Power and the People Flashcards
Causes of Magna Carta (1215)
The barons weren’t happy with how king john was ruling: john argued with the church and the pope excommunicated him/john was a poor war leader and lost land in france/john increased scutage(tax) to pay for war
Events of Magna Carta (1215)
King John met the barons on 15 June 1215 at Runnymede.
John agreed to stop unfair taxes, allow barons to inherit land, let the church make appointments, create 25 barons to monitor the king
Consequences of Magna Carta(1215)
The Magna Carta was about kings and barons not ordinary people. As time went on, Magna Carta applied to more people and became a symbol of people power.
Simon de Montfort and the origins of Parliament (1265 Great Council) Causes
Henry III was an unpopular king.
Simon de Montfort had lost land that he wanted back. He married the King’s sister and fought wars for Henry.
Simon de Montfort and the origins of Parliament (1265 Great Council) Events
The 1258 Provisions of Oxford gave the barons more powerful. Henry refused to sign them so the barons asked de Montfort to lead an army. He won the Battle of Lewes in 1258.The meeting of the Great Council in 1265 was the first time commoners were consulted and it was seen as the first Parliament.
At the battle of Evesham, the King’s forces defeated de Montfort and he was hacked to death.
Simon de Montfort and the origins of Parliament (1265 Great Council) consequences
Like Magna Carta, de Montfort’s Parliament became a symbol of democratic principles (people having a say in the running of the country)
The Peasants’ Revolt (1381) Causes
The Black Death killed 1/3 of England’s population.
The peasants who survived the Black Death could choose who they worked for and for what price. Edward III passed the Statute of Labourers (1351) to try to control the peasants
Richard II introduced a poll tax to pay for war with France
The Peasants’ Revolt (1381) Events
30 May 1381 Villagers in Kent and Essex refused to pay the poll tax.7 June 1381 the rebels freed the priest John Ball. Ball and Wat Tyler headed towards London with an increasingly large crowd. They burned records, attacked clerks and killed the Archbishop of Canterbury. 15 June 1381 one of the kings supporters killed Tyler.
The Peasants’ Revolt (1381) Consequences
The significance of the event increased over time. It was the first time commoners had rebelled against royal power. In the short term, the rebellions failed as King Richard went back on his promises. In the long term, peasants were never taxed as heavily again and peasants’ wages continued to rise.
The Pilgrimage of Grace (1536-37) Causes
Henry broke with the Catholic church and made himself Supreme Head of the Church of England. He dissolved the monasteries to get money for war with France.
The dissolution of the monasteries was unpopular as monasteries played an important role in the community, many nobles lost influence, people did not like the religious changes and Henry increased taxes.
The Pilgrimage of Grace (1536-37) Events
An uprising broke out in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, led by lawyer Robert Aske. It was called the Pilgrimage of Grace as it was meant to be peaceful.
The rebels demanded that England return to Catholicism and Henry get rid of corrupt ministers, including Thomas Cromwell.
Henry VIII sent the Duke of Norfolk to deal with the rebels. Norfolk assured the rebels the King would listen. Aske spent Christmas with Henry VIII.
January 1537 74 rebels were hanged as a warning. Aske was called back to London, arrested and executed.
The Pilgrimage of Grace (1536-37) Consequences
No more religious rebellions took place in Henry’s reign. Henry had gained full control of religion and the people.
The English Revolution (1629-1658) Causes
Puritans in Parliament did not like the Catholic changes to the church made by Archbishop Laud.
Charles ruled without Parliament for 11 years (1629-40).
Charles believed in Divine Right (that he was appointed by God).
Parliament drew up the Grand Remonstrance (a list of demands for Charles).
Charles tried to arrest 5 MPs which made Parliament angry.
The English Revolution (1629-1658) Events
August 1642 Civil War started.
Oliver Cromwell created the New Model Army which helped Parliament win the Civil War.
300 MPs were ejected from Parliament, leaving only the Rump Parliament to put Charles on trial.
Charles was found guilty of treason and was executed on 30 January 1649.
The English Revolution (1629-1658) Consequences
England became a Republic after Charles was executed. Oliver Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector.
Parliament restored the monarchy after Cromwell died. Charles I’s son became King.
Parliament met more regularly and was not influenced so much by the temperament and abilities of the King.
The American Revolution (1776-1783) Causes
The American Revolution began because the thirteen British colonies in America were taxed but did not get an MP in Parliament.
The American Revolution (1776-1783) Events
1776 the colonists declared themselves independent from Britain in 1776. 1776 declaration of independence.
Britain sent a large army but could not keep up the fight and surrendered in 1783.
Trade between Britain and North America increased.
The American Revolution (1776-1783) Consequences
The British Empire grew as Britain took over Australia, New Zealand and India.
The war defeat exposed weaknesses in the British government.
This was the first time a colony had rejected rule by a European power.
The idea of peoples’ rights spread to France where a revolution broke out.
British leaders feared a similar revolution in Britain so dealt with radicals harshly.
The Great Reform Act (1832) Causes
In the early nineteenth century the British electoral system was corrupt.
There were rotten boroughs who sent an MP to Parliament even though no one lived there while new industrial towns had no MP.
Only people who owned property could vote.
There was no secret ballot.
The government increased taxes on corn after the Napoleonic Wars.
The Great Reform Act (1832) Events
1819 a meeting at St Peter’s Field, Manchester called for the reform of Parliament.
The authorities sent soldiers into the crowd. Eleven people were killed, including women and children. This was called the Peterloo massacre.
The government introduced the six acts which banned the meeting of more than 50 people.
1830 Thomas Attwood organised a petition calling for reform.
1832 the Great Reform Act gave the vote to more middle class people. It redistributed MPs so that industrial towns were represented.
The Great Reform Act (1832) Consequences
The Great Reform Act extended the franchise but it did not get the vote for working class people.
