Aim: How did English Government Evolve into a “Limited” Monarchy?

Do Now: What do you know about the British Monarchy? What would you like to know?

I The Evolution of Early English GovernmentA) Recall in 1215 the Magna Carta was signed, limiting the rights of Kings.A) In 1295 the first British parliament (law-making body) met. The King still had the most power, but parliament made decisions on spending and taxes.C) King Henry VIII created the Anglican Church in 1536 and became its most powerful leader.D) His daughter Queen Elizabeth I defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, making England’s navy the most powerful in the world.E) King Charles I acted like an absolute monarch; he refused to let Parliament meet for 11 years! In 1642 he tried to arrest 5 members of Parliament for daring to criticize him. This led to the English Civil War.

If the Magna Carta limited the power of Kings, why do you

think Charles I acted the way he did? Charles I

II The English Civil War (1642 – 1651)A) A civil war broke out between the Roundheads (supporters of Parliament and led by Oliver Cromwell) and the Cavaliers (supporters of the king). Most of the big towns including London supported Parliament. Wales, and the countryside were in favor of the king.B) For the next few years, Charles and his Cavaliers were winning. The Roundheads responded by creating a New Model Army of soldiers in 1645. They were well-equipped and wore new, red coats – the first ever army to wear a standard uniform. Their men also often wore ‘lobster pot’ helmets to help protect their: head, neck and face.C) The fighting continued until 1646 when the king gave himself up. Oliver Cromwell decided to put Charles I on trial for treason. He was executed on January 30, 1649 as a ‘Tyrant, Traitor, Murderer and a public enemy’. *He was the first British monarch to be put on trial and executed!D) 250,000 people died.

A Roundhead “Lobster Helmet”

Roundheads, Supporters of Parliament

Cavaliers, Supporters of the King

III Oliver CromwellA) After the Civil War, the English monarchy was abolished!B) Oliver Cromwell took control of the newly formed English Commonwealth.C) Cromwell and Parliament were Puritan; they believed hard work is rewarded in heaven; entertainment is pointless. The English Revolution had led to the Puritan Revolution: Inns and theatres were shut, most sports were banned and swearing was fined.

IV The English RestorationA) Oliver Cromwell died in 1658.

B) Because Cromwell had angered so many British due to his Puritan reforms, in 1660 Parliament asked the exiled Charles II (son of Charles I) to return to England and “restore” the monarchy.

C) Charles II reopened theatres and taverns, leading him to be called “The Merry Monarch”!

“King Charles II exhumed (dug up) Oliver Cromwell’s body on the 12th anniversary of his father’s execution. Cromwell’s corpse was strung up on display, beheaded and dumped into a London pit. Cromwell’s head was mounted on a pike on the roof of Westminster Hall, where it remained for decades as a warning to would-be revolutionaries.” www.history.com

V The Glorious RevolutionA) Charles II’s brother, James II inherited the throne in 1685.B) James II practiced Catholicism openly. Parliament feared he would restore the Catholic Church to England.C) In 1688 parliament invited James II’s Protestant daughter Mary Stuart and her Dutch husband William III to become rulers of England. D) When Mary and William III landed in England, James II fled to France. This bloodless revolution became known as the Glorious Revolution.

King James II

Mary Stuart William III

VI The English Bill of RightsA) Before they could be crowned King and Queen of England, William

and Mary had to accept the English Bill of Rights that was passed by Parliament in 1689.

B) The English Bill of Rights ensured the power of Parliament over the monarchy.

1. The monarch MUST summon Parliament regularly2. The House of Commons has power over spending 3. Those arrested MUST have a trial by jury (reaffirming the Magna Carta)4. The right of habeus corpus: no person can be held in

prison without first being charged with a specific crime (reaffirming the Magna Carta)

C) The Glorious Revolution created a limited monarchy, where Parliament limited the powers of the monarch.

How Similar are These?English Bill of Rights That the freedom of speech

… ought not to be… questioned in any court or place out of Parliament…

That the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defense…

American Bill of Rights Congress shall make no

law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press… (1st Amendment)

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. (2nd Amendment)

HW Questions1. What was the Magna Carta? How do we know that it was not always

enforced?2. What were the causes of the English Civil War? Who were the

Cavaliers and the Roundheads? Who won?3. List at least 2 actions that Oliver Cromwell took after taking control

of the England.4. What was the English Restoration?5. What was the Glorious Revolution? Why was it “glorious”?6. List at least 2 rights guaranteed under the English Bill of Rights. How

are those rights similar to the American Bill of Rights?BONUS QUESTION: Read the article below. What powers does Queen Elizabeth II actually have today? Are you surprised? Do you agree/disagree and why?

The Queen Does Have Some Real Power Today!“The world's primary feudal landowner is Queen Elizabeth II. She is Queen of 32 countries, head of a Commonwealth of 54 countries in which a quarter of the world's population lives, and legal owner of about 6.6 billion acres of land, one-sixth of the earth's land surface…” BY KEVIN CAHILL newstatesman.com 2011“Internal Whitehall papers show that on one occasion the Queen vetoed the Military Actions Against Iraq Bill in 1999, which aimed to transfer the power to authorize military strikes against Iraq from the monarch to parliament. She was also asked to consent to the Civil Partnership Act in 2004. In the Whitehall document, which was released following a court order, the Parliamentary Counsel warns that if consent is not given by the royals "a major plank of the bill must be removed". Legal scholar John Kirkhope, said the document revealed senior royals have ‘real influence and real power’…” By Alice Philipson 15 Jan 2013 The Telegraph

Key VocabularyCavaliersOliver CromwellEnglish Bill of RightsEnglish Civil WarEnglish RestorationGlorious RevolutionHabeas CorpusKing Charles IKing Charles IIKing Henry VIIIKing James IIKing William IIIMagna CartaParliamentPuritan RevolutionQueen Elizabeth IQueen Elizabeth IIRoundheadsSpanish ArmadaMary Stuart

The British Monarchy Today

Prince William and Kate

Queen Elizabeth II

"In the event that I am reincarnated, I would like to return as a deadly virus, in order to contribute something to solve overpopulation.“ – Prince Philip, husband of Elizabeth I