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The Stuart period began when King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England When Elizabeth I died in 1603, the crown passed to her cousin King James VI of Scotland. The accession of King James to the English throne (as King James I England) saw the nation of Scotland united with England and Wales under one ruler. More
It is called the Stuart period as King James was a member of a family called the Stuarts. The period lasted until James 1’s great grand daughter, Queen Anne, died, over a hundred years later, in 1714.
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This era saw the Gunpowder Plot to blow up Parliament. England was a Protestant country. However, there were still many Roman Catholics, who wished England to become a Catholic country again. In 1605, a group of them tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and seize power. More
The plot was overseen by Robert Catesby. It was discovered in the nick of time and the participants were either shot as they fled a farm house where they were hiding or were hanged, drawn and quartered for treason, including Guy Fawkes who was in charge of executing the plan. Real or imagined Catholic plots troubled the country for many years to come.
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The Puritan movement saw growing support for a simpler, purer form of worship. The Protestant Church of England was also divided, between the conservatives who wanted to keep the whole organization of the church as it was, and the reformers, or Puritans, who wanted to change to a much simpler church organization. More
The Puritans wanted the power to be in the hands of the local congregations. They believed that individuals could have a direct communication with God, without the need for bishops and elaborate ceremony. They sought a 'purer' type of church worship, with the practices inherited fom the Church of England's Catholic past abolished.
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The first British colonies in North America were founded. During the early Stuart period, the size of the Puritan population continued to grow. Both King James I and King Charles saw them as a threat to the established church. Persecution led to some Puritans leaving Britain to found new colonies in America. More
King James saw the Puritans as heretics, and their denial of the Divine Right of Kings as almost treason. During the reign of Charles I, William Laud, Bishop of London, an advisor to Charles, encouraged the King to pursue policies to eliminate their religious practices. This saw some leave the country to form new communities. The most famous group, the Pilgrim Fathers, fled the East Midlands and established a colony (in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts) in 1620. It became the second successful English settlement (after the founding of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607).
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There were constant arguments between king and parliament. Parliament, led by a group of Puritans, wanted to increase its power in government, whilst the Stuart kings wished to preserve their ‘divine right to rule’. More
The persecution of the Puritans saw them align with the movement to restore 'England's ancient liberties', and they formed the backbone of Parliament. This meant that many people in Parliament were reformers. Given the central place that religion had in the life of the nation at that time, the stage was set for conflict.
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Under Charles I, these tensions took the country into civil war. The English Civil War (1641–1651) saw a series of battles between the Parliamentarians and Royalists (supporters of the King). More
The conflict started after Charles I attempted to enforce Anglican forms of worship in Scotland. The King summoned Parliament but, when it refused to give funds to support the war with Scotland, he dissolved it. The King was beaten by the Scots and forced to recall Parliament again. Parliament then passed a law preventing the King from dissolving it. Tensions finally came to a head after Charles attempted to arrest five Parliamentary members. In 1642, the King raised his standard, declaring war. The first war ended in 1646 with the King's withdrawal to Scotland. The second war (1648–49) began after the King negotiated a deal with the Scots promising church reform. A series of royalist rebellions and a Scottish invasion took place in July 1648. The King's troops were defeated but the army, angry that Parliament was still considering Charles as a ruler, marched on Parliament in December 1648; 45 MPs were arrested, 146 refused entry to Parliament, and only 75 allowed in to do the army's bidding. These formed the "Rump" Parliament.
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The war resulted in the execution of King Charles I and a period of Republican rule. The outcome of the Civil Wars was the execution of the king, in 1649, and eleven years of Republican rule, most of which was under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell. More
After the army marched on Parliament, in December 1648, a 'Rump Parliament' was formed. This Parliament was ordered to set up a high court of justice in order to try Charles I for treason. The King was charged with subverting the fundamental laws and liberties of the nation and with maliciously making war on the Parliament and people of England. The trial started on 20th January 1649 and the King was beheaded on January 30th 1649. Oliver Cromwell, one of the commanders of Parliament's army, became leader of a short-lived Commonwealth (1649 to 1653). He quelled revolts in Ireland and Scotland in 1649-50 and engaged Charles II in battle at Worcester on September 3rd 1651. The defeated Charels II fled to France, ending the Civil War. The government from 1653 to 1659 was known as 'the Protectorate', and saw direct personal rule by Oliver Cromwell, as Lord Protector, until his death in 1658 and, then, for a short while, by his son, Richard.
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The upheavals of this period also saw the witch hunts. These started in 1644 and continued during the Civil War period. In times of uncertainty and upheaval, people often look for someone or something to blame. The (mainly) old women charged with witchcraft were an easy target. More
The last execution for witchcraft occurred in Exeter, when Alicia Molland died in March 1684. After this, the influence of the church and a move to more rational scientific arguments saw the end of the widespread belief in witchcraft.
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A 'Bill of Rights' finally saw the development of a monarchy answerable to Parliament In 1660, Charles II was recalled to the throne but tensions between King and Parliament had not been resolved. The open Roman Catholicism of James II (reigned 1685-88) was disliked by the nation. A brief civil war resulted in the complete triumph of Parliament and a new king, William, having to agree to a “Bill of Rights” for English citizens and to rule according to conditions set by Parliament. More
The conditions guaranteed the rights of Parliament and the individual liberties of English citizens. This "Bill of Rights", and other decisions of the time, laid the foundations for the political system known as "Constitutional Monarchy", by which - although always changing - Britain has been ruled ever since.
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For the Puritans, the home and family unit were crucial. The husband was in charge of his wife and the wife in charge of the family. His role was to provide for the family, protect and teach his children about God and prayer. Childcare was a woman's role and a wife's good name depended upon the behaviour of her children, who were expected to be obedient at all times. More
The Puritan home was plainly decorated and rejected excess of any kind, including ornate displays of wealth. The true 'godly way' was one of simplicity and purity that was reflected in the home as well as at church.
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How you dressed depended on your religious beliefs as well as money. The Puritans favoured plain dress, whilst the clothes of the Royalists were highly decorated and and elaborate. During Charles II's reign, for example, men wore wide breeches decorated with ribbons, high-heeled shoes and long, curled wigs; for women, an elaborately draped outer gown was worn over a bodice and skirt. More
Long waistcoats with matching outer coats also became popular. The Puritans favoured more modest styles and fabrics, in simple browns and blacks. The Puritan lady wore a simple unadorned dress that covered her almost from the neck to toes, and a white apron; she had her hair covered by a simple white head-dress. Puritan men wore dark clothes and their hair short.
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The Royalist home was richly decorated. Once again, the husband was in charge. Under English Common Law, when a woman married, she gave all her property to her husband and lost her separate identity. The Royalist home, however, was very different, with rich tapesteries, gildings and murals. More
At the beginning of the Stuart era, Jacobean decoration saw gilding, murals and elaborate decorations in green and coral pink. French tapestries were hung from walls covered in oak panelling. A style known as Palladian, introduced by Inigo Jones, based on classical designs, established itself in late Stuart times and, although the Restoration of the Monarchy saw a return to ornate painted ceilings, great panels, ornamented fireplaces doors and windows, they were set in simpler rooms.
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It was a time of economic, scientific and technological progress. Isaac Newton came up with a scientific way of describing the universe, which has been the basis of all science ever since. Despite the wars, economic and technological progress in Britain gained pace. More
Economic growth, already well underway in Tudor times, continued unchecked throughout the period, during which the foundations of Britain's overseas trade and empire were laid. These changes laid the foundations for the Industrial Revolution which would come later, in the 18th century.
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The Slave Trade grew and the foundations of the British Empire started to develop. The hugely valuable West Indian islands fell into British hands and British merchants became well and truly involved in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Along the coast of India and West Africa, trading bases, or "factories", were established, laying the foundations for future British rule. More
These overseas bases needed a strong navy to defend them and, by the end of the period, Britain had the largest, the best led and most efficient fleet in the world.
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In Britain, merchants banded together to take on more ambitious ventures. The setting up of joint-stock companies allowed merchants to take on more ambitious ventures, because working together limited the financial risk for each individual contributor. This encouraged the development of trade and the colonies. London coffee houses became places where merchants conducted business. More
Joint-stock companies were the ancestors of today's limited companies. The most famous of these, the East India Company, was actually set up at the very end of the Elizabethan era. The trade in shares in London began when The Muscovy Company and the East India Company raised the money to undertake two costly voyages, by selling shares to merchants. In return, the merchants had a right to a portion of any profits made. The idea soon caught on and was followed by the development of the West India Company, the Royal Africa Company, and several companies involved in the founding of different colonies in the New World. By 1695, there were around 140 joint-stock companies.
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Insurance companies also sprang up, as did the Stock Exchange. The trade in shares for the joint stock companies was centred around two coffee houses, Jonathan's and Garraway's, in the City of London's Change Alley. This lively trading of stocks and commodities saw the development of the Stock Exchange. Another coffee house, Edward Lloyds, grew into the great insurance centre, Lloyds of London. More
Lloyds came to underpin British maritime commerce, and has continued in this role right up to the present day. Other insurance companies grew out of the same environment, when, for a relatively small fee, merchants could insure against the failure of their venture.
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Towards the end of the period, the Bank of England was set up. It soon came to act as the central bank for all the other banks that were appearing at about the same time. One of the other institutions set up was the Patent Office, which encouraged new ideas and progress. More
The Patent Office arose as a result of the technical innovations taking place at the time. It became an important factor in stimulating further innovation - on a completely unprecedented scale.
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Agricultural improvements were transforming the countryside. Developments such as crop rotation and the seed drill had begun to transform farming in this country, and this would lead to the later huge growth in population. More
The Agricultural Revolution in Britain occurred between the 17th century and the start of the 19th century. It saw a massive increase in agricultural productivity and output. This, in turn, supported population growth and, by freeing up a significant percentage of the workforce, helped to drive the Industrial Revolution. Greater mechanization, four-field crop rotation, selective breeding and enclosure all contributed to the improvements.
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As cities grew, more fuel was needed to heat the houses and the mining industry expanded. Coal mines began to benefit from early railways using horse-drawn carts. An early steam engine had also been invented by John Newcomen which was used to pump water from mines. Around the same time, the first high grade steel in Britain was produced at Coalbrookdale. More
The mining industry of Northumberland and Durham had expanded vastly, as a growing London population sought fuel for its hearths. By 1688, England, Scotland and Wales were producing fourteen times more coal than in 1558 and London was importing 30 times as much coal. Spin-off industries such as gunpowder, salt, glass and metal goods also grew. The system of wooden - later steel - railways, on which ran horse-drawn carts, provided a springboard for engineering projects to come. Elsewhere in the country, Abraham Darby had built the first coke-fuelled blast furnace in Europe, for producing high grade steel, at Coalbrookdale. Coal, steel and steam - these were what later made the first Industrial Revolution.
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The period also saw the rise of the great estates. Many aristocratic families died out through a lack of heirs and their lands passed to other aristocratic families with whom they were related. This meant that a much greater amount of land was owned by just a few families. More
It is thought that this consolidation of land was an element in the political stability of the country during the period that followed the Stuarts, in the Eighteenth century. Most of these families formed a group which has been labelled the "Whig Aristocracy", which successfully managed Parliament and government through their wealth, contacts and patronage.
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Society was similar to that of the Tudors but there was more opportunity for people to advance. A few hundred landowning families, members of the nobility or gentry, still dominated a much larger class of yeoman and tenant farmers. Beneath these came a still larger class of farm labourers. In the cities were the merchants and traders. More
In the small but growing towns lived merchants, craftsmen and town labourers, as they had in previous centuries, but the opportunities to trade and amass wealth had never been better.
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The Stuart period saw many of the great European thinkers and artists. Philosophers changed the way people thought about government. Poets and musicians all flourished and a new Authorised Version of the Bible raised English, as a written language, to a new level. More
The ideas of the English philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke sowed the seeds for the later American and French Revolutions, by stating that government should involve a "social contract" between ruler and ruled. William Shakespeare was still writing under James I, who also comissioned the new Authorized Version of the Bible. This brought the common man into daily contact with a new level of written English. The poets John Donne and John Milton were writing for wide and discerning audiences and Purcell was one of the first great English composers.
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Plague and fire saw London transformed. In 1665, a great plague killed many people in London and saw many rich temporarily flee the capital. This was followed by the worst fire in London's history, in 1666. Master architect, Sir Christopher Wren, built beautiful buildings out of the charred remains of central London, including St Paul's Cathedral. More
The fire broke out in a bakery in Pudding Lane on September 2nd, 1666, and burnt for three days, destroying the medieval centre of the city. 13,200 houses were destroyed, as well as a host of famous and historic buildings.
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The poor still lived in harsh conditions but things were improving. Expanding trade was making all classes better off. The changes were lifting thousands of families up through the ranks of society. More
All this makes it easy to understand why this country became home to the first industrial society in the world, about fifty years after the Stuart period ended.
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In 1689, a new law finally saw greater religious tolerance. In the last years of the century, a climate of tolerance gradually arose, as people become exhausted by religious bigotry. The Act of Toleration of 1689 made it legal to worship outside the Church of England. More
When the Puritans gained power, they closed theatres and tried to impose a godly pattern of behaviour on all people. After the Restoration of the Monarchy, Puritans who remained within the Church of England became known as Nonconformists, whilst those who left were known as Dissenters. The Dissenters established their own denominations. The government attempted to suppress these organizations by a code (the Clarendon Code) that effectively barred them from public office, from attending meetings or worshipping in their own way. The Suppression continued until the Toleration Act of 1689.
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Stuart England was a time of upheaval, but also of great creativity. Despite war and upheaval, the Stuart period saw a flourishing economy that was dynamic and innovative. In fact, the technological foundations for the Industrial Revolution had been layed by the end of the Stuart period. More
At first sight, however, English society in the 17th century and early 18th century looked very similar to Tudor society. Most people - perhaps 70% of the total population - were still wholly or partially engaged in farming, but there had been significant cultural change and a new social mobility (i.e. new people were gaining money, power and influence). Social change was on the way.
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