Monarchs and Parliaments (James)

Question 1

Define the term political nation

Answer 1

refers to people in early modern Britain who had economical , political and social influence. A person’s influence was based on land ownership and economic standing.

Question 2

Define the term preogorative

Answer 2

this is the power of the monarch,essenitally what he can and cannot do

Question 3

What are the Monarch’s 4 main prerogatives ?

Answer 3

• foreign diplomacy
• declaration of war
• legislation
• the Supreme Governor of the Church of England

Question 4

Define the term absolutist

Answer 4

a person who can rule freely with unrestricted political power

Question 5

What were subsidies?

Answer 5

these are taxes which help support a Monarch’s goals

Question 6

Why was Parliament against subsidies?

Answer 6

as only wealthy people had to pay subsidies ,so MP’s and people of parliament, therefore they were reluctant

Question 7

What was prerogative income ?

Answer 7

money a monarch received due to them being a monarch

Question 8

Why was prerogative income a problem for parliament ?

Answer 8

as it made the Monarch financially self-sufficient, then they could establish themselves as absolutist, meaning they don’t need Parliament anymore so they can dissolve them

Question 9

What were the 4 main sources of income for a Monarch?

Answer 9

*Crown lands: rent from land owned by the crown

*Custom duties: taxes from good imported into the country

*Feudal dues: the crown had the right to control an estate that was inherited

*Parliamentary Subsidy: funds approved by Parliament in emergencies

Question 10

What was the great chain of being?

Answer 10

this was an idea that their was an ordered society set by God and that everyone was linked to each other

Question 11

What was the Divine Right of Kings?

Answer 11

this was a belief that authority derived from God

Question 12

What were the problems with the Divine Right of Kings?

Answer 12

*could lead to absolutism

*cause no one can tell him what to do the monarch can do whatever he pleases

Question 13

What was an anti-supper?

Answer 13

this involved the preparation of two suppers. The first feast you only looked at and smelt it and then you threw it away. The second feast you would actually eat.

Question 14

What was a puritan ?

Answer 14

a radical protestant

Question 15

What was Calvinism ?

Answer 15

a branch of Protestantism where there was a strong belief in predestination

Question 16

Why were puritans unhappy ?

Answer 16

due to the fact that they did not receive a lot of reforms in the Hampton Conference

Question 17

How did James want to uphold the Jacobean Peace ?

Answer 17

he created harsh laws however he did not actually enforce them

Question 18

What was a recusancy fine ?

Answer 18

a fine you would receive every time you would not attend a protestant mass

Question 19

What the thirty year war?

Answer 19

a war between Catholicism and Protestantism in Europe

Question 20

What was Arminianism ?

Answer 20

the belief were a man has more free will and his life is not entirely directed by predestination

Question 21

What was Calvinism?

Answer 21

a belief in predestination

Question 22

What was Presbyterianism ?

Answer 22

a strong belief in anti-bishops and a strong emphasis on education

Question 23

What was parliamentary privilege ?

Answer 23

these are rights allowed to MP’s

Question 24

What privileges did parliament have ?

Answer 24

• parliament have the right to raise any issues with the crown
• they have the right to be consulted on certain matters, such as foreign policy
• freedom from arrest for at least 21 days
• manage their own personal affairs

Question 25

What was the Buckinghamshire election ?

Answer 25

Francis Goodwin as MP for Buckinghamshire was annulled by the court of chancery as he was an outlaw. However the commons voted to reinstate Goodwin. However James disagreed with this, but he further worsened the situation by raising wider constitutional issues by telling the commons that all political decisions should go through James and his grant first. The Buckinghamshire election was an example of a Monarch’s prerogative versus parliamentary privilege.

Question 27

What was the Shirley Case ?

Answer 27

Thomas Shirley was an MP who was arrested for debt. MP’s were frustrated with not being able to use their parliamentary privilege of freedom from arrest for 21 days. Therefore parliament sent a governor of the fleet prison, where Shirley was being held to the Tower of London until Shirley was released.

Question 28

What was the form of Apology and Satisfaction?

Answer 28

this was a document made by the MP’s to express their dissatisfaction of James’s handling situations such as the Buckinghamshire election and the Shirley’s case.

Question 29

What was the Treaty of London ?

Answer 29

this was an agreement between Spain and England. This treaty included and end to the English aid to the Dutch and the protection of Spanish ships in the English channel

Question 30

What was the thirty year war ?

Answer 30

The thirty year war began as a religious war, fought between Roman Catholics and Protestants in Germany.

Question 31

What was the Spanish match ?

Answer 31

The Spanish match was a proposed marriage between Prince Charles, the son of King James I of England, and Infanta Maria Anna of Spain, the daughter of Philip III of Spain

Question 32

What happened in the 1614 addled parliament?

Answer 32

there was factional conflict : the emergence of competing groups in politics, such as the Howard function and the protestant function caused political dysfunction. The 1614 parliament was dissolved due to a failure to impose any legislations

Question 33

What happened in the 1621 parliament ?

Answer 33

MP’s focused on the abuse of monopolies, partly as a means of attacking Buckingham. This abuse of monopolies caused increased tensions over finance and factions.

Question 34

What happened in the 1624 parliament ?

Answer 34

James is ill therefore Charles and Buckingham are in charge of foreign policy. The failure of the Spanish match leads to Charles siding with parliament and becomes anti-Spanish, undermining his father.

Question 35

What was the great contract ?

Answer 35

This was proposed due to James’s large spending. What the great contract aimed to do was to get rid of this debt by James receiving an annual income from parliament. However in exchange James would have to relinquish his rights to warship and purveyance and would not increase tax on import goods. However the contract was deeply unpopular for both sides. James though that £200,000 per year was too little for the relinquishment of some of this rights. Parliament opposed the great contract because it provided James with too much independence and could result in him refusing to call parliament.

Question 36

Why did the great contract increase tensions between the political nation and the monarchy?

Answer 36

Parliament felt discontent towards James because they felt like he did not understand the laws and privileges of England. Whereas James was dissatisfied with parliament because of parliaments refusal to provide James with a suitable income.