Civil War Outbreak (1640-42)

Question 1

When was the Grand remonstrance

Answer 1

Passed on 22nd November 1641

Published on the 1st December

Question 2

What was the Grand Remonstrance

Answer 2

Pushed forward by John Pym whilst Charles was returning from Scotland

Listed all the faults of the king (religious at the top)

Publication - passed in the early hours of the morning to get rid of royalists + swords were drawn

Charles didn’t acknowledge the passing so it was published

Question 3

When was the execution of Strafford

Answer 3

12th May 1641

Question 4

What was the execution of Strafford

Answer 4

Watched by 100,000

Charles later described it as his biggest regret

The attempt to remove Strafford via the Lords looked to fail until the army plot

Marked the end of any possible compromise between king and crown

Question 5

When was the Irish rebellion

Answer 5

October 1641

Question 6

What was the Irish rebellion

Answer 6

Thomas Wentworth’s recall to England left a power vacuum in Ireland

Catholic noblemen wanted concessions like in Scotland

Inspired by Scotland and fearful of the growing Puritan influence in politics

Number of protestants killed range from 2,000 to 200,000

Claimed to have acted in the kings’ name, was exploited by Pym and radicalised the long parliament

Raised the question on who could be trusted with the army

Question 7

When were the 19 Propositions

Answer 7

June 1642

Question 8

What were the 19 Propositions

Answer 8

This would remove the king’s prerogative

He couldn’t raise an army or choose his ministers

This would effectively create a constitutional monarchy but was more just a justification for war

Question 9

When was the failed arrest of the 5 members

Answer 9

3rd January 1642

Question 10

What was the failed arrest of the 5 members

Answer 10

Charles entered the House of Commons, much to the amusement of MP’s with armed soldiers at the door

Undermined parliamentary privilege and gave credibility to rumours of a catholic plot

Members had already escaped, the king returned humiliated with a destroyed image (untrustworthy)

‘I see the birds have already flown’

Question 11

When was the Army plot

Answer 11

3rd May 1641

Question 12

What was the Army plot

Answer 12

Made rumours that Charles was going to unite with the English army and free Strafford plausible

Loyal soldiers sent to the TOL to free Strafford

The plot was exposed giving Charles scrutiny

Pym was quick to exploit this as evidence that it was a popish plot destined to overthrow the kingdom

Question 13

When was Bedford’s bridging appointment scheme

Answer 13

February 1641

Question 14

What was Bedford’s bridging appointment scheme

Answer 14

Many leaders of the Puritan opposition had been promoted into the king’s government, making it harder to argue that the king was surrounded by evil advisors

The appointments were intended to be accompanied by a financial settlement were Bedford would be appointed to Chancellor of the Exchequer

Bedford’s death in May put an end to the likelihood of success to the scheme

Bedford had been a mentor to Pym

Question 15

When was the Root and Branch Bill

Answer 15

May 1641

Question 16

What was the Root and Branch Bill

Answer 16

A proposal to replace bishops with church councils in each diocese appointed by Parliament

This would dismantle the structure of the Church of England and alter the composition of the Huse of Lords

Politically it would reduce the king’s power because bishops ensured loyal supporters in the Lords as he appoints them

Question 17

When were the 10 Propositions

Answer 17

24th June 1641

Question 18

What were the 10 Propositions

Answer 18

A list of suggestions brought forward by Pym on how a settlement might be made with the king

The key terms would have dramatically reduced the king’s prerogative powers

Give Parliament control over his Charles’ children’s education and appointed his ministers

Reluctantly accepted but until the Grand Remonstrance, many MP’s didn’t realise the significance of Pym’s position

Parliament attempted to establish committees to deal with each point but the 10 propositions never really went anywhere - quitely accepted by Charles and then shelved

Their significance is in their radical nature, not the outcome

Question 19

When was the Militia Bill

Answer 19

7th December 1641 - by Sir Arthur Haslrig

Question 20

What was the Militia Bill

Answer 20

Removed the king’s power to summon the militia and gave Parliament the power to appoint army commanders

Debates over the Bill were so heated and extensive that they dragged into February, bu which time events had intensified further.

Question 21

What majority did the Grand Remonstrance get

Answer 21

11 votes

Pym didn’t bother passing it up to the Lords to vote on because he knew it would get rejected so just published it instead

Question 22

Why did Charles sign Strafford’s death warrant

Answer 22

News of the Army plot broke - increasing concern about the safety of his family + increasing pressure from the London Mob

Question 23

What was the consequence of the execution of Strafford for the king

Answer 23

Major blow to the king’s sources of support

Showed the king was not trustworthy having turned on one of his closest advisors

Question 24

Why did Charles attempt the 5 members arrest

Answer 24

Newfound confidence in support from the increasing numbers of constitutional royalists

Ongoing fears about the safety of his family (there had been a move to impeach Maria)

Anger over the proposed MIlitia Bill

Question 25

What was the consequence of the 5 members arrest for Charles

Answer 25

The London mob protested and Charles, worried about his family, moved to Hampden court

Showed that Charles was willing to use force to avoid respecting parliament’s legitimate privileges - once again demonstrating his absolutist tendencies

By leaving London he lost physical connection with the capita;

Prompted petitions across the country. Even moderate royalists were shaken by the king’s actions

Question 26

What 3 paragraphs would be used to explain why the Civil war broke out

Answer 26

PYM’S RADICALISM - impeachment, militia bill, propersistions, grand remonstrance

EVENTS OUTSIDE OF ENGLAND - Bishops war, Pym exploiting Irish rebellion, militia bill, the incident

CHARLES’ ACTIONS - 5 members, Hull incident, army plot, left London

Question 27

What is an impeachment trial

Answer 27

March 1641, House C votes to put someone on trial, House L decides innocence or guilt

Question 28

What was Strafford accused of and what was the issue

Answer 28

Suggesting in a privy council meeting that Charkes could bring an army over from Ireland to deal with the Bishops war - overhead by Henry Vane

Unlikely to be found guilty - STraffford very goods’ defence + House L unlikely to take responsibility for finding him guilty

Question 29

How does a Bill of Attainder work

Answer 29

Passed by House C
Passed by House L
Then needs royal assent

A significant factor in breaking up the anti-court consensus + the development of constitutional royalists

Question 30

Give the Earl of Bedford’s quote with regards to Strafford’s trial

Answer 30

“This business concerning the Earl of Strafford is the rock upon which we should all split”

Question 31

What 3 paragraphs would you give on why the Civil War broke out

Answer 31

PYMS’S RADICALISM

EVENTS OUTSIDE ENGLAND

CHARLES’ ACTIONS

Question 32

What points could you give on Pym’s radicalism

Answer 32

• Impeachment of Earl of Strafford
• Grand Remonstrance
• Root and Branch petition
• 19 propositions
• 10 propositions

Triennial Act - ship money banned

Question 33

What points could you give on events outside of England

Answer 33

Treaty of Ripon

Pym exploiting Irish rebellion to imply a catholic plot

The incident

Question 34

What points could you give on Charles’ actions

Answer 34

5 members coup, failed arrest

Left London, reducing his influence

Hull Incident

Vague Army plot

The incident

Question 35

What was the Triennial Act

Answer 35

Established that parliament be called every 3 years, parliament could be dismissed by its own consent

Question 36

What was Strafford accused of

Answer 36

Suggesting in the privy council meeting that Charles could bring an army from Ireland to deal with Bishops war

Overhead by Henry Vane

Question 37

How did the Earl of Bedford describe the impeachment of Strafford

Answer 37

“This business concerning the Earl of Strafford was the rock upon which we should all split”.

Question 38

What did Strafford achieve in Ireland in 1633

Answer 38

Reduced Ireland to obedience, something never before achieved

The Irish parliament was reduced to a rubber stamp, just voting taxes to support Strafford’s new army

Protestant church was remodelled on Laudian lines, much to the resentment of the Scottish presbyterian settlers of Ulster

Hated in Ireland, and feared in England by the English gentry for doing what he did in Ireland at home

Question 39

How was the machinery for Persanolrule destroyed

Answer 39

• Star chamber and high court abolished, depriving the king and the church of their most powerful legal weapons
• Ship money declared illegal
• The boundaries of the royal forests were said to be those in the 20th year of James’ reign
• Court of Wards abolished

Question 40

Why did he agree to the Triennial Act

Answer 40

Agonising over Strafford’s death. failed to see the full significance of what he was agreeing to

London mob were active

Seen them as temporary concessions

Question 41

Why as Charles’ support growing in 1641

Answer 41

Many MP’s were sympathetic to his views

• Increasing activities of religious radicals with the growth of unauthorised preaching and disturbances in church es
• Unrest in many towns and cities, caused by a trade depression - king represented stability
• London mob and Pym’s further constitutional changes beginning to cause alarm in HofC among he naturally conservative gentry

Anti-court consensus broke up on the Grand Remonstrance

Question 42

Why did Pym do the Grand Remonstrance

Answer 42

Gradual erosion of the anti-court consensus and fears about Charles’ motives.

Not a sign of a strong position, but a desperate measure

Question 43

What was the aim of the Grand Remonstrance

Answer 43

• Remind members of the past actions of Charles
• Reassert the existence of a roman-catholic conspiracy
• Justify what were clearly revolutionary demands

Question 44

What was wrong woth appointing Thomas Lundsworth as the Governer of the TOL

Answer 44

Such a position could be used to intimidate the city

To many in the capital, his appointment seemed to confirm Charles’ secret desire to regain freedom of action through a military coup

Under pressure Charles cancelled the appointment, sending two equally damaging signals:

• he had thought about a coup
• he was weak and could be forced to back down

Question 45

What was the impact of the 5 members coup

Answer 45

Swung many MP’s back to Pym as this is what he had been predicting, a military coup encouraged by Roman Catholics

Question 46

Why did the Civil War become inevitable from January 1642

Answer 46

1) Widespread social disorder, poor harvests and a trade depression caused considerable distress among lower orders + growth of radical preaching and pamphleteering seemed to threaten the stability
2) The gentry arms itself, a power vacuum had been created from the King retreating to Hyde, and the collapse of the authority of the church of England only made the future seem bleaker for those who saw the cement of society beginning to crumble.
3) Propaganda war - between the king and parliament, each hoping to persuade the uncommitted moderates to join their side of strength