Civil War and Revolution
I. Causes of the English Civil War and Revolution [Royal Genealogy]
A. economics
1. Elizabeth (1558-1603) had sold off many of the Church
lands that Henry VIII had confiscated; this nearly
bankrupted the crown
2. thus, her successor, James I (1603-25) had no choice
but to turn to taxation when he got involved in wars
with France and Spain
B. politics
1. but Parliament did not want to grant him a new tax
2. thus, James solved some of his financial needs by digging up
old taxes and enforcing them, and by borrowing money
3. this meant that crown finances were in big trouble by the time
Charles I (1625-49) came to the throne
4. Charles agreed to the Petition of Right (1628) in order to
receive a grant of taxation from parliament
5. this document reiterated the freedoms of the English
people and became part of the English constitution
6. but Charles reneged and dissolved parliament, however,
because he saw the Petition as too great a limit on his power
C. religion
1. Henry VIII had created the Anglican Church along
Lutheran lines but had kept the Catholic hierarchy
2. Calvinist ideas had filtered into England and English
Calvinists (known as Puritans) demanded reforms
3. Charles agreed to enact reforms and the new Calvinist
inspired Anglicanism would be the new religion of
both England and Scotland
4. problem: the new Anglicanism was not much different
5. the Scots revolted when Charles tried to impose it on them
6. Charles raised an army to fight the Scots and was soundly
defeated
7. Charles wants to raise another army to exact revenge, but
he needs a grant of taxation to do this
II. Civil War and Revolution
A. The lead-up to war
1. Charles summoned Parliament in 1640 and asked for a tax
2. Parliament wants more limits on the king's power
a. parliament every 3 years
b. abolish ancient taxes
c. firmly establish themselves as highest court
3. meanwhile, parliament is negotiating with the Scots
4. Charles leaves London, heads north, forms an army
and declares war on parliament
B. Stage One (1642-5) - Civil War
1. three years of indecisive battles
a. the king had fewer troops, but they were better trained troops
b. the Parliamentarians were more numerous
- but they were less organized and less well-trained
until they formed the New Model Army in 1645
c. the Parliamentarians also allied with the Scots
2. parlementarians soundly defeat royal forces in 1645 and gain
control of the kingdom
3. the king surrenders in following year
C. Stage Two (1645-9) - Debate; more Civil War
1. basically, this was four years of indecision
2. the Parliamentarians were not sure what to do with the king
- i.e., what limitations should be placed on him?
3. while a captive, king manages to play various factions against
each other
a. most members of the New Model Army were extreme Puritans
called Independents
b. they wanted the king dead
c. most members of Parliament did not want the king dead
4. Oliver Cromwell, leader of the New Model Army, defeats a force
of Parliamentarians and Scots who were encouraged by the king
to get rid of the New Model Army and the Independents
5. Cromwell and those he allowed to stay in Parliament decided the
king was too dangerous; they brought him to trial for crimes against
his subjects and beheaded him at a public execution in 1649
6. England was then declared a commonwealth; the monarchy and
house of lords are abolished
D. Stage Three (1649-60) - The Interregnum: Commonwealth and Protectorate
1. during the Commonwealth, parliament still couldn't decide
on a new constitution
2. various groups in London debating about a future path for England
a. royalists
b. Parliamentarians
c. Cromwell and the Independents (in the New Model Army)
d. many other groups, e.g., the Levellers
3. with the support of the army, Cromwell takes over in 1653;
he takes the title Lord Protector
4. Cromwell is a very charismatic leader; maintains control
of the army = no problems
5. Cromwell died in 1658; Parliament asked his son to take over
6. Richard Cromwell is not charismatic; not necessarily interested
in government and military
7. in 1660, the army stepped in, dissolved parliament, removed
Richard and asked Charles I's son to become king
E. Stage Four (1660-88) - The Restoration: A Return to Monarchy
1. Charles II (1660-85) ruled smoothly; did not challenge
parliament
2. development of traditional English political parties: Whigs and Tories
3. brother of Charles II, James II (1685-88), becomes king
4. James is a devout Catholic; started placing Catholics in
important positions; attempted to pack parliament
with his own supporters
5. parliament invited the Protestant Duke William of Orange
and his wife Mary (James II' s Protestant daughter)
to take the English throne
F. Stage Five (1688) - The Glorious Revolution
1. William and Mary arrive, James II flees, parliament
declares the throne vacant and offers it to William
and Mary
2. little bloodshed = Glorious Revolution
3. William and Mary had to agree to the Declaration of Rights
which summed up all the principles of constitutional
monarchy that had developed during the 17th century
4. they also had to agree to the Toleration Act = religious
freedom to nearly all types of Protestants
Discussion of DOCs 35 and 36:
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
John Locke, Two Treatises of Government
1. How does Thomas Hobbes describe the nature of humans?
2. Describe Hobbes' view of society that results from this state
of nature?
3. What is Hobbes' solution to fix the society you described in the
previous question?
4. Describe John Locke's view of the natural state of humans.
5. According to Locke, what is the Law of Nature and what rights
does it provide for all humans?
6. According to Locke, how do people move from a state of nature
to a political or civil society?