Stuarts 1.6

• Describe the parliaments of the commonwealth - The Rule of the rump parliament - the parliament of the saints (barebones)
• Describe the elements of the rule of the rump parliament (4) - Consolidation of power - Religious and political issues - Achievements of the rump parliament - Dismissal of the rump
• Describe how the rump consolidated power in terms of the rule of the rump parliament (3) - Rump was a product of prides purge and by january 1649 only had 70 MPs, On the 1st february after the execution they let 80 moderates back in, allowing the rump to consolidate power among moderates - Creation of the council of the state, a government with ministers responsible for different areas, deciding on matters like foreign and domestic policy, voted in annually, cromwell acted as chairman until john bradshaw was voted in in march - Abolishing the house of lords via a vote 44 to 29 in the rump abol...
• Describe the elements of religious and political issues within the rule of the rump parliament in terms of the rule of the rump parliament (5) - Reliance on the new model army - Rumps unpopularity - The levellers - Threat from ireland - Threat from scotland
• Describe reliance on the new model army in terms of relgious and political issues with the rule of the rump parliament (3) - Rump had come to power as a result of the armys action in prides purge, a military coup, instead of conceding to their political demands, they opted to pay the army over 1.3 million by selling confiscated royal estates to ensure loyalty - Despite payment the NMA wanted to pursue more power, including the 1647 representation of the army, but they did remain loyal to the rump as long as there were external threats
• Describe the rumps unpopularity in terms of relgious and political issues with the rule of the rump parliament (2) - Rump came to power through a military coup and committed regicide, the weekly ordinace was accepted during wartime but was unpopular in peacetime - The rump dealt with this in march 1649 by promising to dissolve itself and call new elections, but they feared elections would result in pro royalist parliament, so argued the country was too unstable for fair elections
• Describe the levellers in terms of relgious and political issues with the rule of the rump parliament (3) - Reemerged following the regicide and wanted the new model army to adopt a new agreement of the people arguing power should be vested in the people - In may 1649 the levellers inspired the burford mutiny where 400 soldiers revolted against the generals, the mutiny was crushed by force - September 1649 Act Against Unlicensed and scandalous books banned radical pamphlets that circulated the levellers ideology
• Describe the threat from ireland in terms of relgious and political issues with the rule of the rump parliament (3) - Since 1641 irish revolt there was a civil war in ireland and the catholics had gained the upperhand by 1649, cromwell inteded to control ireland to prevent charles II raising a irish army, he also was heavily anti-catholic and wanted to rid ireland of catholics - In august 1649 cromwell launched a campaign against irish catholics with 30,000 men, he wanted a quick victory and revenge against the catholic brutalities towards protestants - In drogheda, governed by and english ro...
• Describe the threat from scotland in terms of relgious and political issues with the rule of the rump parliament (3) - February 1649 charles II proclaimed king of scotland, may 1650 he signed treaty of breda agreeing to impose presbyterianism on all three kingdoms, rump recognised this threat, fairfax refused to command a strike and retired, so cromwell led the strike - 3rd September 1650 cromwell met a superior of scottish army at dunbar and launched a surpirse attack in the morning claiming a decisive victory - Scots retaliated 3rd september 1651 at the battle of worcester, 3000 scots were k...
• Describe the achievements of the rump in terms of rule of the rump parliament (3) - Created reforming acts - Dealt with threats from levellers, scotland and ireland, consolidating the rumps authority, however proved it was overreliant on the NMA - Invested in the navy, protecting english imports and exports and defeated prince ruperts monarchsit fleet in the caribbean in 1650 and won the anglo dutch war in July 1653 at the battle of scheveningen
• Describe the reforming acts the rump created in terms of rachievements of rule of the rump parliament (4) - October 1651 navigigation act, imports only accepted if they were carried into england on english ships sparking growth in english shipping industry - January 1650 Engagement act stated all adult males had to declare loyalty to the commonwealth - September 1650 toleration act ended compolsory church attendance and marked step towards liberty of conscience and end of national church - Legal proceedings to be recorded in english not latin
• Describe the limitations to the achievements of the rump in terms of relgious and political issues with the rule of the rump parliament (2) - August 1652 army petition criticised the rump as only interested in sustaining its own powers, many MPs were merchants and benefitted from the likes of the navigation act - Out of the 210 members the average attendance was 50
• What were the reasons for the dismissal of the rump parliament on the 20th April 1653 in terms the rule of the rump parliament (3) - Religion - Law - Constitution
• Describe religion in terms the reasons for the dismissal of the rump parliament (2) - Despite toleration act, the rump also imposed the august 1650 blasphemy act which sought to impose religious uniformity, banning radical groups like the ranters and enforcing obervance of the sabbath and banned swearing - The army sought liberty of conscience so opposed this policy
• Describe law in terms the reasons for the dismissal of the rump parliament (2) - 1651 Rump set up the Hale commission which suggested extensive reforms to modernise the legal system like creating county courts - Rump rejected these reforms as many MPs were lawyers and benefitted from a complex legal system, making the rump seem as though they were preserving their own power
• Describe a new constitution in terms the reasons for the dismissal of the rump parliament (2) - Rump still hadnt carried out its promise for new elections which made it seem like it was prolonging its own power - In february 1653 a bill was put forward believed to be calling elections to fill vacant seats, suggesting the rump did not want entirely fresh elections, and wanted to maintain their own power
• Describe the parliament of the saints (July - December 1653) (2) - Created as a result of cromwell and the army wanting a parliament that would pursue the armies intersts, they feared holding elections would result in an anti-army majority because of the weekly ordinance etc. so opted to create a nominated assembly - Legally it was not a parliament as the long parliament could not be dissolved without its own consent
• Describe the achievements of the parliament of the saints (2) - Achieved more in 5 months than ther rump in 4 years, passing 26 ordinances - Compolsory registration of births, deaths and marriages, civil marriages introduced and land confiscated from irish catholics given to soldiers that fought in ireland
• Describe the divisions in the parliament of the saints - Divisions over religion - Divisions over law
• Describe divisions over religion in terms of divisions in the parliament of the saints (2) - Disagreed about religious policy, for example the radicals were against the tithes (a tax to upkeep the local church), as they felt they were funding a church they didnt conform to under liberty of conscience - Moderates supported the tithes, and in a vote to abolish the tithe in december 1653 they outvoted the radicals and voted to habd power back to cromwell on the 11th december 1653
• Describe divisions over law in terms of divisions in the parliament of the saints (2) - Radicals proposed the courts should be reformed and court system simplified, and the rewriting of the common law to be replaced with a simple written code - This posed too much of a threat to the private property owning moderates, so they disagreed
• Describe the reasons for the failure of the parliament of the saints (3) - Radicalism and divisions between members - Cromwell - Loss of army support
• Describe radicalism and divisions between members in terms of reasons of the failure of the parliament of the saints - A minority of members were fifth monarchists and radically sought to remove organised religion to prepare for christs kingdom
• Describe cromwell in terms of reasons of the failure of the parliament of the saints - Despite helping to create it he took little part in leading it, he didnt attend it once allowing fifth monarchists to pursue a radical agenda
• Describe loss of army support in terms of reasons of the failure of the parliament of the saints - A parliament originally chosen by the army ended up antagonising it by discussing the removal of the excise tax, one of the means parliament used to pay the NMA
• Describe the Instrument of Government (2) - Proposal for a new constitution in 1653 by John Lambert, a major general, laying out 3 separate bodies each with their own powers and responsibilities, the lord protector, council and parliament - The instrument of governmernt was adopted four days after dissolving of the parliament of the saints on 15th december and cromwell installed as lord protector
• Describe the role of the lord protector in terms of the instrument of government - Lord protector was the head of state, main desicion maker and its successor was to be chosen by the council
• Describe the role of the council in terms of the instrument of government - A desicion making body able to announce ordinances if the majority was in agreeance, chose the lord protector and recruited its own members
• Describe parliament in terms of the instrument of government - Only made up of the commons and didnt include an upper house, it decided laws and taxation and was summoned every 3 years for at least 5 months before it could be dissolved
• Describe what motivated cromwell to become lord protector - Pursuit of power - Desire to head divisions
• Describe pursuit of power in terms of what motivated cromwell to become lord protector (2) - Cromwell had a decisive role in the dissolution of the rump, opponents claimed he plotted the dissolution of the barebones and establishment of himself as lord protector - While he fought for the army in political events, he also ensured their obedience by crushing leveller mutinies and purging disobedient officers, richard overton, a leveller, claimed cromwell was a man who disguised selfish ambition
• Describe cromwells desire to heal divisions in terms of what motivated cromwell to become lord protector (3) - Cromwell did not want power as he rejected position of the crown which was intially suggested when crafting the instrument of government - Cromwell was not the mastermind behind the events that brought him to power, like establishing the rump after prides purge, nor did he play a decisive role in the barebones parliament after he established it - After becoming protector he pursued a policy of liberty of conscience and attempted to gain anglican support while retaining army support
• What do we look at when we study cromwell as lord protector (6) - What motivated him to become lord protector - Cromwells rule by decree before the first protectorate parliament (december 1653 until september 1654) - The first protectorate parliament (September 1654 until january 1655) - Cromwells change of course (spring 1655) - Rule of the major generals (august 1655 to january 1657) - Second Protectorate parliament (September 1656 - February 1658)
• Describe cromwells rule by decree before the first protectorate parliament between December 1653 and september 1654 - Cromwell adopted a moderatley reforming policy, to win over conservatives and to achieve a godly reformation
• Describe cromwells policy to win over conservatives in terms of cromwells moderatley reforming policy during his rule by decree before the first protectorate parliament (3) - He passed ordinances to achieve winning over the conservatives like the august 1654 chancery ordinance, after the barebones had tried to get rid of the court of chancery which dealt with dispute over land, the ordinance declared his intentions to keep the court but simplify its legal proceedings - February 1654 ordincance for the disposing of sequestered estates, allowed royalists who lost land during the wars to pay fine...
• Describe cromwells policies to achieve godly reformation in terms of cromwells moderatley reforming policy during his rule by decree before the first protectorate parliament (2) - He brought about measures to improve state controlled provision of churches and minitsters, through the march 1654 triers ordinance which created a commission to appoint parish ministers with personal not religious criteria to avoid corruption - The August 1654 ejectors ordinance created a commission to eject parish ministers considered corrupt, 28% were removed
• Describe the creation of the first protectorate parliament (september 1654-january 1655) (2) - Cromwell held first elections since 1640 in July 1654 hoping his reforms during his rule by decree would result in a pro-cromwellian parliament, however it returned to the diverse set of opinions it was in the rump - Composed of factions, two major ones included the commonwealthsmen who disliked the strenght of the protector and wanted return to commonwealth and county gentry who disliked high taxes and wanted a civilianised government
• Describe the first protectorate parliament (september 1654-january 1655) (3) - No legislation was passed as the MPs continued to argue that the rump was dissolved illegally - Cromwell tried to get parliament to agree to the four fundamentals, lord protector, instrument of government, liberty of conscience and milita to try and get them to pass legislation, but 70 refused - The parliament began to propose reduction of the armies size and restrict religious liberties in december 1654 cromwell dissolved the parliament as a result
• What caused cromwells change of course in spring 1655 (2) - Cromwells concerned about the state of the regime, his first parliament was hostile to the regime and pro royalists concern as a result of uprisings like penruddocks uprising in march 1655 included a 400 person militia intending to inspire national revolt and throne charles II, the uprising was crushed by the NMA - Failure of the western design, an attempt to secure base of operations in the carribbean and disrupt spanish trading, despite capturing jamaica, the spanish repelled the invasion as it was ravaged by disease, hence cromwell...
• Describe cromwells change of course in spring 1655 - Cromwell decided to change his domestic policies moving away from a desire to win over conservatives, and fully committing to enforcing a godly reformation through a military dictatorship