English Civil War

¶ … English Civil War of the 17th century. Specifically, it will look at what the most important results of the English Civil War were, and how England in 1700 differed from England in 1600. The results of the English Civil War changed England forever, and altered many cultural aspects, from religious to government. Before the Civil War, England was divided from the inside, and after, it was more united, but stronger too, because of a better working relationship between the monarchy and the Parliament.

The English Civil War was really a series of wars fought during the mid-1600s in England, but also exacerbated by battles with the Scottish, the Irish, and the Welsh. In fact, modern historians often refer to the Civil War by several names, including, "Puritan Revolution', 'English Revolution', and more recently 'British Civil War(s)'" (Ohlmeyer, 1998, p. 16). It was a result of many things, including despotic rule by the kings James and Charles, continual bickering with Parliament, and a growing unrest in many of England's population, who wanted the freedom to worship outside the Catholic Church, among many other things. The Civil War deeply divided the country, and altered many things in British government. Some of them lasted, and some of them did not, but they all combined to make England a very different place in 1700 than it was in 1600.

Perhaps the biggest difference in England from 1600 to 1700 related directly to the outcome of the English Civil War. In 1600, a popular queen, Elizabeth I was on the throne, and England was supreme in many facets of the world, including her naval superiority and her economy. In 1600, the throne was secure, and England was relatively peaceful. By 1700, England had been a Commonwealth, ruled by the self-righteous Puritan Oliver Cromwell. King Charles had been executed, and the Puritans, who had opposed him, had rid themselves of the ruling bishops of the Catholic Church. The economy and trade had begun to rise during Tudor times, but by 1700, there was a distinct middle class in England, and it was many of these people who had risen up against the king and attempted to find a voice for themselves in English politics.

The Civil War is often called the Puritan Revolution because so many Puritans opposed King Charles, but it was much more than the Puritans who ultimately rose up, it was many of the middle class opposing the wealthy and the titled, and this too helped change the face of England by 1700, because the wealthy and titled no longer held all the power. The people had been heard, and they wanted change, and change occurred after the English Civil War. Religion changed, because for a time, with Puritan rule, the Anglican Church was ousted, and the Puritans ruled with a hand. They were finally ousted after leader Oliver Cromwell died, and the monarchy was returned to the throne. The Anglican Church also made a comeback, and remains today The Church of England.

Many historians believe that a "new sense of British national identity was created and forged at all social levels during the eighteenth century" (Cannadine, 1995, p. 24). Thus, the Civil War created great changes in England, including uniting the people again under one solid and consistent belief in their society and their ideals. By 1700 England was back on track with her government and her Parliament, and she had gained the territories of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, that would form the backbone of the British Empire. England was stronger as a result of the war, and the people, for the most part, were more content with their lives and their government.

Ultimately, the English Civil War was a duel between the Royalists who supported Charles I and his Catholic tendencies, and the Parliamentarians who supported Parliament and the Protestant reform that supported Puritan and non-Catholic ideals. Religion was a major part of the fighting, and so the alteration of religion was a major result of the fighting. The Catholics lost power after the war, but the Puritans could not hold on to it, and England's fate was sealed with the Church of England. However, Parliament changed because of the war, too. Before, Charles I and James I had adversarial relationships with Parliament, and often dismissed the group when they were not happy with their actions. After the English Civil War, Parliament gained new powers, and the kings could no longer dismiss them at a whim. The House of Lords still existed, but so did the House of Commons, and the "common" people gained at least a bit of ground in helping govern their nation.