Parliament Limits the English Monarchy The Greedy Queen and Her Stingy Parliament

James I and the clash with Parliament 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

James I continued Also annoyed people b/c he refused to make Puritan reforms (get rid of Catholic practices). Hated when anyone told him what to do (sound familiar?) Known for the King James bible – the Puritan translation of the old bible

King James I

Charles I 1625, James I dies and his son, Charles I, gets the throne Always needed $ for war When parliament denied $ requests, he dissolved parliament 1628, parliament gets back together and asks Charles to sign the Petition of Right

Petition of Right No imprisonment without due cause No taxation without parliament’s consent No putting soldiers in private homes No martial law during peacetime Charles I signed the petition and then ignored it – even dissolved parliament again and levied mad taxes on the people

More of Charles I The people hated the taxes (obviously) Doesn’t he look like a pompous jerk?

English Civil War Since Charles I ruled over Scotland AND England, there were several religions Charles I wanted ONE religion – ended up in Civil War when the Scots rebelled War cost $, so Charles needed Parliament. Parliament hated him and wanted to limit his power Supporters of Charles I = Royalists The opposition supports Parliament = Roundheads

More Civil War Under leadership of Oliver Cromwell, the Puritan Roundheads finally won (1646) Took Charles I hostage, tried him in front of the public and executed him The decapitation -

Oliver Cromwell 1649 he got rid of the monarchy and established a republican form of government Sent most of the Parliamentary members home and eventually established a military dictatorship (he tore up the first constitution that his associates produced) Since Ireland was under English rule, the Irish revolted against Cromwell and failed – 616,000 Irish were killed by war, plague and famine

Puritan Morality Cromwell and the Puritans wanted to improve England’s morality Abolished all “sinful” things – like theater Cromwell was tolerant of other religions despite his deep Puritan beliefs (EXCEPT CATHOLICS)

Restoration and Revolution The English get sick of military rule and after Cromwell dies, they ask the older son of Charles I (Charles II) to rule England Restoration of monarch = restoration Allowed the return of theater and sports Passed important guarantee of freedom: Habeas Corpus “to have the body” People need to know why they’re arrested Could not be held indefinitely without trial

James II and the Glorious Revolution James II got the throne after Charles II died Everyone hated James b/c he was flamboyantly Catholic and gave his Catholic friends good jobs James was eventually peacefully overthrown by his own daughter and her husband (protestants) William and Mary then ruled England

Political Changes First Constitutional Monarchy where laws limited the ruler’s power Bill of Rights: No suspension of Parliament’s laws No taxes w/o Parliament’s consent Freedom of speech in Parliament No penalty for complaining about the King

Political Changes Continued Established a Cabinet Cabinet was a link b/w the majority party in Parliament and the King Became center of power and policymaking Still exists today Leader of Cabinet = Prime Minister