Unit 1C - Britain, 1625-1701: conflict, revolution and settlement
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Essay Unit 1C - Britain, : conflict, revolution and settlement
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Unit 1C - Britain, 1625-1701: conflict, revolution and settlement
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Essay on to what extent did the 1642 English Civil War break out due to events happening in Scotland and Ireland, or was it more just events in England itself.
Unit 1C - Britain, 1625-1701: conflict, revolution and settlement
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Charity Lai
How far do you agree that the Civil War broke out in England in 1642 largely due to events in
Scotland and Ireland?
The civil war broke out in England in 1642 due to events both in Scotland and Ireland. It can be
argued that the civil war broke out in England due to events in Scotland in the years 1636-40
with the Bishop wars and the Prayer Book rebellion whilst Ireland was responsible in the years
1640-41 due to Wentworth’s approach to government and the Irish Rebellion. It must be
considered that it was due to events in Scotland and Ireland that led to the build up of tension
within England until the Civil War broke out.
One of the biggest reasons why the Civil war broke out in England was due to the religious and
political events in Scotland in the years 1636-1640 that led to the end of the Personal rule.
Charles issued a Book of Canons in 1636 to the Scottish clergy, listing out instructions of how the
Scots should lay out their churches and introduced a number of practices associated with the
Church of England. This was the beginning of the build up of tension leading to the Civil War in
England, as Charles started to try and bring Scotland in line with England it opened up the idea
of opposition against the king and this idea was further reinforced by introducing the English
Prayer Book to Scottish churches in 1637. When the book was first read out in St Giles Cathedral
Edinburgh, riots broke out throughout Scotland as many saw this as an attack to Scottish
national character. Violence was their main response to this, such as a woman named Jenny
Geddes who stood up and threw her chair at the dean when the book of common prayer was
introduced. People saw the rebel of Scotland and began to organize themselves of a rebellion
towards the king by establishing a National Covenant in 1638, signed by many nobles and clergy
agreeing to defend Scottish national rights and the Scottish clerk. Through the Scots’ opposition
to Charles’ church and government, it gave the MPs the confidence and willingness to challenge
Charles as they saw how the Scots were able to do it so successfully they believed that the same
could be applied to them. Therefore it can be argued that due to the prayer book rebellion in
Scotland it caused the break out of the Civil War. Moreover, military conflicts followed through
the Bishops War in 1639-40 where Charles was forced to call parliament, ending the personal
rule, in order to get money to fight the Scots. Many people were unhappy with the idea of
funding a war with the Scots and people started assaulting tax payers. Again, violence was the
solution that was used against the king which led to success as Charles was unable to get the
money he needed therefore gave MPs the thought that violence can be their ticket in order to get
what they want, causing the civil war. The Scots’ success in the Bishops war could be taken as
evidence for the rise of the parliamentarians and increasing opposition from MPs to Charles
because the Bishop wars led to the Treaty of Ripon being signed and Scotland stayed in England
until the settlement was signed and the Scots were happy with it. Since Charles had to pay 850
pounds a day for the Scots to stay, it placed the long parliament in a strong position in
November 1640 and put them in the driving seat. They knew that Charles needed parliament to
help him put together religious and political settlements to get the Scots out of the country but
to drag time meant that Charles was getting poor and would have to agree to their demands.
Charles was in a position where he had to negotiate but as evidenced from his past experiences
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