English Constitutional Monarchy

Background (1215-1603)

The Foundation: English Constitutionalism Magna Carta (1215)  a CONTRACT between the king & aristocracy Model Parliament (1295)  est. parliamentary “power of the purse” Two Houses created after 100 Years’ War (1453) House of Lords (nobles & aristocracy). House of Commons (2 burgesses from each town) The Elizabethan “Bargain” (1558-1603) Parliament  tax & amend/debate bills Monarch  controls foreign policy

The Early Stuarts (1603-1625)

James I [r. 1603-1625] Issues/Conflicts: Edge  Even Did NOT understand English customs (or try to!) James believed in divine right of kings Tried to raise £ w/o Parliament’s consent Alienated the Puritans w/his strong defense of Anglican Church Accused of pro-Catholic sympathies Edge  Even

Charles I [r. 1625-1649] Issues/Conflicts: Edge  King Raised £ w/o Parliament’s consent for war w/ Spain (“ship money”) Quartered troops in private homes Signed, then ignored, the Petition of the Right (1628) Married Catholic Henrietta Marie of France He & Archbishop Laud sought to impose religious conformity; cause Presbyterian revolt in Scotland Dissolved “Short” Parliament (1640) Edge  King

The Civil War (1642-1649)

Parliamentarians (Roundheads) Royalists (Cavaliers) English Civil War (1642-1649) Parliamentarians (Roundheads) Royalists (Cavaliers) Causes  Long Parliament (1640-60) passes Triennial Act & executes Laud Charles fails to dissolve Parliament by force (arrest MPs) Cromwell led Roundhead Calvary (New Model Army) that defeated Royal forces at Naseby (1645) Cromwell purges House of Commons of Moderates & Presbyterians (“Rump Parliament”) Edge  Parliament

Regicide  Beheading of Charles I, 1649 The vote by the Rump Parliament was 68-67.

The Interregnum (1649-1660)

The Interregnum (1649-1660) Edge  Cromwell Issues/Conflicts: Cromwell briefly creates republican Commonwealth (1649-53). Cromwell est. military dictatorship – Protectorate (1653-60) Adopts mercantilist economic policies (ex. Navigation Acts of 1651) Religious tolerance for all except Catholics (includes Jews!!!) Closed theaters, taverns, brothels & banned sporting events Crushes revolts in Scotland & Ireland (Drogheda Rebellion) Edge  Cromwell

% Of Land Owned by Catholics in Ireland [in green]

The Restoration (1660-1688) Parliament could no more exist without the Crown than the Crown without Parliament. This was the most important lesson of the English Civil War!

King Charles II [r. 1660-1685] Issues/Conflicts: Restored theaters & reopened taverns & brothels Created the Cabal Favored religious toleration “Cavalier” Parliament passed Test Act ( 1673)  must receive Anglican Eucharist to vote or hold office Signed secret Treaty of Dover (1670) w/ King Louis XIV to gain £ for Second Anglo-Dutch War Edge  Parliament (slight)

King James II [r. 1685-1688] Issues/Conflicts: Edge  King Convert to Catholicism Instituted Declaration of Indulgence (1687) Introduced Catholics into high command of both army & navy Surrounded himself w/ Catholic advisors & attacked Anglican control of universities Camped standing army a few miles outside of London Claimed power to suspend or dispense w/ Acts of Parliament Edge  King

The Glorious Revolution 1688

The “Glorious” Revolution: 1688 Issues/Conflicts: James II’s Catholic wife gave birth to a son  Catholic heir to throne Parliament offers throne to James’s daughter Mary & her husband William of Orange William arrives w/ army (Nov. 1688) w/o English opposition  James & family flee to France “Bloodless” Revolution  William & Mary accept throne Edge  Parliament wins!!!

English Bill of Rights [1689] It settled all of the major issues between King & Parliament. It served as a model for the U. S. Bill of Rights. It also formed a base for the steady expansion of civil liberties in the 18c and early 19c in England.

English Bill of Rights [1689] Main provisions: The King could not suspend the operation of laws. The King could not interfere with the ordinary course of justice. No taxes levied or standard army maintained in peacetime without Parliament’s consent. Freedom of speech in Parliament. Sessions of Parliament would be held frequently. Subjects had the right of bail, petition, and freedom from excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment. The monarch must be a Protestant. Freedom from arbitrary arrest. Censorship of the press was dropped. Religious toleration.

Responses to the English Revolution Thomas Hobbes Leviathan (1651) John Locke Two Treatises of Gov’t (1690) VS. Human life was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish & short” Absolute ruler w/ unlimited power needed to keep people in line Rebellions by subjects MUST be suppressed People create gov’ts to protect their natural rights (esp. property rights) Have the right to change gov’t when they fail to do so Right to rebellion is protection against tyranny

Toleration Act [1689] All Protestants permitted to worship freely Outlawed Roman Catholics & non-Christians Did not extend full political rights to those outside the Church of England.