AQA · A-Level · History
Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017
The condition of Britain and its monarchy by 1702: the significance of the…
Full specification wording
1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702 – The establishment of constitutional monarchy, 1678–1702 (A-level only): The condition of Britain and its monarchy by 1702: the significance of the Act of Settlement; the balance of power between Crown and Parliament; the condition of the Church of England and non-conformism and Catholicism
By 1702, Britain had transformed into a state where the balance of power decisively favoured Parliament over the Crown.
Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 6 of 6
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
By 1702, Britain had transformed into a state where the balance of power decisively favoured Parliament over the Crown. The 1701 Act of Settlement was highly significant, bypassing numerous Catholic claimants to vest the succession in the Protestant House of Hanover, whilst imposing strict constitutional limits on future monarchs, such as requiring parliamentary consent to leave the realm. Religiously, the Church of England remained established, but its monopoly was broken. The Toleration Act allowed Protestant non-conformists to worship freely, though they remained excluded from public office by the Test Acts. Conversely, Catholicism faced severe penal laws, reflecting deep-seated fears of Jacobitism and French absolutism.
What earns the marks
- Evaluate the constitutional significance of the 1701 Act of Settlement in asserting parliamentary control over the royal succession.
- Assess the balance of power by 1702, noting Parliament's control over finance and the army versus the monarch's retained prerogative over foreign policy.
- Analyse the condition of the Church of England, highlighting its loss of a coercive monopoly over Protestant worship following the Toleration Act.
- Explain the contrasting conditions of religious minorities, with non-conformists gaining limited toleration while Catholics faced intensified penal legislation.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Asserting that the Toleration Act granted full religious equality.
Put it right: , clarify that non-conformists were still barred from political office by the Test Acts and Catholics were entirely excluded from toleration.
Claiming the monarch had no power by 1702.
Put it right: , explain that while Parliament controlled finance, the Crown still directed foreign policy and chose ministers.
Stating the Act of Settlement only dealt with the succession.
Put it right: , detail the specific constitutional restrictions it placed on the monarch, such as the independence of the judiciary.
Exam tips
- Use the Act of Settlement as a key piece of evidence to demonstrate how Parliament permanently altered the balance of power by dictating the succession.
- When discussing religion, explicitly contrast the legal status of Protestant non-conformists with that of Catholics to show a nuanced understanding of toleration.
- Link the harsh treatment of Catholics by 1702 directly to political fears surrounding the exiled James II and the Jacobite threat.
Try the lesson
The start of the 1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702 – The establishment of constitutional monarchy, 1678–1702 (A-level only): The condition of Britain and its monarchy by 1702: the significance of the Act of Settlement; the balance of power between Crown and Parliament; the condition of the Church of England and non-conformism and Catholicism lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
What was the primary purpose of the Act of Settlement passed by Parliament in 1701?
Listen
By 1702, Britain had transformed into a state where the balance of power decisively favoured Parliament over the Crown. The 1701 Act of Settlement was highly significant, bypassing numerous Catholic claimants to vest the succession in the Protestant House of Hanover, whilst imposing strict constitutional limits on future monarchs, such as requiring parliamentary consent to leave the realm. Religiously, the Church of England remained established, but its monopoly was broken. The Toleration Act allowed Protestant non-conformists to worship freely, though they remained excluded from public office by the Test Acts. Conversely, Catholicism faced severe penal laws, reflecting deep-seated fears of Jacobitism and French absolutism. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Evaluate the constitutional significance of the 1701 Act of Settlement in asserting parliamentary control over the royal succession. Assess the balance of power by 1702, noting Parliament's control over finance and the army versus the monarch's retained prerogative over foreign policy. Analyse the condition of the Church of England, highlighting its loss of a coercive monopoly over Protestant worship following the Toleration Act. Explain the contrasting conditions of religious minorities, with non-conformists gaining limited toleration while Catholics faced intensified penal legislation. A common slip: Asserting that the Toleration Act granted full religious equality. Instead, , clarify that non-conformists were still barred from political office by the Test Acts and Catholics were entirely excluded from toleration. Exam tip: Use the Act of Settlement as a key piece of evidence to demonstrate how Parliament permanently altered the balance of power by dictating the succession.
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