AQA · A-Level · History
Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017
To what extent and why was power more widely shared during this period?
Full specification wording
1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702 – consequence in this period through the following key questions:: To what extent and why was power more widely shared during this period?
This topic explores the expansion of the political nation and the redistribution of authority between 1603 and 1702.
Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 6
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
This topic explores the expansion of the political nation and the redistribution of authority between 1603 and 1702. Key drivers include the Crown's escalating financial needs, which necessitated regular parliaments and empowered the tax-controlling gentry. The period witnessed the rise of the merchant classes, the radicalism of the Levellers, and the formation of the Whig and Tory parties. By examining the Financial Revolution of the 1690s, students can demonstrate how funding William III's wars permanently embedded Parliament and financiers into state governance, forcing a wider sharing of political and economic power across the nation.
What earns the marks
- Analyse the growing influence of the gentry and merchant classes in Parliament due to their control over taxation and local government.
- Evaluate the impact of the Crown's financial weaknesses in forcing monarchs to call Parliament more frequently, thereby sharing legislative power.
- Examine the emergence of formal political factions, notably the Whigs and Tories, and their role in organising parliamentary opposition and government.
- Assess the significance of the Financial Revolution, including the creation of the Bank of England (1694), in shifting economic power to a broader elite.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Stating that democracy was established by 1702.
Put it right: Clarify that while power was shared more widely among the elite gentry and merchants, the vast majority of the population still lacked the vote.
Ignoring the 'why' part of the question and only describing 'how' power was shared.
Put it right: Explicitly link the sharing of power to causal factors, such as the Crown's need for war funding or the ideological shifts following the Civil War.
Overstating the success of radical groups like the Levellers or Diggers.
Put it right: Note that while these groups proposed a radical sharing of power, they were ultimately suppressed and had little long-term constitutional impact.
Exam tips
- Structure your answer to explicitly address both 'to what extent' (the degree of change) and 'why' (the causes of change) to access the highest mark bands.
- Use the Financial Revolution of the 1690s as a key turning point to explain why the Crown was forced to share power with Parliament and the financial sector.
- Discuss the role of local government; power was not just shared at Westminster, but increasingly exercised by Justices of the Peace and local elites in the counties.
Try the lesson
The start of the 1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702 – consequence in this period through the following key questions:: To what extent and why was power more widely shared during this period? lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which group saw the most significant increase in their political power and influence at the national level between 1603 and 1702?
Listen
This topic explores the expansion of the political nation and the redistribution of authority between 1603 and 1702. Key drivers include the Crown's escalating financial needs, which necessitated regular parliaments and empowered the tax-controlling gentry. The period witnessed the rise of the merchant classes, the radicalism of the Levellers, and the formation of the Whig and Tory parties. By examining the Financial Revolution of the 1690s, students can demonstrate how funding William III's wars permanently embedded Parliament and financiers into state governance, forcing a wider sharing of political and economic power across the nation. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Analyse the growing influence of the gentry and merchant classes in Parliament due to their control over taxation and local government. Evaluate the impact of the Crown's financial weaknesses in forcing monarchs to call Parliament more frequently, thereby sharing legislative power. Examine the emergence of formal political factions, notably the Whigs and Tories, and their role in organising parliamentary opposition and government. Assess the significance of the Financial Revolution, including the creation of the Bank of England (1694), in shifting economic power to a broader elite. A common slip: Stating that democracy was established by 1702. Instead, Clarify that while power was shared more widely among the elite gentry and merchants, the vast majority of the population still lacked the vote. Exam tip: Structure your answer to explicitly address both 'to what extent' (the degree of change) and 'why' (the causes of change) to access the highest mark bands.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
The Political Nation
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Financial Revolution
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Emergence of Political Parties
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Social and Economic Change
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See every definition
- The Political Nation
- The group whose power broadened beyond the monarch between 1603 and 1702, including the tax-controlling gentry and the merchant classes.
- Financial Revolution
- The development of the 1690s that embedded Parliament and financiers into state governance by funding William III's wars.
- Emergence of Political Parties
- The formation of the Whig and Tory parties, which organised parliamentary opposition and government.
- Social and Economic Change
- The rise of the merchant classes and the radicalism of the Levellers during this period.
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