England in the 1600s: The Rise of Constitutionalism

INTRODUCTION: Absolutism spread throughout Europe (ie. Frederick William, the Great Elector (1640-1688) ruled German state of Brandenburg- Prussia. He build a strong army, gave tax exemptions to the nobles (Junkers), built a strong civil service & industry. Austria – Hapsburgs led nation to be a powerful state.

Constitutionalism: Where did it start? Two countries, England & the Netherlands rejected the trend of absolutism. They evolved into constitutional states with a set of institutions and laws governing them that limited royal authority & gave certain rights to their people. Constitutionalism – a state in which authority is distributed legally among a number of institutions & levels. Absolute states had constitutions, but “the strong central government were limited by custom. In England, these limitations were part of the laws and customs of the state.”

Constitutionalism in England Serious limitations came only have a civil war, an execution of the king, & 2 revolutions. Charles I (1625-1649): Tried to govern by personal rule, avoid parliament and angered religious groups (ie. Puritans, Presbyterians). Parliament led by Oliver Cromwell fought in the civil war with the Charles I (1642) and won! (Parliament wanted to abolish taxes it did not approve, get rid of courts who answered to the King)

Constitutionalism in England The Parliamentarians formidable Ironsides force won an important victory against the king’s Royalist forces in 1644 &1645. Cromwell helped repel the Royalist invasion of Scotland, and in 1646 Charles surrendered to a Scottish army. In 1648, Charles was forced to appear before a high court controlled by his enemies, where he was convicted of treason and sentenced to death the following year (on Jan 30th 1649).

Constitutionalism in England England became a Republic (a nation in which citizens elect representatives to manage the government) for the next 11 years A Protectorate under Cromwell was established & included a constitution After Cromwell’s death in 1658, a new parliament wanted a limited monarchy & placed Charles II as king (1660-1885) (aka. The Restoration) Charles II agreed to the role of parliament in governing a country

Constitutional Monarchy in England Charles II was sympathetic to Catholics and his brother & heir James, was a practicing Catholic. Parliament passed the Test Act in 1673 (only those who supported the state religion – Anglicanism, could hold civil & military offices). England was divided in two groups – the Tories & the Whigs King James II (1685-1688) Placed Roman Catholics into gov. jobs & wanted Catholicism to be the state religion (this angered Tories)

Constitutional Monarchy in England When James II second wife, a Catholic, gave birth to a son, a number of Tories and Whigs went to Holland (Dutch Republic) asked William of Orange (grandson of James I) to come to England with an army. James II fled to France, & the Glorius Revolution occurred with William and Mary (James Protestant daughter) taking the throne in 1689. Major Acts were passed like the Bill of Rights (parliament could make laws, impose taxes, the right to petition the king, trial by jury, elections of MPs be free from interference by the crown)

Constitutional Monarchy in England The king required consent of parliament to keep a standing army, parliamentary debate was protected. An Act of Toleration (1689) granted Puritans the right to worship freely. The Glorious Revolution affirmed a government by a law constitutional monarchy. England became an oligarchy, governed by a wealthy class, mostly aristocratic and landowning, until the 19th Century.