The English Civil War

1
The English Civil War Constitutional Monarchy
Chapter 5, Section 5

• How do different types of govts gain use
  power?

• How did
• Englands
• govt influence
• our own?

• How why did England place limits on its
  monarchs?

2
Absolute Monarchs ruled most of Europe during the
Middle Ages ( parts of Europe until WWI)

• But England was different

3
Types of Monarchy

• Absolute ie. absolutism, monarchs with
  unlimited power claimed divine right to rule ?
  God made ME king, so obey me!
• Constitutional laws limit monarchs power

4
Background on England

• In 1215, English nobles forced weak King John to
  sign a document known as the Magna Carta (Great
  Charter) that forced him to accept limits on his
  power? monarch was not above the law!
• England was the only European country during the
  Middle Ages to place limits on its monarch.

5
Background on England

• Monarch needed consent of Parliament to collect
  new taxes
• Parliament
• - representative, legislative body
• - bicameral (2 houses) based on social class
  
• 1. House of Lords nobles (aristocrats)
  
• appointed or inherited
• (today only advisory ceremonial role)
• 2. House of Commons wealthy landowners
• townspeople elected
• (today real power)

6
House of Commons House of Lords
7
Background on England

• King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547)
• Loyal Catholic until the Pope denied him an
  annulment from his (1st) wife
• So Henry removed England from the Popes
  authority created the (Protestant) Church of
  England, or Anglican Church (in USA
  Episcopalian), under his control
• Ended up with 6 wives ? 3 kids (son died
  young 2 daughters ruled after him)

FYI Protestants Christians who broke away
from authority of Pope
8
Background on England

• Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603)
• solidified England as
  Protestant country
• England defeated
  Spanish Armada in 1588
  
  (beginning of Englands
  naval DOMINANCE
  
  that lasted til WWII)
• reigned over
  Englands Golden Age
• Virgin Queen died without an heir to the throne
  throne passed to Scottish cousins, the Stuarts