English Civil War
James II
Following his brother to the throne, this VERY Catholic king of England ran in to all kinds of trouble as he repeatedly defied Parliaments wishes and was eventually overthrown in the Gloooooorious Revolution
Independents
Extreme Puritans who composed the majority of the New Model Army and believed that they were doing the work of the Lord (God) in defying the king.
Interregnum
Because the English don't like to admit that they had the epic fail of a commonwealth/republic in the 1650s they call the time between Charles I's death and the Restoration THIS, which means "period between the kings."
Rump Parliament
A derogatory term that is used to describe Parliament after the Puritans expelled (purged) all Presbyterians from Parliament. This Parliament tried, convicted, and executed Charles I.
Commonwealth
A state or nation in which the People possess sovereignty; describes England from the execution of Charles I to the Restoration of the Monarchy.
Ship Money
A tax on Seacoast towns that paid for coastal defense, abused by Charles I who began to charge it to everyone--even non-coastal towns
Balanced Polity
A term used to describe the relationship between the English Monarch and the Parliament who were expected to have an almost equal relationship in their efforts to rule England
Charles II
Also known as the "Merry Monarch" this king was brought to the throne by the Restoration, which returned England to a monarchy after the failed attempt at a commonwealth.
Habeas Corpus
An extremely important law passed by Parliament which forbids to government to arrest and hold someone indefinitely. It requires that a person accused of a crime be brought before a judge to determine if there is enough evidence to hold them
Social Contract
An unwritten agreement between the people and their government
English Bill of Rights
As part of the agreement signed by William and Mary, this document specified the rights of Parliament and laid the foundation for a Constitutional Monarchy in England
John Locke
Author of Two Treatises on Government. Espoused the idea that people have three natural rights--life liberty and property and that it is the government's job to protect those rights
Presbyterian
Calvinist-influenced Christians--found in abundance in Scotland--who were absolutely offended by Charles I's attempt to force the Anglican Prayer book on him and led the revolt in Scotland against him. Also burned by the Puritans in Parliament when, after the defeat of Charles I, they were pushed out of Parliament by the radical Puritans.
New Model Army
Created by Puritan Oliver Cromwell and composed of the most zealous of the Puritans (and sometimes called the Roundheads), this defeated the Cavaliers who supported the King in the English Civil War(s)
Roundhead
Derogatory term used to describe the Puritan armies in the English Civil Wars, because of their stupid looking bowl-cuts they wore, rather than the long locks of the royalists.
Glorious Revolution
Describes the bloodless and peaceful overthrow of James II in favor of his daughter Mary and her husband William III of Orange in 1688
Instrument of Government
England's first and only written constitution which vested executive power in the Lord Protector and legislative power in the hands of Parliament
Toleration Act
Granted by Parliament in 1689 as part of the Glorious Revolution settlement Puritans the right to public worship (but not the Catholics) and marks a step towards the end of religious persecution (at least of Christians) in England.
Petition of Right
In 1628 Charles I was forced to accept this act passed by Parliament if he wanted money to fight the French and Spanish. It prohibited taxation without Parliament's consent, arbitrary imprisonment, the quartering of soldiers in private homes, and the declaration of martial law in peacetime.
Cavalier
In the English Civil War, these were the supporters of the King.
Lord Protector
In the Instrument of Government constitution of England, this position was the executive branch--a position held by Oliver Cromwell until his death
Declaration of Indulgence
Issued by Charles II in defiance of Parliament in 1672, this royal declaration suspended (stopped) the laws Parliament had passed against Catholics and Puritans.
James I
King of England 1603-25. Espoused strongly the concept of Divine Right of Kings (even wrote his own book about it) and never fully understood the unique nature of the English Monarchy and its relationship with Parliament
Charles I
King of England who was 5'6 at the start of his reign and only 4'8 at the end of it. Challenged Parliament believing he had a right to rule completely without their interference. His actions forced England into civil war eventually.
Test Act 1673
Law passed by Parliament stating that only Anglicans could hold military and civil offices.
John Pym
Led the group of Puritans in Parliament who, after Charles I's arrest of members of Parliament, decided that the king had gone too far and decided to push England into Civil War to resolve it
Whigs
One of the first political parties in England it wanted to get rid of James II as the king of England and establish a protestant monarch to the throne.
Tories
One of the first political parties in England, this group supported (despite disliking him personally) keeping James II on the throne because they believed that Parliament should not tamper with the lawful succession to the throne.
Long Parliament
Term used to describe the Parliament that met in one form or another from 1640 to 1660
William and Mary
Protestant co-monarchs of England who were brought in by Parliament for the Gloooorious Revolution which overthrew Catholic James II.
Oliver Cromwell
Puritan leader of the New Model Army who ruled England as its "Lord Protector" in the 1650s. Also holds title of the most hated man in Ireland.
Levellers
Radicals in Parliament during the Commonwealth period who advocated full freedom of speech, religious toleration, universal male suffrage, women's (eventual) equality, and government programs for the poor
Triennial Act
Said that, in order to ensure English liberties, Parliament MUST be called together to meet at least once every three years with or without the king's consent.
Divine Right
The belief that God created the Monarchy as an instrument to bring order to His creation and that the King's ruled at the pleasure of God, not of the people, and was subject only to God's laws.
Cavalier Parliament
The name given to Parliament that met after the Restoration of Charles in 1660. It pushed for the dominance of the Anglican Church as the official religion of England and discriminated against Puritans and Catholics.
Restoration
The term used for the return of the Monarchy in 1660 after the experiment with being a commonwealth/republic failed in an epic way.
Revolution Settlement
This describes the agreement whereby Parliament would invite William and Mary to rule as monarchs in England in exchange for their agreement to accept the Bill of Rights and that they would be Constitutional Monarchs
Merry Monarch
This nickname was given to Charles II after the Restoration of the English Monarchy--given because he lifted all the "Puritan morality" bans put in place by Cromwell.
gentry
Well to do land owners who were below the level of the nobility, large numbers of whom were Puritans
Two Treatises on Government
Written by John Locke in 1692, this political work espoused the belief that people were born free and equal with three natural rights life, liberty and property. People made a social contract with the government to protect those rights and could break that contract if the government did not
Leviathan
Written by Thomas Hobbes in 1651, this book supported the concept of an absolute ruler under the idea that people were ruthless and not reasonable and thus needed an all-powerful monarch to control them.
Thomas Hobbes
Wrote Leviathan in 1651 which supported the concept of an Absolute Monarchy. Believed that the people made a social contract with a monarch--giving up all their rights--in exchange for protection from their own ruthless nature.