1. The Political Nation And The Social Basis Of Power

Question 1

Describe the term “Political Nation”

Answer 1

Refers to those people in early modern Britain who has economic, political and social influence

Question 2

Who was the head of the Political Nation?

Answer 2

The monarch

Question 3

How long did James I reigned for?

Answer 3

1603-1625

Question 4

How long did Charles I reign for?

Answer 4

1665 - 1649

Question 5

What does prerogative mean?

Answer 5

The power of the crown, derived from the idea that the divine right to rule is given by God to monarchs.

Question 6

What did the monarchs prerogative give them power to?

Answer 6

• Foreign diplomacy, as head of state
• Declaration of war, as commander of the military
• Legislation, through the right to call and dissolve Parliament
  -Religion, as supreme Governor of the Church of England

Question 7

The character and personalities of each monarch did much to..

Answer 7

shape the period and the monarch’s relationship with the rest of the Political Nation, particularly through the institution of Parliament

Question 8

1603 - Elizabeth I, died childless…

Answer 8

James succeeded to the English throne as King James I

Question 9

As a successful ruler, James I

Answer 9

was pragmatic and practical enough to realise that he needed to work with Parliament. He did however dissolve Parliament several times in frustration during his reign

Question 10

Charles was temperamentally…

Answer 10

unsuited to kingship and was unprepared for the role. He did not get along with Parliament.

Question 11

Such was the extent of the powers held by monarchs that they were almost absolutists, which meant that…

Answer 11

they could rule freely with unrestricted political power

Question 12

Finances lay at the root of the monarch’s power, and the limits on the monarchs’ income prevented them from becoming truly absolutists. A century of inflation, meant that….

Answer 12

English monarchs increasingly found that their income could not meet their expenses, especially in relation to foreign policies such as warfare and international diplomacy

Question 13

Substanial funds could only be raised through…

Answer 13

parliamentary subsidies

Question 14

Parliament was normally reluctant to vote for subsidies because…

Answer 14

the money would have to be raised by the taxing of the Political Nation

Question 15

Members of Parliament tended to only represent them e.g. the landed aristocracy and gentry, as well as wealthy lawyers and merchants. This was because …

Answer 15

only wealthy had to pay a prerogative income, which was money received due to their position as monarch

Question 16

The limited availability of parliamentary subsides therefore…

Answer 16

forced monarchs to exploit their prerogative income, which was money received due to their position as monarch

Question 17

Define crown lands

Answer 17

The crown had sold much land or rented it out on long leases at a fixed rent, thus their income was reduced because they couldn’t update rents in line with inflation

Question 18

Define custom duties

Answer 18

Taxes from goods imported into the country. The crown could also temporarily sell the right to collect such taxes to raise funds quickly

Question 19

Define Parliamentary subsidy

Answer 19

Funds approved by Parliament for emergencies such as war

Question 20

Define Feudal dues

Answer 20

The crown had the right to control an estate that was inherited, by ancient right, by an heir under the age of 21

Question 21

Prerogative income also raised concerns in Parliament because…

Answer 21

if monarch became financially self-sufficient, then that monarch could establish themselves as absolute, meaning they did not need parliament as all.

Question 22

Parliament’s control of significant financial resources was the key limit on…

Answer 22

the development of an absolute monarchy in England.

Question 23

Another limit on the development of absolutism was that..

Answer 23

the monarch needed the political nation to help control the general population

Question 24

The monarch relied on members of the political nation to ensure that…

Answer 24

both central and local government could function

Question 25

Holding office in the name of the crown gave member of the political nation

Answer 25

status and further contributed to their power

Question 26

The disadvantage of the unwritten constitution was that…

Answer 26

it was open to interpretation, but this was also can advantage. In a society that valued consensus, the ability to interpret the constitution in different ways enabled compromise.