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Parliament Limits the English Monarchy Section 5. James I and the clash with Parliament. James I wanted absolute power when he inherited the throne from Queen Elizabeth Elizabeth died in 1603 leaving huge debts
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James I and the clash with Parliament • James I wanted absolute power when he inherited the throne from Queen Elizabeth • Elizabeth died in 1603 leaving huge debts • Always conflict between the royalty and parliament over $ - royalty wants $ for royal court and foreign wars • Resulting struggle between Parliament and the monarchy would have serious consequences for England.
Charles I • 1625, James I dies and his son, Charles I, gets the throne • Always needed $ for war • When parliament denied $ requests, he dissolved parliament • 1628, parliament gets back together and asks Charles to sign the Petition of Right
Petition of Right • No imprisonment without due cause • No taxation without parliament’s consent • No putting soldiers in private homes • No martial law during peacetime • Charles I signed the petition and then ignored it – even dissolved parliament again and levied many taxes on the people
Petition ofRight • Set forth the idea that the law was higher than the king • This idea contradicted theories of absolute monarchy • To get money, he imposed all kinds of fees and fines on the English people
English Civil War • Since Charles I ruled over Scotland AND England, there were several religions • Charles I wanted ONE religion – ended up in Civil War when the Scots rebelled • War cost $, so Charles needed Parliament. Parliament opposed him and wanted to limit his power • Parliament passes law to limit power, Charles tries to arrest leaders but they escape
English Civil War • 1642 to 1649, supporters and opponents of King Charles fought theEnglish Civil War • Those who opposed him were called Puritans • War was stalemate at first but General Oliver Cromwell as head of army defeated Charles and his army in 1646 • Took Charles I hostage, tried him for treason in front of the public and executed him in 1649 • First public trial and execution of a monarch
Oliver Cromwell • 1649 he got rid of the monarchy and established a republican form of government • Sent most of the Parliamentary members home and eventually established a military dictatorship (he tore up the first constitution that his associate produced) • Since Ireland was under English rule, the Irish revolted against Cromwell and failed – 616,000 Irish were killed by war, plague and famine
Puritan Morality • Cromwell and the Puritans wanted to improve England’s morality • Abolished all “sinful” things – like theater, sporting events and dancing • Cromwell was tolerant of other religions despite his deep Puritan beliefs (EXCEPT CATHOLICS) • Cromwell rules until his death in 1658
Restoration and Revolution • English sick of military rule and after Cromwell dies, they ask the older son of Charles I (Charles II) to rule England as monarchy • Restoration of monarch called the “Restoration” • Allowed the return of theater, sports and dancing • Passed important guarantee of freedom: Habeas Corpus in 1679 • “to have the body” • Required that a judge see prisoner to determine charges • Could not be held indefinitely without trial • Prevented “throw away key” imprisonment
James II and the Glorious Revolution • 1685 Charles II dies, brother James II takes throne • Everyone hated James b/c he was flamboyantly Catholic • Appoints Catholics to high office • Protestants fear prospect of line of Catholic Kings • James was eventually peacefully overthrown by his own daughter and her husband (protestants) • William and Mary then ruled England • Overthrow called “Glorious Revolution
Political Changes • William and Mary vowed to recognize Parliament as their partner in governing. • Parliament drafted a Bill of Rights in 1689. • England becomes first Constitutional Monarchy • Limits royal power • Ends several centuries of tension and conflict between the English crown and parliament • Ends idea England would be restored to Catholicism
Constitutional Monarchy • Bill of Rights limited the ruler’s power : • No suspension of Parliament’s laws • No taxes w/o Parliament’s consent • Freedom of speech in Parliament • No penalty for complaining about the King
Cabinet System Develops • After 1688, no British monarch could rule without the consent of Parliament and… • Parliament could not rule without the consent of the monarch • If both disagreed, government came to a standstill • Problem resolved by creating a Cabinet- group of government officials. Link between two bodies • Acted in leader’s name but represented majority party in Parliament. Leader called Prime Minister • System still in place today in England