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Period: 1509 to 1547
Reign of Henry VIII
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1517
Martin Luther writing the Ninety-Five Theses
Denouncing the indulgences used by the Church, criticizing the religious practices of Catholics and sharing the values and beliefs of Protestants. -
1526
The Tyndale Bible
First New Testament translated in English by William Tyndale. -
1534
Act of Supremacy
Creation of the Anglican Church : the King becomes the head of the Church. -
Period: 1547 to 1553
Reign of Edward VI
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1549
Publication of the Book of Common Prayers
Revision of mass-books following Protestant ideology and beliefs in order to make mass more accessible to more people. -
Period: 1553 to 1558
Reign of Mary Tudor - "Bloody Mary"
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Period: 1558 to
Reign of Queen Elizabeth I
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1559
Act of Supremacy and Act of Uniformity
The Queen is the head of the Church and has all the powers.
Every citizen is obliged to attend Protestant Mass every Sunday. -
1570
Excommunication of Queen Elizabeth I
Pope Pius V's bull against the Queen was intented to disowned the Queen of the Catholic Church, to point at her betrayal of the church, to prove her illegitimacy on the throne, to punish anyone who supported her and to encourage revolts against her. -
Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
As a Catholic heir, Mary was a threat for Queen Elizabeth's throne. They spied on her thanks to the Babington Plot (1586). -
The Tilbury Speech
Invasion of England by the Spanish armada which was defeated because of the weather and the new strategy of the English.
Queen Elizabeth made a speech in armor on the battlefield to motivate her troops, proving her dedication to the country. -
Poor Laws (then in 1601)
Laws creating a moral distinction between deserving (poor because of health and impotency) and underserving (because because of themselves) poors. -
Period: to
Reign of James I (King James VI of Scotland)
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Gun Powder Plot
A little group of Catholics organized a conspiracy to blow up Parliament and kill James I. -
First English Colony
Jamestown, Virginia, North America -
Period: to
The Starving Time
Only 60 colonist survived because the colony run out of drinkable water, there were not enough growing of crops and they were in conflicts with Powatan tribe.
They were saved by the discovery of a new type of tobacco that helped them revive the colony's economy (first sold in England in 1614). -
Great Contract of 1610
Centerpiece of financial reforms: the King would receive a fixed sum of money, allowing him to be independant financially. The House of Commons refused to vote in favor. As a consequence, James dismissed Parliament. -
King James' Bible
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Period: to
The 30 Years War
England at war with Spain and France. The defeat led to a huge debt for the Crown (£1 million) and impacted the local population (troops raising). -
Plymouth colony
Puritans left England on Mayflower. -
Period: to
Reign of Charles I
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Petition of Rights
A complaint of MPs, who asked the King to recognise limits to his power (extra-taxation for Parliament). Charles I signed it reluctanly. -
Three Resolutions
MPs declared anyone trying to contest protestant forms of the Church and anyone advising the King to collect customs duties, enemy of the Kingdom. This was a strong act of defiance against the King authority: Charles emprisoned them and dissolved Parliament. -
Period: to
Charles I's "Personal Rule" or the "Eleven Years of Tyranny"
The King chose to rule without Parliament for 11 years. This led to religious policies that were on the opposite of the Elizabethan compromise. -
Period: to
The Scottish Crisis
The New Prayer Book of 1637 was unacceptable for Scotland (Protestant country). They send a petition opposing Charles I's religious policy : "Scottish National Convenant" of 1638. -
Short Parliament and Treaty of Ripon
Charles I formed Parliament (3 weeks) and asked for money for the Bishop's War. The Scots invaded England and won. A Peace Treaty was signed and England was forced to pay for Scottish army (humiliation). -
The Irish Rebellion
James I had established a plantation policy: English and Scottish protestants were sent in Ireland's colonies. Irish Catholics, were robbed of their land and decided to rebel. -
Militia Act
Parliament passed the Act in order to raise an army, controled by a general appointed by Parliament. -
The Grand Remonstrance
Summarized all wrong-doing of Charles I and ask for:
- right of House of Commons to choose King's ministers
- right of Parliament to control any army sent to Ireland.
- right of Parliament to reform the Church.
These "revolutionnary" demands divided Parliament in two groups: Parliamentarians (believed reform) and Royalists (reform is too high). -
Declaration of War
After that the King marched with troops into the House of Commons, on January 1642, he offically declared war on Parliament. -
Period: to
First Civil War
The Battle of Naseby (June 1645) was a turning point.
In May 1646, the King and the Royalist surrendered to the Scots: Parliament won.
The war led to the creation of the New Model Army (1644) and encouraged groups with radical ideas. In June 1647, the New Model Army rebelled and seized the King and Peace Settlements failed. -
Period: to
Second Civil War
November 1647, Charles I escaped from army custody and allied with Scotland. Royalist were easily defeated by Cromwell.
The Pride Pruge (December 1648) was a trial to decide the King' fate. On January 1949, King Charles I was executed and in March, Monarchy was abolished and England declared a Commonwealth (a Republic). -
Period: to
The Commonwealth
Lead by Cromwell.
Failed because of slow progress and tension in the country. -
Scottish Repression
After he defeated the Scots army, Cromwell started a strong repression with the "Blasphemy Act". -
Instrument of Government
The first and only written English Constitution. -
Period: to
Cromwellian Protectorat
A military dictatorship controled by Cromwell (Lord Protector) who had all the powers. -
Period: to
Reign of Charles II
May 29, 1660: King is restaured. -
Act of Uniformity
All ministers had to swear to conform of Book of Common Prayer. -
Period: to
The Plague and the Fire of London
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Period: to
Political Crisis
1678: Rumors of the french "Popish Plot", destined to murder the King and replace him.
1679-1681: Parliament attempts to remove the heredity of the English throne. -
Period: to
Reign of James II
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Period: to
Reign of William III and Mary II
Join Monarchy (Dutch and English). -
Bill of Right
The new King brings a Constitutional Monarchy and set limits to the monarch's powers, set rights to Parliament and set basic civil rights.
This is a morden symbol in England's politic. -
Toleration Act
William III declare religious pluralism in the country and allows freedom of worship for Protestants. -
Act of Settlement
Ensure the King's protestant sucession and puts an end to the quarrel between the King and Parliament. -
Period: to
Reign of Queen Anne
Last Stuart. -
Period: to
War of the Spanish Succession
England gained Acadia over the French. -
Period: to
Reign of George I
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Jacobites rising
Led by "Old Pretender" (son James II) -
Period: to
Reign of George II
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Jacobites rising
Led by "Young Pretender" (grandson of James II) -
Jacobites final Defeats at Culloden
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Period: to
Reign of George III
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Period: to
Seven Years' War
England gained Florida over the Spanish and (most of) Canada over the French.
Those years were a turning point for England which played an important role in American War of Independence. It marked the end of the "First British Empire". -
"First British Empire"
Britain involved in Transatlantic slave trade (16th to 18th centuries). It is the beginning of the creation of the largest colonial empire. -
Act of Union
Union of Scotland, Wales and England establishing the United Kingdom. -
Period: to
Reign of George IV
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Period: to
Reign of William IV
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Period: to
Reign of Queen Victoria