House of commons
one of the houses of Parliament including wealthy landowners and rich business leaders that represent the middle class and are elected to office
power of the purse
the right to approve taxes and expenditures
Puritans
Protestant sect in England hoping to "purify" the Anglican church of Roman Catholic traces in practice and organization.
King James
the first Stuart to be king of England and Ireland from 1603 to 1625 and king of Scotland from 1567 to 1625; he was the son of Mary Queen of Scots and he succeeded Elizabeth I; he alienated the British Parliament by claiming the divine right of kings (156
King Charles
In 1625 he becomes king, he dismisses parliament when they oppose him. He persecuted the puritans and in 1628 wanted more taxes to fight with Scotland to force them into the Church of England. Parliament agreed but under one term, that he sign the Petitio
ship money
an impost levied in England to provide money for ships for national defense
William Laud
Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I in England. He tried to force the Scottish to use the English Book of Common Prayer. He was later executed by Parliament during the English Civil War.
Petiton of Right
Document prepared by parliament and signed by King Charles I of England in 1628; challenged the idea of the divine right of kings and declared that even the monach has to follow the law of the land
Triennial Act
An Act of Parliament reluctantly agreed to by Charles I (who said it reduced his sovereign powers) which stated that there had to be a parliament of at least 50 days duration every three years.
Writ of Habeus Corpus
court order that a prisoner be brought before the judge to determine whether or not he is guilty and is being punished correctly
Oliver Cromwell
English general and statesman who led the parliamentary army in the English Civil War (1599-1658); Lord Protector of England
Grand Remonstrance
- Doc. written by Parliament in 1641
- fueled the start of Eng. Civil War
- listed grievances/complaints against Charles I
- proposed legislation to reduce power of the monarchy
Long Parliament
Parliament convened by Charles I in 1640; lasted on and off for 20 years; passed laws that limited power of monarchy
Roundheads
A group consisting of puritans, country land owners, and town based manufacturers, led by Oliver Cromwell; fought against the Cavaliers during the English civil war
Cavaliers
nobles and landowners in the North and West; also called the Royalists; supporters of the king during the English Civil War; lost to the Roundheads
New Model Army
The disciplined fighting force of Protestants led by Oliver Cromwell in the English civil war.
Rump Parliament
The Cromwell-controlled Parliament that proclaimed England a republic and abolished the House of Lords and the monarchy.
Levellers
They were lead by Puritan John Lilburne. They wanted universal manhood suffrage, equality of representation, a written constitution, and subordination of parliament to a reformed body of voters.
Diggers
a communistic sect that sought to implement the spirit of primitive Christianity by abolishing personal property
Society of Friends
also known as Quakers, founded by Margaret Fell and George Fox, name came from shaking at the name of the Lord, rejected predestination and orginal sin, believed that all could achieve salvation, women held positions in the church
Fifth Monarchists
Millenarianism - the belief in the imminence of the 2nd coming of Christ - disciples were largely Baptists and Congregationalists - under Thomas Venner, tried to stage an overthrow of the restored Monarchy.
Instrument of Government
Cromwell's constitution. It provided triennial meetings of Parliament and gave them the sole power to tax. Cromwell tore it up when it did not serve his purposes. It gave Parliament the sole power to tax.
Lord Protector
what Cromwell took as his title in 1653 which held him almost unlimited power
Act of Settlement
provided that the English crown would go to the German Hanovers if none of Queen Anne's children survived
Interregnum
period between two successive reigns or governments
English Restoration
(1660), resembled everything before except Charles II was on the throne, Parliament was more willing to work with Charles II and Charles II was more willing to work with Parliament, but then the king and Parliament were at odds again, with religion being
Charles the Second
restored Monarchy Parliment Anglican church and some Puritan and Catholic rights
Test Act
passed by Parliament in 1673, only Anglicans could hold military and civil offices
Royal Declaration of Indulgences
Charles II attempt to extend religious liberty to Protestant nonconformists; suspended the execution of penal laws that punished recusants from the Church of England.
Whigs
supported Geroge I, religious tolerance, commercial interests, but said that Parliament should have the final say
Tories
A member of a British political party, founded in 1689, that was the opposition party to the Whigs and has been known as the Conservative Party since about 1832
James the Second
the devout Catholic English monarch who instigated a constitutional crisis for England in 1687-1688.
Glorious Revolution
In this bloodless revolution, the English Parliament and William and Mary agreed to overthrow James II for the sake of Protestantism. This led to a constitutional monarchy and the drafting of the English Bill of Rights.
English Bill of Rights
King William and Queen Mary accepted this document in 1689. It guaranteed certain rights to English citizens and declared that elections for Parliament would happen frequently. By accepting this document, they supported a limited monarchy, a system in whi
Toleration Act
This guaranteed religious freedom to almost all Protestants in England under the monarchy of William and Mary.
Mary the second
James II's Protestant daughter who reigned with her husband William as coregents, with the caveat that Parliament should be supreme
Anne the first
last of stuarts. inherited throne from William and Mary because they could not produce heir
Hanoverians
a new dynasty replacing Stuart line. Protestant rulers of the German state of Hanover offered to rule Britain
Robert Walpole
Englishman and Whig statesman who (under George I) was effectively the first British prime minister (1676-1745)
South Sea Bubble
companies scammed investors; fixed by Walpole and brought him fame
William Pitt
English statesman who brought the Seven Years' War to an end (1708-1778)
Thomas Hobbes
English materialist and political philosopher who advocated absolute sovereignty as the only kind of government that could resolve problems caused by the selfishness of human beings (1588-1679)
Leviathan
Written by English philosopher Thomas Hobbes, maintained that sovereignty is ultimately derived from the people, who transfer it to the monarchy by implicit contract.
John Locke
English philosopher who advocated the idea of a "social contract" in which government powers are derived from the consent of the governed and in which the government serves the people; also said people have natural rights to life, liberty and property.
tabula rasa
A young mind not yet affected by experience (according to John Locke)
Second Treatise of Civil Government
government based on consent of governed; individuals had natural rights (life, liberty, property); people had right to overthrow government
hegemony
the domination of one state or group over its allies
Seven years' War
Worldwide struggle between France and Great Britain for power and control of land (In America The French and Indian War)
Peace of Hubertusburg
ended the continental part of the 7 years' war, Prussia retained Silesia, Joseph II became HRE