Cuộc Cách Mạng Vinh Quang
The Restoration and James II
In 1660, Parliament invited Charles II (son of Charles I) back from exile in France. This Restoration restored the monarchy. Charles II was popular and reopened theatres banned under Cromwell.
Two great disasters marked his reign. The Great Plague of 1665 killed an estimated 100,000 people in London — roughly a quarter of the city's population. It was the last major outbreak of bubonic plague in England. In 1666, the Great Fire of London burned for four days, destroying over 13,000 houses, 87 churches, and most public buildings including St Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt many buildings, including a magnificent new St Paul's Cathedral.
Charles II died in 1685 and was succeeded by his brother James II, who was openly Catholic. James promoted Catholic interests and appointed Catholics to key positions. When his wife bore a Catholic son in June 1688, Protestant leaders decided to act.
The Restoration (1660): Charles II was invited back as king, restoring the monarchy
The Great Plague of 1665 killed about 100,000 people in London
The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed much of the city; Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt St Paul's Cathedral
James II was Catholic, which alarmed the Protestant establishment; his Catholic son's birth in 1688 triggered a crisis
Từ vựng
The return of the monarchy under Charles II in 1660
The 1665 outbreak of bubonic plague in London
The 1666 fire that destroyed much of London
A member of the Roman Catholic Church
William and Mary, and the Bill of Rights
In 1688, Protestant politicians invited William of Orange (a Dutch prince married to James II's daughter Mary) to take the throne. William arrived with an army; James II fled to France without a major battle. This bloodless transfer is called the "Glorious Revolution".
William III and Mary II became joint monarchs in 1689. They accepted the Bill of Rights (1689), which established key principles:
- The monarch cannot make or suspend laws without Parliament's consent
- The monarch cannot raise taxes without Parliament's agreement
- Parliament must hold free elections
- MPs have freedom of speech in Parliament
- No cruel and unusual punishment
- The monarch must be Protestant
This ended absolute monarchy and established constitutional monarchy — the monarch's powers are limited by law, and Parliament holds real political power.
The Habeas Corpus Act (1679) under Charles II established that a person cannot be imprisoned without being brought before a court.
William of Orange was invited to take the throne in 1688; James II fled to France — the "Glorious Revolution"
William III and Mary II became joint monarchs in 1689
The Bill of Rights (1689) established constitutional monarchy: no laws/taxes without Parliament, free elections, free speech in Parliament, no cruel and unusual punishment
Habeas corpus — a person cannot be imprisoned without trial; the Habeas Corpus Act was passed in 1679
Từ vựng
The 1688 bloodless transfer of power from James II to William and Mary
The 1689 act that limited royal power and established constitutional monarchy
A system where the monarch's powers are limited by law
The legal right not to be imprisoned without a court hearing
Two people who rule together as equals
Tóm tắt bài học
- Restoration 1660: Charles II restored the monarchy
- Great Plague 1665 killed about 100,000 in London; Great Fire of London 1666 destroyed 13,000+ houses
- Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt St Paul's Cathedral after the fire
- Glorious Revolution 1688: William of Orange took the throne; James II fled to France
- Bill of Rights 1689 established constitutional monarchy; monarch must be Protestant
- Habeas Corpus Act 1679: no imprisonment without a court hearing