The growth of religious non-conformity: Puritanism under Charles I

Question 1

Puritans were members of the Church of England who opposed…

Answer 1

Elizabeth I’s ‘middle way’.

Question 2

Why did Puritans remain with the Church of England?

Answer 2

Because they supported Anglican doctrines which reflected the views of John Calvin.

Question 3

Puritans were strong opponents of the rituals of…

Answer 3

Anglican services, which they believed retained too many features of Catholic worship.

Question 4

Why did Puritans want further church reforms?

Answer 4

To implement a more purified and Protestant form of worship.

Question 5

Puritans suspected that Laud and Charles I were both determined to…

Answer 5

restore Catholicism as England’s official religion.

Question 6

Many Puritans were politically…

Answer 6

conservative.

Question 7

Why did the imposition of Arminianism limit the scope for Puritan opposition

Answer 7

• Puritan books and pamphlets were censored, and texts brought from abroad were seized and destroyed
• Although the predestination was a part of Anglican doctrine, preaching on predestination was banned
• Puritan preaches were no longer financed by town councils or by individuals

Question 8

Give examples of Puritans openly opposing Laudianism?

Answer 8

• In 1633 the Puritans of the parish of St Gregory’s in London unsuccessful tried to use to courts to oppose Charles’ policy of railing off the altar
• In 1638 the Puritan John Lilburne was whipped through the streets of London for distributing anti-Laudian pamphlets

Question 9

Open opposition to Laudianism from the Puritans was…

Answer 9

rare, because many reluctantly accepted the reforms of the 1630s and waited for better times - others simply chose to emigrate.

Question 10

How many Puritans were estimated to have emigrated from England during the 1630s?

Answer 10

80,000.

Question 11

Where did many Puritans settle after emigrating?

Answer 11

Ireland, the West Indies and the Dutch Republic - and around 20,000 settled in the American colony of Massachusetts.

Question 12

With the breakdown of Charles’ authority after the religion-inspired rebellion of Presbyterian Scots in 1637, some Puritans began to…

Answer 12

return from overseas.

Question 13

Who led the opposition to Charles in parliament, in 1640?

Answer 13

Puritans such as John Pym.