Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
A-level
HISTORY
Component 1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702
Thursday 23 May 2024 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7042/1D.
Answer three questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer two questions.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
You are advised to spend about:
– 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A
– 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B.
,IB/M/Jun24/G4006/E6 7042/1D
Exam Summary Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702
1. The Early Stuart Period (1603–1625)
o The reign of James I (1603–1625): The transition from the Tudor monarchy to the Stuart
dynasty.
o James’s belief in the divine right of kings and his tensions with Parliament over issues of
royal prerogative and finances.
2. The Reign of Charles I (1625–1649)
o Charles I’s belief in the divine right of kings, leading to growing tensions with Parliament
and his attempts to rule without Parliament, particularly through Personal Rule (1629–
1640).
o The political crisis: The Short Parliament (1640) and the Long Parliament (1640–1660),
and Charles’s conflicts with Parliament over taxation and religious policies (e.g., the
Laudian reforms).
3. The Commonwealth and Protectorate (1649–1660)
o The Interregnum: The period following the execution of Charles I, when England became a
republic under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell.
o The challenges of governing without a monarchy, including dealing with religious dissent,
economic issues, and maintaining military control.
4. The Restoration of Charles II (1660)
o The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 with the return of Charles II, following Cromwell’s
death and the collapse of the Commonwealth.
o The challenges faced by Charles II in re-establishing royal authority after the interregnum,
including the need to reconcile with former enemies and address ongoing religious conflicts.
5. James II and the Crisis of the Monarchy (1685–1688)
o James II: The Catholic king whose policies alienated both Parliament and the Church of
England. His attempts to assert absolute monarchy led to widespread opposition.
o The Glorious Revolution of 1688: The overthrow of James II, culminating in his exile and
the accession of William III and Mary II, marking a shift in the balance of power between the
monarchy and Parliament.
6. Religious and Political Tensions
o The role of religion in the political crisis: The impact of Catholicism, Puritanism, and
Anglicanism on political power and governance.
o The rise of religious tolerance following the Glorious Revolution, alongside ongoing
conflicts between Protestant factions and tensions surrounding the place of Catholics in
English politics.
7. The Impact of the Crisis of Monarchy on the British Political System
o The eventual rise of Parliamentary sovereignty: The decline of absolute monarchy and the
growing power of Parliament.
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Section A
Answer Question 01.
Extract A
Millenarianism was a central belief of Protestantism but flourished with the political
events of the 1640s and 1650s. Most Protestants believed that a war between the forces
of Christ and Antichrist would end in a final battle and the Millennium would be
established when King Jesus returned to rule on earth. Thus, defined in this sense, there
is little doubt that Millenarianism, far from being the belief of a few eccentrics, was part of 5
the mainstream of Protestant intellectual life. However, groups like the Fifth Monarchists
have been dismissed by some as fanatical eccentrics. In a sense this is not surprising.
For them the civil wars and Charles I’s execution were signs of the coming of King Jesus.
As ridiculous as these ideas seem, they were well in line with those held by many people
due to the political events of 1640 to 1660. The uniqueness of the 10
Fifth Monarchists as Millenarians in these years was their plans for a temporary
government controlled by a minority until the Millennium.
Adapted from B Coward, The Stuart Age, 1984
Extract B
The appeal of popular Millenarianism in the 1640s and 1650s came from the hope it
offered. At a popular level, the Millennium seems to have meant a future world freed
from the insecurity of the seventeenth century. Wars would cease. Crops would be
gathered without the age-old fear of harvest failure. The workers alone, liberated from
taxes, tithes and rent, would benefit from their labour. Family life would be transformed 5
by the assurance of perfect health. In a period of recession, fighting and confusion, such
promises had an obvious appeal and were used by groups like the Diggers in reaching
out to ordinary people. The popular appeal of Millenarianism also came from the cheap
printing the various groups could make use of to popularise their vision. Thus, in these
turbulent years, Millenarianism was not confined to the elite or to those who were 10
Fifth Monarchists, but had a widespread popular appeal because of the hope it offered to
ordinary people of an end to their economic and social problems.
Adapted from B Capp, The Fifth Monarchists and Popular Millenarianism, 1984
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Extract C
What made Fifth Monarchists more dangerous and different from other Millenarians was
the central place they gave to their doctrine and their commitment to make their ideas a
political reality at any cost, including by force. The unrest that they stirred up was a
consequence of events from 1640 which encouraged Millenarian hopes. In terms of their
support, their critics often overestimated their size. Fifth Monarchists were strong in the 5
south, especially in towns, with London being the centre of their activity. Among their
leaders were several army officers and chaplains, as well as state officials. The
Fifth Monarchists also posed a considerable threat through the 1650s as they sowed
discontent among the soldiers and carried on secret negotiations with other disaffected
groups to create a broad oppositional alliance. The Fifth Monarchists were different from 10
other Millenarians in that they were not, despite the range of their support, egalitarian.
They envisaged, after the Millennium, an elevation of themselves to form a new upper
class, by force if needed.
Adapted from A Bradstock, Radical Religion in Cromwell’s England, 2010
0 1 Using your understanding of the historical context, assess how convincing the
arguments in these three extracts are in relation to Millenarianism in the years
1640 to 1660.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun24/7042/1D Turn over ►
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Section B
Answer two questions.
0 2 How significant were James I’s views on monarchy in the conflict between Crown and
Parliament in the years 1603 to 1625?
[25 marks]
0 3 To what extent was Charles II personally responsible for the problems of the restored
monarchy in the years 1660 to 1681?
[25 marks]
0 4 In the years 1681 to 1702, to what extent were changes in the relationship between the
Crown and the Political Nation due to fear of Catholicism?
[25 marks]
END OF QUESTIONS
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