What is the primary question examined in the period from 1625 to 1649?
Why did government fail?
List the three sub-themes of political instability during 1625-1649.
- Blame on Charles I’s actions and personality
- Financial problems of the crown
- Religious conflicts and tensions
What are the long-term causes of instability identified for the period?
- Charles I’s personality and actions
- Financial problems of the crown
- Religious conflicts
- Opposition from Parliament and other groups
Fill in the blank: The outbreak of the _______ occurred in 1642.
[Civil War]
What specific event escalated tensions in 1642?
Attempted arrest of MPs (e.g., John Pym)
True or False: Charles I was known for his willingness to compromise.
False
What financial issue did Charles I face that contributed to instability?
Dependence on Parliament for revenue
What sparked the Bishops’ War in 1639-1640?
Charles’s religious reforms in Scotland (Book of Common Prayer)
Describe the role of Charles I’s personality in the political instability.
His unyielding belief in divine right and refusal to compromise created cycles of conflict.
What were the four main long-term reasons for instability?
- Charles I’s personality and actions
- Financial problems of the crown
- Religious conflicts
- Opposition from Parliament
What was a key factor in the failure of Republican governments during the Interregnum (1649-1660)?
Inability to establish a stable, lasting political settlement
List the four distinct experiments in government during the Interregnum.
- The Rump Parliament
- The Barebones/Nominated Assembly
- The First Protectorate under Cromwell
- The Second Protectorate under Richard Cromwell
What was the nature of political instability during the Interregnum?
Rapid succession of different governments failing to find a sustainable solution
Identify a long-term cause of political instability during the Republican period.
The conservative nature of Parliament
Fill in the blank: Oliver Cromwell’s decisions often created _______.
[instability]
What did radical political and religious groups contribute to during the Interregnum?
Promoted ideas that undermined social order and republicanism
What were the major causes of instability during the Restoration period (1660-1688)?
- Unclear division of powers between Parliament and Crown
- Religious conflicts
- Financial problems
- Foreign policy challenges
- Personality traits of Charles II and James II
What was the Clarendon Code?
Laws restricting non-Anglican religious practices
True or False: The Exclusion Crisis was driven by fears of a Catholic conspiracy.
True
What significant event marked the culmination of fears about Catholicism?
The Glorious Revolution (1688)
What was a common theme in the actions of Charles II and James II?
Divine right kingship and autocratic tendencies
Fill in the blank: The failure of the Republican governments can be attributed to a combination of _______.
[conservative parliamentary attitudes, army influence, Cromwell’s contradictory personality, radical ideas, structural issues]
List two significant crises during the Restoration period.
- The Popish Plot
- The Exclusion Crisis
What role did financial independence play in the instability of the Restoration period?
Limited financial independence led to frequent demands for taxation and conflicts with Parliament.
