3.2 The English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution

The English Civil War (roughly 1642–1651) was a series of conflicts between the king (Charles I) and Parliament over who held political power in England. Causes: royal claims of divine right and Charles’s Personal Rule (1629–1640), money/ taxation disputes, and conflicts over religion (Puritans vs. Anglican/royalist policies). Key players: Charles I, Parliament, and Oliver Cromwell—Parliament’s New Model Army (Roundheads) defeated the king’s supporters (Cavaliers). Consequences important for AP Euro: the trial and execution of Charles I, the Interregnum (Commonwealth and Cromwell’s Protectorate), the 1660 Restoration, and longer-term shifts toward parliamentary sovereignty culminating in the Glorious Revolution and the English Bill of Rights. For AP exam tasks, you should connect causes to outcomes (causation) and use specific evidence like Pride’s Purge, the New Model Army, and the trial of Charles I. Review the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history) to prep.

They clashed because both sides wanted different ideas about who had ultimate authority. Charles I (like James I before him) pushed royal prerogative and divine-right claims—ruling without regular Parliaments, raising taxes (ship money), and enforcing unpopular religious policies. Parliament (especially the gentry and Puritan elites) insisted on legal rights, control of taxation, and protection from arbitrary rule. Conflicts over religion, money, and who could call/dismiss judges and armies made compromise harder. When Parliament created the New Model Army and forced events like Pride’s Purge, disputes escalated into the Civil War, leading to Charles’s trial/execution, the Interregnum (Commonwealth/Protectorate), and later the Restoration and Glorious Revolution—outcomes that strengthened parliamentary sovereignty (English Bill of Rights). For AP review, this maps to Unit 3 LO B (causes/consequences); see the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and more unit resources (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3). Practice questions: https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history.

Oliver Cromwell was a leading Puritan gentry officer who became the most important military and political leader for Parliament (the “Roundheads”) in the English Civil War. He helped form and lead the New Model Army, a disciplined, merit-based force that gave Parliament the military edge. Cromwell’s troops won key victories (like Naseby in 1645), and he played a central role in Pride’s Purge (when the army removed MPs unwilling to try the king). After the war he supported the trial and execution of Charles I (1649) and helped abolish the monarchy, opening the Interregnum period and the Commonwealth. Cromwell later became Lord Protector (Protectorate), shaping postwar government and religious policy. For CED-aligned review see the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic). For extra practice questions, try Fiveable’s practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a violent, internal conflict between Charles I (royalists/Cavaliers) and Parliament (Roundheads) over authority, religion, and taxation. It led to the New Model Army, Pride’s Purge, the trial and execution of Charles I, the Interregnum (Commonwealth) and Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate—a short-lived break from monarchy (these are key causes and consequences the AP wants you to explain). The Glorious Revolution (1688–89) was a mostly nonviolent political replacement: Parliament invited William III and Mary II to replace James II after his pro-Catholic policies threatened Protestant gentry. Its outcome secured parliamentary sovereignty and produced the English Bill of Rights, creating a constitutional monarchy that limited absolutism. Short version: the Civil War ended monarchy temporarily through force and radical change; the Glorious Revolution settled succession and limited royal power peacefully, cementing Parliament’s rights (study Topic 3.2: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic). For practice, try AP-style questions at https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history.

James I (reigned 1603–1625) set up several long-term problems that helped lead to the English Civil War. He strongly promoted the divine right of kings, which clashed with Parliament’s growing belief in legal limits on royal power (CED theme: competition for power between monarchs and corporate groups). He regularly ignored Parliament when raising money, relying on unpopular fiscal measures instead of regular taxation, which created financial crises and mistrust. Religiously, his preference for a hierarchical Anglican Church alienated Puritans and other dissenters, increasing factional tension. His favoritism toward court favorites and his attempts to centralize authority made the gentry and Commons fear royal absolutism—so by the time of Charles I those conflicts over finance, religion, and political authority had already deepened into open conflict. (For AP review: this fits Unit 3.2 LO B—explain causes of the Civil War; see the Fiveable topic study guide for Topic 3.2 for more detail: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic. For extra practice, try Fiveable’s AP Euro practice questions: https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history.)

Short answer: kings claimed near-absolute authority (divine right), but Parliament—especially the gentry and aristocracy—controlled taxes, laws, and local power. Conflict started because monarchs like James I and Charles I tried to raise money, suspend laws, and enforce religious policies without Parliament’s consent. Parliament objected to arbitrary taxation, royal courts (like prerogative courts), and attempts to impose Anglican uniformity on Puritans. When Charles I dissolved Parliament, tried to rule alone, and then called it back for money, tensions exploded into the Civil War between Royalists (Cavaliers) and Parliamentarians (Roundheads/New Model Army). The war’s outcomes—trial and execution of Charles I, Cromwell’s Commonwealth/Protectorate, the Restoration, and later the Glorious Revolution—shifted power toward Parliament and led to the English Bill of Rights and parliamentary sovereignty. For AP exam practice, focus on causes vs. consequences (Unit 3 LO B) and use this topic study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

For regular people the English Civil War meant years of instability and real, everyday suffering plus some long-term political shifts. Short-term: food shortages, higher taxes, quartering of soldiers, displacement, and disrupted trade hurt townspeople and peasants; many faced conscription into the New Model Army and loss of property during confiscations. Political/social effects: the rise of Parliament and the New Model Army opened space for radical ideas (Levellers, Diggers), but most radicals were suppressed—so small gains in popular political power were limited. Cultural/religious: Puritan moral controls shaped daily life during the Interregnum (restrictions on theaters, festivals), while the trial/execution of Charles I showed elites could be held accountable. Long-term: the conflict weakened absolutist monarchy and paved the way for parliamentary sovereignty and the English Bill of Rights after the Glorious Revolution—benefits mostly protected gentry/aristocracy but eventually expanded political rights for broader groups. For AP prep, use contextualization and specific evidence (e.g., New Model Army, Levellers, Interregnum)—see the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic). For practice questions, try Fiveable’s practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Parliamentary sovereignty means Parliament—not the monarch—is the highest lawmaking authority. In simple terms: laws, taxes, and major policies needed Parliament’s approval, and rulers couldn’t override Parliament’s rights. The English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution shifted power from kings (James I, Charles I) toward Parliament and the gentry/aristocracy. After 1688, the English Bill of Rights (1689) helped cement this idea by limiting the monarch’s power, protecting property rights of elites, and requiring regular parliaments—a key AP CED outcome for Topic 3.2 (see English Bill of Rights, Parliamentary sovereignty). On the exam, use this concept to explain causes or consequences in short answers, DBQs, or LEQs about constitutionalism and state power. For quick review, check the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and more unit material (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3). Practice questions: (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

The English Bill of Rights (1689) was a parliamentary statute that followed the Glorious Revolution. It limited the monarch’s powers, affirmed Parliamentary sovereignty, guaranteed things like regular parliaments, free elections, no standing army in peacetime without Parliament’s consent, and protections like habeas corpus for property-owning elites. It’s a product of constitutionalism in Unit 3 (English Civil War → Glorious Revolution) and shows how Parliament protected gentry/aristocratic rights (CED KC-1.5.III & KC-2.1.II.A). The American Bill of Rights (1791) is the first ten amendments to a written constitution and focuses more on individual liberties (religion, speech, press, due process, jury trial, etc.), enforced by an independent judiciary and applied within a federal system. Key differences: English version is a statute protecting Parliament’s role and elite interests; the U.S. version is constitutional, emphasizes individual rights, and creates judicial review. For review, see the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Start with a clear thesis that answers “why” the English Civil War began (e.g., conflict over royal authority, religion, and finance), and put it in your intro or conclusion. Contextualize briefly: Stuart claims of divine right (James I, Charles I), religious tensions (Anglican Laudian policies, Puritans), and fiscal conflicts (Ship Money, forced loans). Use at least four documents to support your line of reasoning and describe—not just quote—their content. Bring in one specific extra piece of evidence (e.g., Trial and execution of Charles I, New Model Army, Pride’s Purge, Levellers). For two documents explain POV/purpose/audience (CED Skill 2: sourcing). Show complexity by weighing multiple causes (religion vs. political power vs. finance) or showing causal change over time (early conflicts → radicalization under Cromwell). Follow AP DBQ rules: thesis, contextualization, use ≥4 docs, one outside evidence, sourcing for ≥2 docs, and aim for complexity. For focused review use the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Short answer: partly. The Glorious Revolution (1688–89) solved the main political problem left by the Civil War—who ruled—by making the monarchy constitutional and affirming parliamentary sovereignty (English Bill of Rights, William III & Mary II). That protected gentry/aristocratic rights from absolutism, which is exactly the CED outcome for Topic 3.2. But it didn’t fix everything. Religious tensions stayed—Catholics were excluded from the throne and from many rights—and political power still rested with elites; the franchise didn’t expand to commoners. So it secured a lasting shift away from personal absolutism toward constitutional monarchy and parliamentary rule, while leaving social and religious inequalities largely intact. If you want a concise CED-aligned review, check the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and practice over 1,000 AP-style questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history) to prep for exam short-answer/LEQ prompts.

England didn’t become an absolute monarchy because Parliament, the gentry, and political crises forced limits on royal power. Charles I’s attempts at personal rule, unpopular taxes, and religious policies sparked the English Civil War (New Model Army, Roundheads vs. Cavaliers). Victory for Parliamentarians, the trial and execution of Charles I, and the Interregnum showed that monarchs could be held accountable. Even after the Restoration (1660) and James II’s rule, elites refused unlimited royal authority—the Glorious Revolution (1688) replaced James with William and Mary and produced the English Bill of Rights, which asserted parliamentary sovereignty and protected gentry/aristocratic rights (CED KC-1.5.III.A and KC-2.1.II.A). For AP exam evidence and keywords (e.g., Pride’s Purge, Protectorate, Parliamentary sovereignty), see the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic). For more practice, try Fiveable’s AP Euro practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

It means Parliament (backed by England’s gentry and aristocracy) won legal and political limits on the monarch so nobles didn’t lose power to an absolute king. After the Civil War and Glorious Revolution, outcomes like the English Bill of Rights and Parliamentary sovereignty guaranteed that monarchs couldn’t tax, raise an army, or suspend laws without Parliament’s consent. For the gentry/aristocracy that translated into protections for property rights, local offices (justices of the peace, county control), and influence over legislation—so political power became shared rather than concentrated in one ruler. In AP terms: the conflict shifted the distribution of governmental authority (KC-1.5.III) and the consequence was constitutional limits that protected elite rights from absolutism (KC-2.1.II.A). If you want concise review and examples (e.g., Charles I, trial/execution, William & Mary, English Bill of Rights) check the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history) for AP-style prep.

Short answer: the English Civil War (1642–1651) and the Glorious Revolution (1688) are part of the same long struggle over who holds power in England—monarch or Parliament. The Civil War pitted Charles I and royal prerogative against Parliament, leading to the trial/execution of Charles I, the Interregnum (Commonwealth/Protectorate under Cromwell), and then the Restoration (1660). Those events showed Parliament and powerful elites could limit or remove a monarch. Ten years later, James II’s pro-Catholic policies triggered elite and parliamentary fear of absolutism; Parliament invited William and Mary to take the throne, producing the English Bill of Rights and stronger parliamentary sovereignty. So the Civil War weakened absolutism and set precedents that made the Glorious Revolution’s constitutional settlement possible. For AP prep, focus on causes/consequences (Unit 3 LO B): trial/execution of Charles I, New Model Army, Interregnum, Restoration, James II, William & Mary, English Bill of Rights (see the Topic 3.2 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic). For extra practice, try problems here: https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history.

The English Civil War happened because different groups—monarchs (James I, Charles I), Parliament (the gentry/aristocracy), and other elites (city merchants, Puritans, radicals)—competed over who had real authority. Kings claimed divine right and tried to raise revenue and control religion without Parliament; Parliament insisted on rights, taxes, and legal protections. Conflicts over religion (Charles’s favoring of high Anglicanism and fear of Catholic influence), taxation (ship money), and institutions (Pride’s Purge, the New Model Army) turned political rivalries into armed confrontation. Factional elites used ideologies (Levellers, Diggers) and military organization (Cavaliers vs. Roundheads) to advance their power, producing regicide, the Interregnum, and later the Restoration and Glorious Revolution—outcomes that secured parliamentary sovereignty (English Bill of Rights) and limited absolutism. For AP prep, connect causes → military/phasing → political outcomes in your essays; use the Topic 3.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-3/english-civil-war-glorious-revolution/study-guide/NdZTflJhMwwWqT0CNUic) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).