Cromwell as Lord Protector

Question 1

What was the Instrument of Government

Answer 1

Stated a single person rued over England, Scotland and Ireland

Question 2

Who created the Instrument of government

Answer 2

• John Lambert - Dec 1653

Question 3

What did the Instrument of government provide

Answer 3

England’s first written constitution

Question 4

Main terms of the instrument of government

Answer 4

• MPs = 400 English, 30 Scottish and 30 Irish
• Elections every 3 years
• Any man with £200 of property could vote
• Parliament sit for 5 months minimum
• The protector could issues ordinances without parliament and could Veto attempts to change the constitution

Question 5

Weaknesses of the instrument of government

Answer 5

• Didn’t provide reform for future amendment or for adjudication in case of disputes

Question 6

Cromwell’s aims as Lord Protector - To heal and Settle

Answer 6

• Failure of Rump and Nominated assembly = Cromwell wanted to restore parliament

Question 7

Cromwell’s aims as Lord Protector - Just and Righteous reformation

Answer 7

• Social reformation = reforms on education and law
• Establishment of ejectors in 1654 to improve quality of school teachers

Question 8

Cromwell’s rule by ordinance - Money

Answer 8

883 ordinances with most dealing with finance and tax collection
- The assessment = monthly tax on property
- Excise = Tax on commodities

Question 9

Cromwell’s rule by ordinance - Religion

Answer 9

• Triers = March 1654 - New ministers
• Ejectors = Aug 1654 - removal of unsuitable clergy

Question 10

The first Protectorate

Answer 10

• Sept 1654 - Jan 1655
• The recognition = required MPs to take an oath recognising the first of the fundamental’s

Question 11

Biddle’s case

Answer 11

• 1654
• Denied the trinity and divinity of Christ
• Accused of Blasphemy - Through this case parliament was trying to enforce it’s right to control religion over the protector - Forced Cromwell to dissolve the parliament on 22nd January 1655

Question 12

The rule of Major generals

Answer 12

• 1655 - 1657
  4 Reasons for rule
• Religious reformation
• Failure of the western design = Major generals enforced the reformation
• Finance = Decimation tax introduced to reduce the army to a cheaper militia
• Royalism = Penruddock’s uprising showed continuing threat from royalists

Question 13

Instructions for the major generals

Answer 13

• supressing of all insurrections, rebellions or other unlawful assemblies
• Promoting reformation by supressing taverns and brothels etc
• Main focus was the security of the regime

Question 14

How was England split under the major generals

Answer 14

• 11 separate areas with 11 Major generals running each area - Led to lot’s of unease
• Major generals paid with decimation tax

Question 15

Reaction to the political nation

Answer 15

• Government concerned about the role of military in the state -Gentry felt threatened
• Finance = high tax’s led to more support for the army - Failure to achieve a Parliamentary financial settlement became a central problem from 1656-1659
• Decimation tax hindered acceptance of the regime
• Religion - army prevented the persecution of radicals

Question 16

The second protectorate parliament

Answer 16

• Militia bill = legally enforcing the decimation tax - MPs reacted poorly and defeat of this bill meant the loss of major generals and the decimation tax
• Crown was offered to Cromwell = Army was opposed to kingship

Question 17

Naylors case

Answer 17

• Oct 1656
• recreated Jesus arriving in Jerusalem
• MPs wanted him killed but Cromwell intervened and saved his life

Question 18

Why did Cromwell intervene in Naylors case

Answer 18

Believed Parliament had exceeded their authority by denying ‘liberty and conscience’

Question 19

Humble petition and advice

Answer 19

Cromwell didn’t accept Kingship as…
- Army opposed the idea and had potential to remove him
- Army was God’s instrument - There opposition showed God was against him becoming king
- Cromwell accepted the petition on25th May 1657

Question 20

Civilian Cromwellians

Answer 20

offered Cromwell the crown

Question 21

What was the religious balancing act Cromwell was involved in

Answer 21

Trying to satisfy the army without alienating the parliament at the same time

Question 22

Limits of Cromwell’s religious freedom

Answer 22

Allowed a lot of religious freedom going as far as granting religious freedom to Jews

Question 23

Treaty of Westminster

Answer 23

• Ended the first Anglo-Dutch war - Lots of Criticism as it conceded a lot too the Dutch

Question 24

Was this time a military dictatorship

Answer 24

With a standing army of 11,000 and 14,400 and a population of 5.5 million, it was impossible for the army to have dictatorship

Question 25

Was Cromwell bound to fail

Answer 25

- Failed to lay secure constitutional or financial foundations - Brought his son Richard forward too late, not being appointed to the council until December 1657 - Fell from office after 9 months as he lacked his father's credibility within the army

Question 26

Cromwell's death

Answer 26

- 3rd September 1658

Question 27

Groups struggling for power after Cromwell's death - The army officers

Answer 27

- Wanted continuation of the protectorate although they had resented the humble petition

Question 28

Groups struggling for power after Cromwell's death - The army junior officers/soldiers

Answer 28

- lower ranks had no loyalty to the protectorate - Voiced republican preferences - Main issues were concerns over pay which republicans used in their propaganda

Question 29

Groups struggling for power after Cromwell's death - Cromwellians

Answer 29

- Sought to reduce the army's role in government - wanted to revert to traditional forms of government

Question 30

Groups struggling for power after Cromwell's death - Republicans

Answer 30

- Wanted a return to the Commonwealth with a single chamber House of Commons running the country

Question 31

Groups struggling for power after Cromwell's death - Political nation

Answer 31

- Uncommitted majority - never been reconconciled to any form of government since 1649