Reforms of the Long Parliament in England are an interesting and important period in the history of Great Britain. It was his activity that led to many changes in the country, among which was a change in the form of government and the creation of a republic. Therefore, it is necessary to know this period. The simplest form of memorization will be the compilation of the table "Reforms of the Long Parliament".
Prerequisites for the emergence of a new authority
The long parliament began its work in November 1640. It lasted 13 years, for which it got its name. Parliament was convened to solve several important state problems:
- Religious disputes.
- Interethnic Conflicts.
- Confrontation between antimonarchists and monarchists.
Reforms of the Long Parliament, which tried to level out conflicts and find a compromise, could not stop the ongoing processes. The period of his reign in England ended in a civil war.
Who participated in the parliament
Reforms of the Long Parliament were carried out by 516 members of the House of Commons and 150 members of the House of Lords. The deputies of both houses were mostly chosen from the new chivalry, which mainly represented the interests of cities and only to a small extent of counties.
A considerable part of the deputies who took part in the work of the Long Parliament were members of the previous one, including opposition members Pim and Bagshaw, who represented a threat to the interests of the monarchy. Part of the seats in parliament went to opponents of the state church, including the Presbyterians.
Attack on the church
The Church of England played a too big role in the life of the state. Parliament did not agree with this state of affairs. At his suggestion, a list of violations of the rights and freedoms of citizens by the church was examined (for example, cruel punishments of people who accused bishops of abuse of authority). Parliament ordered the hierarchs to pay compensation to all victims of an unfair trial, as well as to cancel the sentences.
The next step was the signing of the bill “On Roots and Branches,” which limited church authority and destroyed the episcopal system. Church hierarchs were expelled from the House of Lords, which later gave more freedom to parliament.
Creation of administration and city government
Parliament set about creating an administration controlled by the government. All supporters of the church were removed from power. Earl Strafford, who opposed parliamentary reforms, was executed. Some of the administrative posts were abolished, while others advocated transformations in the country.
Judicial Change
Not only bishops lost their power, but also the crown. The royal courts, the Council for the Affairs of the North and Wales were liquidated, the powers of the Privy Council were significantly reduced. More powers have been granted to common law courts, which historically have been within the sphere of influence of parliament.
Remodeling
Finally, parliament declared its independence. A special bill in 1641 announced that the king could not rule without parliament for more than 3 years, and if the monarch did not want to collect it, then the lords were obliged to convene it themselves. Parliament received exclusive rights in the field of taxes; it could not be dissolved before 50 days from the moment of convocation.
In the fall of 1641, the domestic political situation in the country escalated. In connection with the uprising in Ireland, the parliament hastily consolidated all the reforms in the constitution. The power of the monarchy was recognized as unshakable, but the king was losing independence in the fields of taxes, court, and budget management. The liquidation of the episcopate and church courts was consolidated.
This bill has received the name "Remonstration". It was approved with a small margin of vote, and the king had no choice but to approve it. But Charles I was not ready to limit the power of the monarch. He urgently issued a declaration on the protection of the monarchy and announced the collection of the army.
Civil War
Parliamentary action gradually led to a civil war.
January 1642 began with the arrival of the king in parliament, accompanied by troops in order to arrest the five most active opposition members. They managed to escape, hide with sympathetic citizens and enlist the support of the mayor. The king’s act caused a wide resonance, the country was divided: on the one hand there was a parliament and its supporters, on the other - conservative monarchists. The period of split and dual power has come. The civil war began, which lasted a long 4 years.
Parliament hastily tried to organize a new administrative system. An executive committee was created, which included control over the courts, the state apparatus, and the administration of Scotland and Ireland. Many other committees were also established that were in charge of various areas of government. Finally, parliament passed a law on its own supremacy. Now disobedience to him was considered a betrayal of the state and severely punished.
Thus ended the first stage of the revolution and ended the reforms of the Long Parliament.
What are the ways to present the material in the lesson?
Foreign history of this period are held in high school. Interesting 7th grade students in the reforms of the Long Parliament can be difficult. To do this, you can resort to the following methods:
- Divide the class into monarchists and members of parliament by arranging debate and discussion of laws.
- Stage a meeting of this authority.
- Come up with a cluster or table "Reforms of the Long Parliament."
- View a colorful presentation.
How to fill out the table “Reforms of the Long Parliament”?
Tables are the most common and easiest way to summarize material. In order for the student to be able to fill out the table on reforms of the Long Parliament, he must read the material, reduce it and set it out in a new form. In this case, several methods of memorization are involved, which, of course, contributes to the assimilation of the material. Students can make a table on the reforms of the Long Parliament both in the classroom and at home. This method of working with the material can be used both to consolidate and to study a new topic.
To fill out the table “Reforms of the Long Parliament”, you can use several templates.
For example, to divide the activities of parliament into time periods and characterize each of them.
Period | The reform | Conclusion |
1640-1641 | The limitation of the power of the monarch, the removal from public office of his adherents. Limitation of royal privileges in court. The abolition of "ship" taxes. Adoption of a law on the convocation of parliament every three years. | The power of the king and his supporters was severely limited. |
December 1641-1642 | The beginning of the Irish uprising. Decree on the transfer of control of the army under the authority of parliament. The limitation of church authority. Parliament begins to impose taxes without the consent of the king. | Parliament proclaims its independence from royal authority, begins to act without the approval of the monarch. |
1643 | Confiscation of property from the counts and lords - supporters of the king. Local government organization. | Active parliamentary action leads to the first civil war. Karl is captured by parliament. |
1648-1649 (Parliament is valid until 1648) | Escape of Charles I. The second civil war and the restoration of royal power. The execution of Charles I and the creation of a republican form of government. | Change in the political system of England and the final dissolution of parliament. |
Another way to fill out the table on reforms of the Long Parliament can be to divide the reforms by area: political reform, tax, church, etc. You can also divide the table into two parts: parliamentary reforms and the reaction of the king and his supporters.