England 1.3 The Catholic Question and the Exclusion Crisis

Question 1

What did the King and Parliament each want early on in terms of Religion? (RE 1.3)

Answer 1

• King wanted toleration for peaceful religious minorities.

- Parliament wanted strong Anglican presence, but focused on the dissenting protestants (e.g. Quakers).

Question 2

How did James and his wife lead to fear of Catholics in England? (RE 1.3)

Answer 2

• James had become a roman catholic.
• Married Mary of Modena 1671, a catholic.
• Fears of a catholic son and a catholic dynasty ruling England.

Question 3

How did the French cause fear of Catholics in England? (RE 1.3)

Answer 3

• France grew more powerful, and people became more suspicious.
• Charles made the declaration of indulgence just as he allied with France against the Dutch.
• Dutch propaganda in England made the people suspicious.

Question 4

What happened with the Popish Plot? What were the consequences? (RE 1.3)

Answer 4

• August 1678, Titus Oates claimed he knew of a Jesuit plot to kill Charles and James, backed by the Pope and Louis XIV.
• The King saw through the lies, but it had already grabbed people’s imaginations.
• Sir Edward Godfrey was found, allegedly killed by Catholic conspirators.
• Arrests made 27th November 1678. 13 people executed.

Question 5

In the Exclusion Crisis:
-What could Whigs not agree on?
-How did Charles stop Shaftesbury’s exclusion bill?
-What did the October 1679 elections show?
(RE 1.3)

Answer 5

• Whigs could not decide who should be next in line.
• 27 May 1679, King dissolves parliament to prevent Shaftesbury’s exclusion bill.
• October 1679 elections showed exclusion was still favoured by the majority.

Question 6

How did the Tories handle the exclusion crisis? What stopped conflict escalating? (RE 1.3)

Answer 6

• Tories used propaganda and painted Whigs as extremists pushing for civil war.
• When the bill was rejected on the 15th Nov 1680, the only thing stopping conflict was fear of another civil war.

Question 7

What happened at the Oxford Exclusion parliament? When was it dissolved? (RE 1.3)

Answer 7

• Charles came to Oxford with an armed guard, and increased confidence he could rule without parliament (increased trade post Dutch wars, more subsidies from France).
• He tried negotiating, but failed.
• Dissolved the final Exclusion parliament in 1681.

Question 8

What happened with the Rye House plot, 1683? (RE 1.3)

Answer 8

• Conspiracy to murder Charles and James uncovered.
• Planned to ambush their carriage (returning from Newmarket Races) at Rye House.
• Used as an excuse to arrest the remaining Whig leaders (Lord Russell, Algernon Sidney).