17th Century (1600s)

Question 1

Who was James I and why is he significant? (r.1603-1625)

Answer 1

• Who He Was:
  
  • The first Stuart king of England, previously James VI of Scotland.
• Significance:
  
  • Authorized the King James Bible in 1611.
  • Attempted to unify England and Scotland.

Question 2

What was the Gunpowder Plot, and what were its goals? (1605)

Answer 2

• What It Was:
  
  • A failed Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Protestant King James I.
• Goals:
  
  • Planned to bomb the English Parliament.
  • Intended to restore Catholicism in England.

Question 3

What led to the downfall of Charles I, and how did his reign end? (r.1625-1649)

Answer 3

• What It Was:
  
  • Charles I’s authoritarian rule, including his dismissal of Parliament, royal prerogative led to widespread unrest.
• Significance:
  
  • Charles I was defeated by Parliamentary forces, captured, and executed in 1649, marking the first time an English monarch was tried and executed by his own subjects.

Question 4

What were the key causes and outcomes of the English Civil War? (1642-1651)

Answer 4

• Causes:
  
  • A series of conflicts between Royalists (Charles I) and Parliamentarians (Oliver Cromwell) .
• Outcomes:
  
  • Royalists defeated, Charles I executed, and the monarchy abolished.
  • Led to the establishment of the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell.

Question 5

What was the Commonwealth of England and how did it come about? (1649-1660)

Answer 5

• What It Was:
  
  • A republican government established after the execution of Charles I, abolishing the monarchy and the House of Lords.
• How It Came About:
  
  • Led by Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector.
  • The Commonwealth ended with Cromwell’s death, leading to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

Question 6

How did Oliver Cromwell rise to power, and what role did he play in the Commonwealth? (c.1599-1658)

Answer 6

• Rise to Power:
  
  • Key leader of the Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War.
• Role in Commonwealth:
  
  • Became Lord Protector of England.
  • Ruled as a de facto dictator until his death in 1658.

Question 7

What was the Stuart Restoration, and why did it occur? (1660)

Answer 7

• What It Was:
  
  • The re-establishment of the monarchy under Charles II after the collapse of the Commonwealth.
• Why It Occurred:
  
  • Charles II was invited back to assume the throne after the collapse of the Commonwealth.
  • Marked the end of republican rule and the re-establishment of the Stuart dynasty.

Question 8

Who was Charles II and how did his reign stabilize England after the Commonwealth? (r.1660-1685)

Answer 8

• Who He Was:
  
  • Charles II was the son of Charles I, restored to the throne after the Commonwealth’s failures.
• Stabilization:
  
  • Re-established the monarchy and the Church of England.
  • Brought relative stability after the turmoil of the Civil War and Commonwealth.

Question 9

What were the consequences of the Great Fire of London for the city’s development? (1666)

Answer 9

• Consequences:
  
  • Led to significant rebuilding efforts.
  • The city was redesigned with wider streets and more fire-resistant buildings.
  • Changes in urban planning and fire safety regulations were implemented.

Question 10

What was the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and how did it change the English monarchy?

Answer 10

• What It Was:
  
  • A bloodless coup in which James II was overthrown and replaced by William III and Mary II, invited by Parliament to rule.
• Significance:
  
  • Established the principle of a constitutional monarchy with Parliament holding significant power over the crown.
  • Affirmed the supremacy of Parliament, leading to the creation of the English Bill of Rights.

Question 11

Who were co-rulers William III and Mary II? (r.1689-1702)

Answer 11

• Who They Were:
  
  • William III of Orange and his wife, Mary II, daughter of James II, were invited by Parliament to rule England after the Glorious Revolution.
• Significance:
  
  • Their reign marked the beginning of a constitutional monarchy in England.
  • They oversaw the passage of the English Bill of Rights (1689), which solidified Parliament’s authority.

Question 12

What was the English Bill of Rights? (1689)

Answer 12

• What It Was:
  
  • A document passed by Parliament outlining the rights of citizens and limiting the powers of the monarchy.
• Significance:
  
  • Established key principles like the supremacy of Parliament, free elections, and the right to a fair trial.
  • Marked the beginning of constitutional monarchy in England, limiting the king’s powers.

Question 13

What were the key developments of the Scientific Revolution in the 17th century? (c.1550-1700)

Answer 13

• Key Developments:
  
  • A period of major advancements in scientific thought that the groundwork for modern science.
  • Introduced the scientific method, emphasized observation and experimentation, and saw the work of figures like Galileo, Newton, and Kepler.
  • Fundamentally changed how the natural world was understood.

Question 14

What contributions did Isaac Newton make to the Scientific Revolution? (c.1642-1727)

Answer 14

• Key Contributions:
  
  • Work in physics and mathematics, particularly laws of motion and universal gravitation.
  • Principia Mathematica (1687) laid the foundation for classical mechanics.
  • His discoveries revolutionized scientific thought.

Question 15

What was the Royal Society and why is it significant? (1660)

Answer 15

• What It Was:
  
  • An institution founded in London (1660) to promote scientific knowledge.
• Significance:
  
  • Played a crucial role in the advancement of science during the Scientific Revolution.

Question 16

Who was Robert Hooke and why is he significant? (c.1635-1703)

Answer 16

• Who He Was:
  
  • Scientist known for his work with the microscope.
• Significance:
  
  • Pioneered the study of microorganisms, plant cells, and other tiny structures.
  • His discoveries opened up a new world of biological exploration.

Question 17

What is the historical context of the Steam Engine, including its inventor? (1698)

Answer 17

• Who Invented It:
  
  • Thomas Savery patented the steam engine in 1698.
• Historical Context:
  
  • Designed to pump water out of mines.
  • Used steam pressure to create a vacuum and operate the pump.
  • Significant as the first practical steam-powered pump, paving the way for later developments by Newcomen and Watt.

Question 18

Who was Margaret Cavendish and why is she significant? (c.1623-1673)

Answer 18

• Who She Was:
  
  • A prominent English writer and philosopher.
• Significance:
  
  • Wrote on science, feminism, and social commentary.
  • Notable works include The Blazing World and Observations upon Experimental Philosophy.
  • One of the first women to attend a scientific meeting and a critic of the scientific establishment.

Question 19

Who was John Locke and why is he significant? (c.1632-1704)

Answer 19

• Who He Was:
  
  • Philosopher and political theorist.
• Significance:
  
  • Known for Two Treatises of Government and An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.
  • Argued for natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
  • His ideas heavily influenced the development of liberal democracy.

Question 20

Who was Thomas Hobbes and why is he significant? (c.1588-1679)

Answer 20

• Who He Was:
  
  • Philosopher best known for Leviathan (1651).
• Significance:
  
  • Outlined his views on human nature and the need for a strong, centralized authority.
  • Advocated for a social contract where individuals cede some freedoms to a sovereign for security and order.

Question 21

What was the significance of the Jamestown Colony? (c.1607-present)

Answer 21

• What It Was:
• The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in Virginia.
• Significance:
• Marked the beginning of British colonization in the Americas.
• Despite early struggles, it laid the foundation for future English colonies.

Question 22

What is The Royal Society’s famous motto?

Answer 22

• Motto:
  
  • Nullius in verba (“On no one’s word”).
• Significance:
  
  • Encourages independent discovery and learning rather than accepting authorities uncritically.

beseech = encourage, implores

Question 23

What are Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion? (1687)

Answer 23

• Law 1: An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force.
• Law 2: The force acting on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration (F=ma).
• Law 3: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
• These laws became the cornerstone of physics, influencing all subsequent developments in the field.

Question 24

What are the main arguments in John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government? (1689)

Answer 24

• Main Arguments:
  
  • Argued against the divine right of kings and absolute monarchy.
  • Proposed the idea of a social contract and government by consent.
  • Governments must protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and property.
  • Citizens have the right to overthrow a government that fails to do so.

Question 25

What are the key ideas in John Locke’s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding? (1689)

Answer 25

• Key Ideas:
  
  • A foundational text in the philosophy of empiricism, arguing that human knowledge is derived from sensory experience.
  • Locke rejected the notion of innate ideas, asserting that the mind at birth is a “tabula rasa” (blank slate).
  • Laid the groundwork for empiricism.

Question 26

What is John Locke’s Theory of Natural Rights? (1689)

Answer 26

• Theory:
  
  • All individuals possess natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
  • These rights are inherent and cannot be surrendered or taken away.
  • Influenced the development of modern democratic thought.

Question 27

What are the key ideas in Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan? (1651) very good card

Answer 27

• Key Ideas:
  
  • A strong, centralized authority is essential to prevent the natural state of human society from descending into disorder.
  • Hobbes described the state of nature as a challenging environment where, without a common power to enforce laws, individuals would be in constant competition, leading to conflict.
  • He argued for a social contract where people agree to submit to a sovereign authority, not as a sign of weakness, but as a rational decision to ensure peace and stability.

Question 28

What is Thomas Hobbes’ Social Contract Theory? (1651)

Answer 28

• Theory:
  
  • A theory proposing that in the state of nature, humans, recognizing the risks of ungoverned freedom, rationally choose to establish a common authority to maintain order.
  • Hobbes believed that individuals willingly agree to surrender certain freedoms to a sovereign in exchange for security and the preservation of peace.

Question 29

What role did the Navigation Acts (1651) play in 17th-century England?

Answer 29

• What They Were:
  
  • A series of laws regulating trade between England and its colonies, aimed at promoting British maritime commerce.
• Significance:
  
  • Required that goods imported into England or its colonies be carried on English ships.
  • Strengthened English maritime power and control over colonial trade.

Question 30

What was the role of the East India Company in 17th-century England?

Answer 30

• Role:
  
  • A powerful trading corporation established to control British trade in India and Southeast Asia.
  • Controlled large territories and acted as a proxy government in India.
  • Laid the groundwork for British colonial rule in Asia.

Question 31

What was the significance of the Anglo-Dutch Wars (1652-1674)?

Answer 31

• What They Were:
  
  • A series of naval conflicts between England and the Dutch Republic, primarily over trade routes and maritime supremacy.
• Significance:
  
  • The wars led to English dominance in global trade and the eventual decline of Dutch maritime power.
  • Resulted in varying victories, with England eventually securing a stronger position in global trade by the end of the 17th century.

Question 32

What was the Thirty Years’ War and England’s role in it? (1618-1648)

Answer 32

• Role:
  
  • A devastating conflict across Europe, primarily fought between Protestant and Catholic states.
  • England’s involvement was limited, but it supported Protestant allies financially and diplomatically.
  • The war’s outcome weakened the Holy Roman Empire.

Question 33

Who was John Bunyan, and why is he significant in theological literature? (c.1628-1688)

Answer 33

• Who He Was:
  
  • English writer and preacher, best known for his allegorical work The Pilgrim’s Progress.
• Significance:
  
  • The Pilgrim’s Progress illustrated the spiritual journey of a believer.
  • Bunyan’s work, written during his imprisonment for preaching without a license, profoundly impacted Protestant thought.

Question 34

Who was Guy Fawkes and why is he significant? (c.1570-1606)

Answer 34

• Who He Was:
  
  • Leader of the failed Catholic Gunpowder Plot to assassinate Protestant King James I.
• Significance:
  
  • Fawkes’ capture and execution foiled the plot, leading to the celebration of Nov. 5th as Guy Fawkes Day in Britain.