'How far was the growth in religious radicalism in the years due to the breakdown in authority of state and church'.
Detailed, themed essay plan for an A* essay.
How far was the growth in political and religious radicalism in the years 1640 to 1660 due to the
breakdown of authority in State and Church? [25 marks] (2019)
Breakdown of state
● Collapse of censorship - pamphleteering - 1641 irish revolt (popish plot)
● Grand remonstrance published 1641 - Pym’s mob
● 1645 Battle of Naseby - King’s cabinet opened, king’s papers published.
● Levellers - An agreement of the people late 1640’s
● Mutiny of NMA 1647 - Pride’s Purge 1648
● 1658-1660 Return of leveller pamphleteering
● After Cromwell died the army shut down the protectorate.
Counterpoints
★ Under the rump parliament censorship continued.
★ John Milton key censor in 1650s - Crushing of leveller mutinies’
★ Restoration of state authority after 1649
Breakdown of church
● 1650 Toleration Act - sects + Fifth monarchists i.e Barebones (No state church in
1650’s)
● NMA - ‘mechanic preachers’, individual preachers/rallying.
● Reaction against Arminianism - Root and Branch petition 1640 (15,000 signatures to
remove bishops)
● Exclusion Act 162 - Bishops removed from Lords
● Abolition of episcopacy in 1640’s - Execution of Laud in 1645.
Counterpoints
★ 1650 Blasphemy act (‘world turned upside down’)
★ James Nayler 1656 (Quaker) - branded as blasphemous for imitating christ
Partial restoration of the church after the regicide - repression of certain extreme religious
radicals
NMA and experience of Civil War
● Levellers - NMA mutiny, Putney Debates, Pride’s Purge - due to poor treatment of the
army
● Meritocracy in NMA - men promoted due to skill not class
● 4% of english population killed - radicalises people
Counterpoint
★ Puritanism existed before.
Socio-economic factors.
● Population growth/growth of middling sort.
● Middling sort in London - using parliament for power
● London apprentices played a key role in political divisions. (Pym’s London Mob)
● Inflation eroded King’s finances - Forced Loan 1626, 1635 Ship money.
Agree
★ Breakdown in authority led to lack of censorship, outbreaks of iconoclasm 1640
★ Lack of authority nurtured the London Mob - allowing them to build popular support.
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