1. The British Civil War & Glorious Revolution

2. The Early Stuarts
Attempt of early Stuarts to create an absolutist state was disastrous
Parliament resented James I ( ) because he assumed the power to levy taxes without its consent
Puritans resented his plan to strengthen the Anglican episcopacy (church hierarchy)
his pro-Catholic sentiment did not sit well with English Protestants

3. Charles I versus Parliament
came to power in 1625; acted the same way as his father before him
series of disagreements led to him dissolving Parliament, reinstating it, and dissolving it again
1640: Parliament rebelled against him, passing laws that limited the power of the monarchy & made levying taxes without Parliamentary consent illegal
Archbishop of England sided with Charles, emphasizing the divine right of kings
1641: impeached, imprisoned, (& executed 4 years later)

4. Civil War 1641: rebellion broke out in Ireland
Parliament was divided as to whether or not king should be given an army to suppress rebellion
Charles took advantage of the stalemate, raised an army, & invaded Parliament in January 1642
Parliament raised its own army & the resulting war lasted for 7 years
Oliver Cromwell turned the Parliamentary army into a well-disciplined, highly motivated fighting machine
Charles was defeated & Parliament executed him January 30, 1649

5. The Commonwealth
Parliament declared England a Commonwealth
abolished monarchy, House of Lords, & Anglicanism as the state religion
Cromwell’s army conquered Ireland & Scotland
he demanded other reforms from Parliament:
when reforms didn’t happen, he disbanded Parliament in 1653

6. Cromwell as Lord Protector:
ruled as military dictator for 5 years
decline in trade & commerce
harsh Puritan laws (closed theaters, gambling houses, & saloons), but allowed all Protestants to practice religion freely; later extended toleration to Catholics, Jews, & Quakers
censored the press
by the time of his death (1658) people were tired of military dictatorship…Parliament invited back into session soon thereafter

7. The Stuart Restoration
At the invitation of Parliament, Charles II occupied throne of England in 1660
Anglican Church reestablished as state church
forced to share power with Parliament
Parliament divided on religious issues
led to 1st permanent political parties in modern history
Whigs = favored exclusion of Catholics on English throne/opposed religious liberty
Tories = opposed exclusion

8. The Glorious Revolution
James II succeeded Charles II; battled with Parliament over religious issues (James was Catholic)
James’ wife gave birth to a son (Catholic heir) in June 1688
Tories & Whigs joined together against the king
invited James’ daughter Mary & her husband William of Orange (Dutch Protestant) to become joint monarchs of England
James II deposed (bloodless coup)

9. Constitutional Monarchy
new rulers agreed to several acts of Parliament that limited their power
citizens given right to petition king for redress of grievances
only Protestants could become king
English Bill of Rights approved Dec. 1689

10. Cabinet & Ministerial Government
cabinet ministers took over day-to-day affairs of king, beginning with George I of Hanover in 1714
George III tried to reassert himself during his reign
result: antagonized people at home & lost American colonies
**unlike the rest of Europe, parliamentary government & constitutional monarchy became the established order in Britain**

11. Oliver Cromwell