The English Civil War and Commonwealth

The English Civil War (1642-1649) was a conflict between Royalists (Cavaliers) and Parliamentarians (Roundheads), resulting in significant political and social changes.

Key aspects of the war:

• Royalists supported the king, Church of England, and Catholic nobility
• Parliamentarians were mainly Puritans, merchants, and middle classes
• Oliver Cromwell's Ironsides cavalry played a crucial role in the Parliamentarian victory

Vocabulary: Cavaliers were Royalist supporters, while Roundheads were Parliamentarians, named for their short-cropped hair.

The Commonwealth Era

After Charles I's execution in 1649, England became a republic known as the Commonwealth.

Key events:

• Abolition of the monarchy and House of Lords
• Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector in 1653
• Cromwell's death in 1659 and his son Richard's brief rule

The Rise of Puritanism

Puritanism, a Protestant reform movement, gained significant influence during this period, particularly under Oliver Cromwell's leadership.

Definition: Puritanism was a religious movement aimed at "purifying" the Church of England from Catholic influences.

Key Puritan beliefs and practices:

• Emphasis on religious unity and moral conviction
• Criticism of external manifestations of faith in Anglicanism
• Belief in predestination
• View of poverty as almost sinful and leisure as potentially corrupting

Highlight: Puritans believed in the Calvinist theory of predestination, which states that all events are predetermined by God.

The Puritan influence extended beyond religion, shaping social norms and political policies during the Commonwealth era.