The strengths and divisions of Parliamentary opposition Flashcards
What did the majority of the Commons and Lords united against the King?
Name 2 points
1) To remedy the abuses of the Personal Rule
2) To revive the relationship between the king and the country, represented in Parliament
Implication of unity in purpose
Unity made it possible for them to pass measures swiftly in order to redress the two issues.
What was Strafford accused of?
Strafford was accused of trying to establish ‘arbitrary government’.
Parliamentary strengths:
Puritans network
The Puritan-dominated House of Commons sympathised with the Scottish Covenanters and shared some of the same aims
Parliamentary strengths: (Unity)
What were MPs determine to do?
MPs were determined to attack the tools used by Charles to uphold personal rule, including his advisers
Parliamentary strengths:
The Covenanters setting an example
The Covenanters had successfully challenged royal authority and this provided parliament with an example to follow.
Parliamentary strengths: (Covenanters)
• The Scottish Triennial Act
The Scottish Triennial Act was passed in June 1640, ensuring that a Scottish parliament was to be called at least once every three years
Parliamentary strength:
Charles’s financial situation
Charles was unable to dissolve the parliament in 1640 at short notice. This meant that Pym and his allies had a secure platform to attack Charles
Parliamentary weakness:
• Example of the Short Parliament April 1640
Charles was still able to dissolve parliament at any time. He had dissolved the Short Parliament after just three weeks.
Parliamentary weakness:
The deal to secure concession
In order to secure concessions from Charles, parliament would have to offer him sources of funding in return
Parliamentary weakness:
The House of Lords
The House of Lords was generally loyal to Charles, which would restrict the Commons’ ability to amend and repeal laws
Parliamentary weakness:
Moderates view
Most of the political nation were moderates who would not join Pym and his radical colleagues in dismantling the tools of personal rule
