy Cavaliers Supporters of Parliament
Roundheads Leader of the Roundheads Oliver Cromwell, Puritan Leads
New Model Army Roundheads defeat Cavaliers
Slide 6
Roundheads and Cavaliers
Slide 7
Charles I is tried for treason against Parliament and executed
First time in Europe that a ruling monarch had been tried publicly
and executed by his own people Parliament shows that in England, no
ruler can claim absolute power and ignore the rule of law Horrible
History
Slide 8
Execution of Charles I
Slide 9
After Charles is executed, Cromwell abolishes the monarchy
Declares England a republic - Commonwealth 1 st Constitution of any
modern European state is written However by: 1653 Cromwell sends
home Parliament Cromwell tears it up and becomes a military
dictator
Slide 10
Cromwell immediately puts down a rebellion in Ireland In
England, Cromwell and Puritans want to reform society by promoting
Puritan morality No theater, sports or dancing Religious toleration
for all Christians except Catholics
Slide 11
Cromwell rules until death 1658 - tired of strict Puritanism
and strict military rule Parliament asks Charles Is son to rule
England - Charles II comes to London amid cheering and happiness;
becomes monarch in 1660 Called Restoration - the monarchy returned
to throne
Slide 12
Under Charles II, Parliament passes an important guarantee of
freedom, habeas corpus 1679 Prisoners have right to know the
charges against them and could not be held indefinitely without a
trial A monarch could not put someone in jail simply for opposing
the ruler Charles has no heir - Parliament debated who should
inherit Charless throne - His brother James, a Catholic was in line
to be King
Slide 13
1685 Charles II dies & James II becomes king; openly
Catholic Appoints Catholics to high office - Parliament protests,
so James dissolves it (again) Worried Protestants ask his daughter
Mary and her husband William, who are Protestants, to become ruler
William leads his army into London in 1688 James II flees known as
the Glorious Revolution, the bloodless overthrow of the King James
II
Slide 14
Coronation of William and Mary
Slide 15
William and Mary - accept Parliament as a partner in governing
England becomes a constitutional monarchy, where laws limit the
rulers power Parliament writes the English Bill of Rights in 1689,
listing things a monarch could not do: Suspend any of Parliaments
laws No levying taxes without Parliaments approval No interfering
with freedom of speech in Parliament No penalty for citizens who
petitions the king about grievances (complaints)
Slide 16
After 1688, no British monarch could rule without the consent
of Parliament And Parliament could not rule without the consent of
the monarch If they disagreed, government came to a standstill
Settled by development of a cabinet, a group of officials who acted
in rulers name, but in reality represented the majority party of
Parliament; a link between monarch and Parliament Eventually, the
leader of the majority party in Parliament became the prime
minister
Slide 17
So England differs from most of Europe at the time by NOT
having an absolute monarchy Instead, they have a constitutional
monarchy in which the monarchs power is limited!