Power: Monarchy and Democracy in Britain c.1000 to 2014 (J410/09) - c.1485–c.1800 — OCR GCSE History
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Power: Monarchy and Democracy in Britain c.1000 to 2014 (J410/09) - c.1485–c.1800 explained
Power: Monarchy and Democracy in Britain c.1000 to 2014 (J410/09) - c.1485–c.1800 covers 3 specification points, including Growth of royal power under Henry VIII; the… and Charles I’s personal rule 1629–1640; the Civil….
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Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
Tudor government: growth of royal power under Henry VIII; the role of Parliament under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
This topic examines how royal and parliamentary power developed in Tudor England. Under Henry VIII royal power grew: he broke with Rome in the 1530s, made himself head of the Church of England, and used Parliament to pass the laws that enacted the Reformation, such as the Act of Supremacy. Parliament's role under Henry VIII was therefore to legitimise the king's religious and political changes rather than to challenge him. Under Elizabeth I Parliament met more often and debated taxation, religion and the succession, and some MPs pressed the queen on issues such as her marriage and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. Elizabeth still controlled when Parliament met and what it could discuss, so royal power remained dominant even as Parliament's confidence grew. Learn to distinguish growth of royal power from the changing role of Parliament, and use named statutes or issues as evidence.
Defeat and return of monarchy: Charles I’s personal rule 1629–1640; the Civil Wars and the abolition of the monarchy; the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
This topic traces how royal power collapsed and returned between 1629 and 1660. Charles I ruled without calling Parliament from 1629 to 1640, raising money through levies such as ship money, which many saw as unlawful. Conflict over religion and taxation led to the Civil Wars, and Charles was executed in 1649. Parliament then abolished the monarchy and England became a republic, governed first by the Rump and then by Cromwell as Lord Protector. After Cromwell's death in 1658 the republic faltered, and in 1660 Charles II was restored. Learn the sequence, the causes of each change and the difference between personal rule, abolition and restoration.
James II’s rule and the reasons for the 1688 Revolution (The Glorious Revolution); the legacy of the Glorious Revolution including the Bill of Rights; the development of Parliament under William III and Anne; the emergence of political parties and the development of a Parliamentary monarchy in the course of the 1700s.
This topic follows the shift from royal to parliamentary power. James II's Catholic policies and his son's birth in 1688 prompted leading figures to invite William of Orange, and James fled, an event known as the Glorious Revolution. The Bill of Rights of 1689 limited royal power and confirmed parliamentary rights. Under William III and Anne, Parliament met regularly and controlled finance. Political parties, Whig and Tory, emerged and organised support. Across the 1700s a parliamentary monarchy developed in which the monarch governed through ministers and Parliament, though the franchise remained narrow. Learn the reasons for 1688, the legacy of the settlement and the growth of parties.
Your focus
- Explain how royal power grew under Henry VIII.
- Describe the role of Parliament under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
- Assess the balance between royal and parliamentary power in Tudor government.
Show all 9 objectives
- Describe the main features of Charles I's personal rule from 1629 to 1640.
- Explain how the Civil Wars led to the abolition of the monarchy.
- Outline why the monarchy was restored in 1660.
- Explain the reasons for the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
- Describe the legacy of the Glorious Revolution, including the Bill of Rights.
- Outline how Parliament and political parties developed during the 1700s.
Power: Monarchy and Democracy in Britain c.1000 to 2014 (J410/09) - c.1485–c.1800 exam tips
Marking Points
- Explains how Henry VIII increased royal power, including his break with Rome and role as head of the Church of England.
- Describes Parliament's role under Henry VIII in passing laws that enacted the king's religious changes.
- Explains that Parliament under Elizabeth I debated taxation, religion and the succession.
- Describes how Elizabeth I still controlled when Parliament met and what it discussed, showing continued royal dominance.
- Identifies 1629–1640 as the period of Charles I's personal rule, when he governed without Parliament.
- Explains that Charles raised revenue through disputed levies such as ship money, which contributed to conflict.
- Places the Civil Wars before the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the subsequent abolition of the monarchy.
- Distinguishes the republic under Cromwell's Protectorate from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660.
- Links the failure of the republic after Cromwell's death in 1658 to the decision to restore the monarchy.
- Explains that James II's Catholic policies and the birth of a Catholic heir in 1688 prompted opposition.
- Identifies the Glorious Revolution of 1688 as the replacement of James II by William and Mary.
- Describes the Bill of Rights of 1689 as limiting royal power and confirming parliamentary rights.
- Explains that Parliament met regularly under William III and Anne and gained control over finance.
- Identifies the emergence of Whig and Tory parties and the growth of a parliamentary monarchy during the 1700s.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Use named statutes or issues (for example the Act of Supremacy, taxation, the succession) as evidence.
- 💡Separate the growth of royal power from the changing role of Parliament in your answer.
- 💡Note who controlled Parliament's meetings and agenda to show the balance of power.
- 💡Learn the key dates 1629, 1640, 1649, 1658 and 1660 as anchors for the sequence.
- 💡For each event, note one cause and one consequence so you can explain change rather than just list it.
- 💡Read the whole question before choosing, because options often swap the order of events.
- 💡Anchor the sequence with 1688, 1689 and the course of the 1700s.
- 💡For each change, ask whether it increased the power of Parliament or limited the monarch.
- 💡Check options that swap 1688 and 1689 or confuse the two Stuart kings.
Common Mistakes
- Claims Parliament under Henry VIII limited the king's power; recognise it mainly legitimised his changes.
- Assumes Elizabeth I never faced parliamentary pressure; remember MPs raised issues such as marriage and the succession.
- Treats royal power and parliamentary power as equal under the Tudors; keep royal dominance central.
- Confuses the break with Rome with a later monarch; keep it under Henry VIII in the 1530s.
- Confuses the personal rule with the Restoration; keep 1629–1640 as the years without Parliament and 1660 as the return of the king.
- Places the abolition of the monarchy before the Civil Wars; order the events as war, execution, abolition, then restoration.
- Assumes the monarchy ended permanently in 1649; remember Charles II was restored in 1660.
- Treats Cromwell as a king; describe him as Lord Protector of a republic.
- Dates the Glorious Revolution to 1689; keep 1688 as the year of the revolution and 1689 as the year of the Bill of Rights.
- Treats the Bill of Rights as creating full democracy; describe it as limiting royal power while the franchise stayed narrow.
- Assumes political parties appeared only in the 1800s; place their emergence in the late 1600s and 1700s.
- Confuses James II with Charles II; keep James II as the monarch removed in 1688.