Interregnum 1649-1660

Question 1

What did Ireton want to do after the execution of Charles?

Answer 1

He wanted to dissolve parliament and call new elections. But the mood of the country made that impossible so power remained with the Rump.

Question 2

What happened to the Lords and and Monarchy in March 1649?

Answer 2

They were formally abolished.

Question 3

Why did the Commonwealth struggle in the beginning?

Answer 3

There was little stability in the country. The nobles and gentry failed to cooperate and Scotland and Ireland were royalist strongholds.

Question 4

What happened when Charles II invaded in 1651?

Answer 4

He was defeated at the Battle of Worcester, suggesting that a combination of reform and stability from the new regime could help it develop the support it needed.

Question 5

What was a major problem that Commonwealth faced when trying to reform?

Answer 5

It took a very long time to reform government. This caused shortfalls of £700,000 in 1653.

Question 6

What did Cromwell do in Ireland in August 1649?

Answer 6

He suppressed revolts and committed massacres at Drogheda and Wexford.

Question 7

What did Cromwell do in Sctoland in September in 1650?

Answer 7

He defeated the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar.

Question 8

Who was the country at war with from 1652 and 1654?

Answer 8

The Dutch and they were fighting about trade and shipping. The war cost £90,000 a month. equivalent to Charles I’s annual spending.

Question 9

Why and when did the Rump parliament end?

Answer 9

Cromwell lost patience with the Rump in April 1653 dissolved it.

Question 10

What did Cromwell do after dissolving the Rump parliament?

Answer 10

Cromwell, was advised by Colonel Lambert to create a nominated assembly of men from radical groups and various churches. Cromwell formed a committee of four generals which asked the Independent Churches to nominate members for a new parliament.

Question 11

What did Cromwell tell the members of the Assembly and what did the Parliament become known as?

Answer 11

Cromwell told the members of the Nominated Assembly that they were to answer the call of God and enact a godly reformation. The common nickname for this parliament was the Barebones parliament, named after one of its members, Nicholas Barbon.

Question 12

Why did the Barebones fail?

Answer 12

The radical Fifth Monarchists in the Nominated Assembly could not work with the moderates.

Question 13

When was the Barebones Parliament dissolved?

Answer 13

In December 1653, the more moderate members met and voted to dissovle the Assebly.

Question 14

What did Cromwell and Lambert do after the barebones parliament was dissolved?

Answer 14

Lambert produced the instrument of Government, offering a new constitution, with Cromwell in charge and a parliament designed by Lambert.

Question 15

What was the Instrument of Government and what was it modelled on?

Answer 15

It laid out how the government would be run and was modelled on Ireton’s heads of the Proposals from 1647.

Question 16

What did The Instrument of Government lay out?

Answer 16

It Stated the Lord Protector would be supported by a Council of State and a single-chamber parliament with 460 members. Parliaments were to be elected every three years by voters with at least £200. They would sit for a minimum of five months. There would be a state church, but freedom of worship for all except Catholics and the supporters of Bishops. The government would rule over England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. This Parliament became known as the First Protectorate Parliament.

Question 17

What were some of the laws implemented by the First Protectorate early on?

Answer 17

Bear-baiting and cock-fighting were banned, postal services were improved and laws were passed to prohibit blasphemy and drunkenness.

Question 18

What were some of the problems Cromwell faced during the First Protectorate Parliament?

Answer 18

Cromwell struggled to keep the army.

Question 19

What caused the dissolution of the First Protectorate parliament?

Answer 19

Republican MPs whom Cromwell had excluded from power during the dissolution of the Rump, refused to recognise the Instrument of Government. Cromwell dissolved it in January 1655.

Question 20

What was Cromwell’s response to a royalist rising in Spring of 1655?

Answer 20

He imposed centralised military rule. He divided the country into 11 districts each under the control of a major-general. This became known as the Rule of the Major-generals.

Question 21

What was Cromwell offered in 1657?

Answer 21

He was offered the crown.

Question 22

What did the Second Protectorate Parliament (1656-1658) want and what did Cromwell do in response?

Answer 22

The Second Protectorate Parliament was determined to replace the major generals. Cromwell saw the need to compromise and accept a new constitution.

Question 23

What did the new constitution include?

Answer 23

The new constitution was effectively the restoration of the monarchy.

Question 24

What was the Humble Petition and Advice and what did it include?

Answer 24

Government by a Lord Protector, the Lords and Commons to govern with the Protector, provision for hereditary succession, parliament to control the army and approve the officers of state, regular elections and limited religious toleration.

Question 25

When did Cromwell die?

Answer 25

He died in September 1658

Question 26

Who was Richard Cromwell?

Answer 26

When Richard Cromwell succeeded his father as Lord Protector he was a civilian with no experience of war. He was forced to resign in May 1659 by the Council of Officers.

Question 27

What did the Council of Officers do?

Answer 27

They restored the Rump Parliament.

Question 28

What did Richard Cromwell do in January 1659?

Answer 28

He hastily summoned the Third Protectorate Parliament?

Question 29

Who took control and drove out the ruling minority in January 1660?

Answer 29

General George Monck.

Question 30

What did George Mock do in February 1660?

Answer 30

He enabled members of the Long Parliament purged in 1648 to return so it could dissolve itself.