The English Constitutional Monarchy

The English Constitutional Monarchy Ann-Houston Campbell, Caroline Woods, Rachel Overby

Before The English Constitutional Monarchy • English Civil War (Eleven Years) • Oliver Cromwell rules England/Scotland/Ireland • When Cromwell dies, his son Richard becomes ruler but soon retired. • The throne is offered to Charles II(son of Charles I)

Charles II • Charles II ruled under the Restoration. • Religion under Charles II • He was a Anglican and believed in religious toleration. • Parliament disagreed and passed the Clarendon Code. • The Clarendon Code required all clergymen to swear an oath supporting the Anglican Church. • Secret Treaty with Louis XIV • Louis XIV helped England with the Dutch War of 1672 • Charles II promised his conversion to Catholicism • Charles II waited to convert until he was on his deathbed.

Charles II (CONT.) • Charles II had no legitimate heir to succeed him. • His brother (James II) would be next in line. • James II was Catholic!!!! • Anglican nobility are NOT happy about this. • The Anglican nobility fought over the issue of succession. (Tories vs. Whigs)

Tories vs. Whigs • Tories – supporters of Duke of York (James II) • Whigs – supporters of an Protestant monarch • John Locke was a political philosopher who believed in the contractual theory of government. • contractual theory of government – government relied on a contract between rulers and subjects • James II becomes the next king of England.

James II • James II’s heirs were his daughters Mary and Anne who were Protestants. • James II promoted religious toleration. • He granted Catholics the right to worship. • He replaced his officers with Catholics due to opposition in his courts.

James II (CONT.) • In 1688, James II (age 55) had a son who would rule as James III. • Protestants were furious because Mary and Anne (Protestants) were not heirs to the throne anymore. James III (Catholic) was now heir. • Tories and Whigs asked Mary’s husband William to rise against James II and defend the Protestants of England. James II fled the country. • William and Mary become rules of England in 1689.

Parliament • Parliament reconvened in 1689 • Agreed that because James II left the country, it means he abdicated • Rule passed to the daughter of James II, Mary, and her husband, William • Parliament was strengthened overall, but the subjects were given many more rights • William and Mary accepted all the reforms willingly • Reforms ended royal absolutism in the British Isles and brought a constitutional monarchy- monarch and Parliament ruled as partners

Changes made by Parliament • Passed the Bill of Rights which upheld the Whig view that the rulers ruled by contract and not hereditary right • Declared cancelling Parliament is illegal • King can’t raise and army on his own • Subjects have the right to petition the government • Subjects have the right to have a jury trial, freedom from “cruel and unusual punishment”, excessive bail, and excessive court fines • House of Commons was still voted for by small number of property owning males • Repealed oppressive portions of Clarendon Code with the Toleration Act- gave religious tolerance to all but Unitarians • All office holders had to take Holy Communion in an Anglican Church • Some dissenters took Anglican Communion once a year in order to hold an office • This angered Anglicans • Royal judges are judges for life

King William and Queen Mary • William agreed to rule with Mary in hopes of defeating Louis XIV by participating in the War of the League of Augsburg • Reign of William and Mary began 25 years of war against France • Whigs supported the war • Tories didn’t like the rising land taxes • Both parties fought fiercely for election to sets in the House of Commons

Succession and Scotland • When William and Mary died, the crown passed to James II’s younger Protestant daughter, Anne • Anne had no heir, Parliament decided • They voted that the line of succession would pass to the Protestant granddaughter of James I, Sophia • Sophia died before Anne died, so Sophia’s son George became king • Scotland was still being ruled over by England • Scotland was suffering from very bad economic and financial problems • 1707: Scotland agreed to theAct of Union which united Scotland and England to create a united Britain • Events of this whole period were later referred to as the Glorious Revolutionbecause it kept the country Protestant and advanced Parliament

George I (r. 1714-1727) • Elector of Hanover who became the king of Great Britain • Recognized to the British throne by the Treaty of Utrecht, after defeating Louis XIV in war • After George became king, James II led an uprising in Scotland as an attempt to regain the crown • After this failed the Whigs accused the up risers of treason • Georges’ favor for the Whigs over was shown

Sir Robert Walpole (1676-1745) • Leader of the Whigs and the most important minister in England (minister from 1721-1742) • Refused the king’s offer to ennoble him • Served George II after the death of George I • Under the rule of Walpole Britain had political stability that was different from George I’s rule of turmoil • British began to feel a new identity of being “free-born” • After the defeat of James II in Ireland (1689), there was English dominance • Current British political life: mixed monarchy- Protestant king ruled jointly with parliament

The English Constitutional Monarchy