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King James the I Takes the Throne
Took the throne after Elizabeth I's death since Elizabeth had no children and James was her cousin and closest relative. England and Scotland now shared a ruler. -
Charles I Signs the Petition of Right.
A petition that Parliment forced Charles I to sign, making him agree to four points:
1. He would not imprison subjects without due cause.
2. He would not levy taxes without Parliment's consent.
3. He would not house soldiers in private houses.
4.He would not impose martial laws in peacetime. -
Charles I Faces Rebellion in Scotland
Charles tried to force Prebyterian Scots to follow a version of the Anglican prayer book, wanting both kingdoms to follow one religion. The Scots, in response, gathered a huge army and threatened to invade England. -
English Civil War
Parliment passed a law in 1641 limiting Charles I power. Enraged, Charles tried to arrest remebers of Parliment but they escaped. As this was happening, a mob was forming outside the palace.Charles the fled London and headed to northern England to form an army where people were loyal to him. Opponents and supporters of Charles then fought the English Civil War. Those who remained loyal to Charles were called Royalists or Cavaliers. -
Charles I is Tried For Treasson and Hanged
In 1649, Cromwell and the Puritans brought Charles I to trial for treason. They found him guilty and sentenced him to death.This was the first time a reigning monarch had faced a public trial and execution. -
Oliver Cromwell Invades Ireland
Cromwell landed on the -
Oliver Cormwell Abolishes Parliment
Cromwell sends home all remaining Parliment and replaces it with a republic. However, Cromwell eventually ended up ruling as a military dictator. -
Charles II is Restored to the Throne
In 1659, Parliment voted to ask the older son of Charles I to rule England. Because he restored the monarchy, the period of Charles II's reign was called the Restoration. He also restored theater, sporting events, and dancing, which Puritans had banned. This was also the first time females had been allowed on stage to play female roles. -
Habeas Corpus is Passed
The law gave every prisoner the right to obtain a writ or document ordering the prisoner be brought before a judge. The judge would then decide whether the prisoner be tried or set free. Also, prisoners could not be held indefinately without a trial. -
James II Comes to the Throne
James II took the throne in 1685. He soon offended his subjects with his Catholicism, appointed several Catholics to high office and ignored Parliment when they protested it. In 1688, James's wife gave birth to a son. Scared of having a line of Catholic Kings, Members of Parliment invited James's older daugther and her husband, Mary and William, to overthrow James for Protestanism. When William and his army marched into London in 1688, James fled to France. This is called the Glorious Revolution -
English Bill of Rights is Signed
To make clear the limits of royal power, Parliment passed the English Bill of Rights. It stated many things a ruler could not do:
-No suspending of Parliment's laws
-No levying of taxes without a specific grant from Parliment
-No interfering with freedom of speech in Parliment.
-No penalty for a citizen who petitions the king about grievances.