england prior to civil war. things to know constitutionalism: government power is limited by law....
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England Prior to Civil War
Things To Know• Constitutionalism: Government power is limited by law.
There is a delicate balance between the power of government and the rights and liberties of individuals.
• Why was James I so unpopular with his British subjects? What alienated him from Parliament?
• What was Parliament's view of its political and constitutional role within the British government structure?
• How did Charles I continue his father's political and fiscal policies? Where did he go even further than his father?
Background
(1215-1603)
Background
(1215-1603)
Magna Carta, 1215
a King John I forced to accept it.
a A list of demands made by the nobility.
a Created a CONTRACT between the king and the aristocracy.
a Established principles which limited the power of the king:
Established basic legal rights.
The king must ask for popular consent for taxes.
Accused must have jury trial.
Model Parliament, 1295a King Edward I brought his military
leaders and nobility together as a Parliament to ask their consent to new taxes.
a Established the principle of parliamentary “power of the purse.”
a A radical new idea for any monarch to ask for anything!
The Elizabethan“Bargain”
a Parliament:
Would have the power to tax.
Can debate and amend disputed bills.
a The Monarch:
Had the royal perogative on foreign policy.
• Where is James I the king?
• Explain this path of the crown in England?
• What might some of James’s problems be?
TheEarly Stuarts
(1603-1649)
TheEarly Stuarts
(1603-1649)
The Stuart Monarchy
King James VI of Scotland
1603 The new king was Elizabeth’s nearest relative—the son of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots—James VI of Scotland.
His accession to the English throne joined the kingdoms of England and Scotland.
James was the first to call his island kingdom, Great Britain.
James VI of Scotland became James I of England, and his reign began with great promise for Catholics.
•He was an experienced monarch—he had ruled Scotland for 37 years.
•He had two sons to ensure the succession.
But within 38 years of his succession, England was torn apart by civil war!
James I of EnglandJames I of England
• James I told Parliament:James I told Parliament:““The state of monarchy is The state of monarchy is
the supremest thing upon earth; the supremest thing upon earth; for kings are not only God’s for kings are not only God’s lieutenants upon earth and sit lieutenants upon earth and sit upon God’s throne, but even by upon God’s throne, but even by God himself, they are called God himself, they are called gods.”gods.”
James I [r. 1603-1625]James I’s speech to the House of Commons:I am surprised that my ancestors should ever be permitted such an institution to come into existence. I am a stranger, and found it here when I arrived, so that I am obliged to put up with what I cannot get rid of!
What is James saying here?Who is he referring to?How does this quote connect to the idea of theDivine Right of Kings?
But James never understood how important the Members of Parliament considered their authority.
His criticism of Parliament was taken as threats.
He was, one MP said, the “wisest fool in Christendom.”
Robert Cecil, succeeded his father as chief minister for Queen Elizabeth in 1598 and continued in that position under James I.
Members of the Privy Council (his closest advisors) increasingly came from outside Parliament:
•Under Elizabeth, 6 of 13 ministers regularly sat in the House of Commons;
•Under James, only 3 of 23 came from the Commons.
James I [r. 1603-1625]
a Wanted absolute power.
a He quickly alienated a Parliament grown accustomed under the Tudors to act on the premise that monarch and Parliament TOGETHER ruled England
a He alienated the Puritans by his strong defense of the Anglican Church.
a Many of England’s gentry [mostly rich landowners below the level of the nobility] became Puritans.
These Puritan gentry formed an important and large part of the House of Commons.
It was NOT WISE to alienate them!
WHY?
Problems between the King and Parliament
• Religion—Puritans were members of the Anglican Church who wanted all Catholic rituals removed; Puritans were active members of Parliament & were angered when James I arranged marriage of son (Charles) to a Catholic princess
Gunpowder Plot, 1605Catholics in England had expected James to be more tolerant of them. In
fact, he had proved to be the opposite and had ordered all Catholic priests to leave England. This so angered some Catholics that they decided to kill James and put his daughter Elizabeth on the throne ensuring that she was a Catholic
The Gunpowder Plot was an attempt by some provincial Catholics to kill King James I and most of the Protestant aristocracy.
a Blow up the House of Lords during the state opening of Parliament.
Guy Fawkes
Why type of environment is all of this creating?
Gunpowder Plot Horrible Histories
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7exoXGUbIA
Executions of the Gunpowder Plotters
James I [r. 1603-1625]
a Problems he faced:
Large royal debt.
He wasn’t English he didn’t understand English customs [esp. English law!]
Believed in Divine Right of Kings.
Clashed with Parliament
Twice dissolved Parliament over issues of taxation and parliamentary demands for free speech.
He raised money without Parliament’s consent!
King James Bible, 1611
His Achievement
King James
James thought of himself as a fighter of evil and a true man of God with the Divine Right to Rule. He is remembered for ordering a new translation of the Bible, known as the King James Version of the Bible. He considered himself to be a “scholar of witches and witchcraft” (Garber, Marjorie B, Shakespeare After All, 1st ed. [New York: Pantheon Books, 2004], 697).
Charles I [r. 1625-1649]
• Inherited Problems – religious and political
• Wasn’t personable • Spent great deal on arts• Always needed $• Married a Roman Catholic• Involved in bad wars w/ Spain &
France
Charles I [r. 1625-1649]a Pro-ceremonies and rituals.
(goes against Puritan ideas)
a Uniformity of church services imposed by a church court.
Anglican Book of Common Prayer for both England AND Scotland.
a Seen as too pro-Catholic by the Puritans.
Charles I & Parliament
a Constantly at war with Spain and France.
Always need £, but how to get it??
a Usually Parliament would give Charles £ from taxes to fund his wars.
a Periodically, Parliament would deny funds.
In return, Charles would dissolve Parliament and try to rule England without it find funds in other ways.
Forced “loans,” selling aristocratic titles, etc.
The Petition of Rights, 1628: Parliament attempted to encourage the king to grant basic legal rights in return
for granting tax increases
In return for money to fund his wars, Charles I agreed:
No imprisonment without due cause.
No taxation without Parliament’s consent.
No putting soldiers in private homes.
No martial law during peacetime.
a Charles signed it, and then ignored it, dissolving Parliament in 1629!Charles’ rule without Parliament between 1629 and 1640 became
known as the “Thorough”In effect, Charles ruled as an absolute monarch during these 11 years
Ways to Make Money: Ship Money Assessments, 1636
[per square mile]
a A medieval tax for coastal cities for defense.
a Charles applied them to inland counties as well.
a This got him around the need to call Parliament into session.
The Bishops’ Wars, 1639 and 1640
Scottish Protests against the imposition of a Book of Common
Prayer
The “Short” Parliamenta “Short Parliament”
No Parliament in 20 yrs.
Charles need £ war with France.
a Calls Parliament into session in 1640
MPs demand more protection of property.
Charles dismisses them after 3 weeks.
Charles I by Van Dyck (1633)
The “Long” Parliamenta In session from 1640 to 1660..
Triennial Act passed Parliament must be called in session at least once every 3 yrs.
Parliament can’t be adjourned without its own consent!
a Charles enters the House of Commons to end the session and arrest 5 MPs unsuccessful
a Charles heads north to form an army!
MOVIE
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMLHau_rBJ8