CCEA A-level History · Crown and Parliament in England 1625–1714
Mini-Lesson
Crown and Parliament in England 1625–1714
This mini-lesson covers CCEA Unit A2 1, Option 1 — Crown and Parliament in England 1625–1714: the reigns of Charles I, Charles II, James II, William III and Anne, and the changing balance of power between Crown and Parliament.
Where this sits: A2 1 is a synoptic 'change over time' unit — you analyse the whole period. Option 1 is one of five options; you study one.
Answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Press Start when you're ready.
Charles I 1625–49
Charles I and the road to war
Clashes over money and prerogative led to the Petition of Right (1628), limiting taxation and imprisonment without cause.
Charles then ruled without Parliament — the Personal Rule (1629–40) — raising revenue through devices such as Ship Money.
Religious policy under Archbishop Laud alarmed Puritans; war with Scotland forced Charles to recall Parliament in 1640 (the Short and then the Long Parliament).
Quick check
The 1630s
?What is the period 1629–40, when Charles I governed without calling Parliament, usually called?
Charles I 1625–49
Civil war and regicide
The breakdown between King and Parliament led to the English Civil War (1642–46), won by Parliament. After a second war, Charles I was tried and executed on 30 January 1649 — an event without precedent in England. There followed the Interregnum (a republic and then Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate) before the monarchy was restored.
Quick check
1649
?What happened to Charles I in January 1649?
Charles II 1660–85
The Restoration
The monarchy was restored in 1660 under Charles II. Tensions over religion and succession persisted:
The Clarendon Code penalised religious dissenters.
The Test Act (1673) barred Catholics from public office.
The Exclusion Crisis (1679–81) saw attempts to bar Charles's Catholic brother James from the succession — giving rise to the 'Whig' and 'Tory' groupings.
Sort it
Which reign?
Tap a card, then tap the reign it belongs to.
👑 Charles I 1625–49
👑 Charles II 1660–85
👑 James II & Revolution
Quick check
Religion and office
?What did the Test Act of 1673 do?
James II 1685–88
James II and the Glorious Revolution
James II (from 1685) survived the Monmouth Rebellion but alarmed the political nation by promoting Catholics and issuing a Declaration of Indulgence.
The prosecution of the Seven Bishops (1688) and the birth of a Catholic heir triggered a crisis.
In the Glorious Revolution of 1688, William of Orange was invited over; James fled, and William and Mary took the throne.
Order it
Put the events in order
Tap the events from earliest to latest.
William III 1688–1702 · Anne 1702–14
The Revolution Settlement
The Bill of Rights (1689) set clear limits on royal power and confirmed Parliament's rights, including regular parliaments and control of taxation.
The Toleration Act (1689) eased worship for Protestant dissenters; the Triennial Act (1694) required frequent elections.
The Act of Settlement (1701) secured a Protestant succession.
Under Anne, the Act of Union (1707) united England and Scotland; Anne died on 1 August 1714, bringing in the Hanoverians.
Quick check
1689
?Which measure of 1689 set limits on royal power and confirmed the rights of Parliament?
Change over time
The big picture, 1625–1714
Judged as a whole, the period saw a decisive shift in the balance of power towards Parliament. A monarch who tried to rule without Parliament in the 1630s was, by 1714, part of a system in which Parliament met regularly and controlled finance — a constitutional monarchy. The recurring drivers were finance, religion and foreign policy, which repeatedly forced Crown and Parliament to negotiate.
Match it
Match each measure to what it did
Tap a measure on the left, then its effect on the right.
Measure
What it did
Quick check
The overall trend
?Taking 1625–1714 as a whole, what was the main constitutional change?
Recap
The big ideas to know
Charles I: Petition of Right 1628; Personal Rule 1629–40; Civil War; execution 1649.
Charles II: Restoration 1660; Clarendon Code; Test Act 1673; Exclusion Crisis 1679–81.
James II: Monmouth Rebellion; Seven Bishops; Glorious Revolution 1688.
Settlement: Bill of Rights 1689; Toleration Act 1689; Act of Settlement 1701; Act of Union 1707.
Theme: a lasting shift towards parliamentary power and constitutional monarchy.