The Rump Parliament

Question 1

Problem in establishing a government after the execution of Charles
• Ireland and Scotland

Answer 1

Ireland was a Royalist stronghold and Charles II was immediately declared King in Scotland in February 1949

Question 2

Removing Royalism in England (after C’s death)

• Legislative authority

Answer 2

The Rump declared that it had sole legislative authority

Question 3

Removing Royalism in England (after C’s death)

• The Council of State

Answer 3

The Rump elected a Council of State, which acted as a government council similar to the Privy Council

Question 4

Removing Royalism in England (after C’s death)

• House of Lords

Answer 4

In March 1649, the monarchy and House of Lords were abolished

Question 5

Removing Royalism in England (after C’s death)

• Commonwealth

Answer 5

In May 1649, England was declared to be a ‘Commonwealth and free state’, governed by a single-chamber parliament

Question 6

The nature of the Rump

• Who was in it

Answer 6

The majority in the Rump Parliament were members of the gentry and thus natually conservative.

Question 7

What did the Diggers create?

Answer 7

The Diggers created communities on common land where they intended to share resources and give people back their ‘ancient rights’, this acted as a model for the ‘godly society

Question 8

The Toleration Act 1650

• What was it

Answer 8

Removed the requirement for people to attend church as long as they took part in a religious service each week.

Question 9

The Toleration Act 1650

• Punishment

Answer 9

Those dissenting groups that did not take part in regular religious services were penalised

Question 10

The failure of the radical groups

• Tithes

Answer 10

Nothing was done to remove tithes (church taxes)

Question 11

The collection of tithes

Answer 11

In April 1652 the Rump declared that the collection of tithes should continue. Members of radical groups were expected to pay towards the upkeep of a parish church they would never attend

Question 12

The Blasphemy Act 1650

Answer 12

It was aimed at restricting radical religious sects, who could be subject to severe penalties

Question 13

The failure of the radical groups

• Moral offences

Answer 13

With the Church court abolished, moral offences that they would have previously death with were not punished in the regular court system

Question 14

The Adultery Act May 1650

Answer 14

This imposed the death penalty for adultery albeit rarely used

Question 15

The failure of the radical groups

• Censorship

Answer 15

Censorship of printed material was introduced in order to limit radical pamphlets

Question 16

What was the government newspaper?

Answer 16

Mercurius Politicus was launched to defend the actions of the Rump

Question 17

What was the fundamental issue facing the new regime?

Answer 17

The ‘revolution of 1649 was the work of a minority, who needed wider support in order to establish an effective government

Question 18

Success of the Rump Parliament

• Religious freedom

Answer 18

The law that required compulsory attendance at Church was repealed in the Toleration Act, giving a measure of religious freedom

Question 19

The army in relation to the Rump

Answer 19

The regime’s existence was depended on the army

Question 20

Success of the Rump Parliament

•The Navigation Act 1651

Answer 20

The Navigation Act, passed in 1651, stated that goods imported to England and its territories had to be carried on English ships.

Question 21

What was the Navigation Act 1651 designed for?

Answer 21

It was designed to remove the Dutch monopoly on freight trade across northern Europe and North America

Question 22

Success of the Rump Parliament

•Royalism in Scotland and Ireland

Answer 22

The army was successful in defeating Royalists in Ireland and Scotland

Question 23

Success of the Rump Parliament

• The Hale Commission 1651

Answer 23

The Hale Commission was created in December 1651. Chaired by the senior lawyer, and was tasked with investigating legal reform

Question 24

Success of the Rump Parliament

• Threats from the Levellers

Answer 24

The army was successful in suppressing threats form the Levellers, in particular a mutiny of Leveller soldiers at Burford in May 1649 that resulted in several of their leaders being shot

Question 25

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • Gentry refuse to cooperate

Answer 25

Many of the greater gentry and nobility refused to cooperate with the regime, leaving a small number of lesser gentry in charge

Question 26

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • The need to maintain a large standing army

Answer 26

Due to the need to maintain a large standing army, there was a shortfall in tax revenue.

Question 27

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • Lack of reliable support

Answer 27

Without reliable support from the political nation, the regime could not reduce or dispense with the army, but as long as an army existed, that reliable support would not be forthcoming

Question 28

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • The shortfall

Answer 28

Despite the Rump resorting to the sale of Crown lands to raise money, the shortfall totalled £700,000 in 1653

Question 29

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • Warship

Answer 29

In order to pay for the construction of warships, the monthly assessment was raised to £90,000. The assessment alone now raised as money as Charles's entire annual revenue

Question 30

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • The Hale Commission

Answer 30

Despite meeting three time per week for a year, the Rump rejected the Hale Commission's recommendation regarding criminal law, including reducing use of the death penalty, and allowing access to lawyers for prisoners in late 1652

Question 31

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • The rate of reforms

Answer 31

The rate of reform slowed down with time. In 1649, 125 Acts of Parliament were passed, reducing to just 51 in 1652

Question 32

How did the army contribute to the failure of the Rump

Answer 32

Proposed reforms to the law could not be agreed upon and the necessity to maintain a large standing army meant that the Rump was destined to fail

Question 33

Why was the army dissatisfied?

Answer 33

The army became dissatisfied with the slow pace of reform and eventually Cromwell, in his role as commander of the army, closed the Rump down by force in April 1653

Question 34

Failures of the Rump Parliament | • Attendance

Answer 34

Attendance at the Rump was always low, with only about 70 active MPs out of 210 and average attendance of 50 to 60

Question 35

Success of the Rump Parliament | • Stability

Answer 35

The Rump managed to maintain stability and order in the face of economic distress, religious radicalism, threat of invasion from Ireland and actual invasion from Scotland.

Question 36

Advantage of the Rump | • Army's threat

Answer 36

There was no good alternative and the Rump held off the threat of the army's political ambition

Question 37

Success of the Rump Parliament | • Money

Answer 37

The Rump managed to raise enough money to finance the army, mainly through the sale of Church, Crown and Royalist lands.