Culture and History of the UK III
English culture an history
The Union of the Crowns
• Elizabeth I died without an heir
o James VI closest living relative beginning House of Stuart
• Not a political union: both England and Scotland remained separate independent
countries (monarchical union)
• First Union Jack
o No red diagonal cross (= Saint Patrick’s cross) added in
1901 when Great Britain merged with Ireland
James I Stuart (17th century)
• Reign was plagued by religious conflict
o Was Protestant himself + was in favor of maintaining the Church of England
(was also head of the Church)
o Descent proportion of the population was still Catholic James didn’t like
that he took measures against Catholics
• Emigration of Puritans to North America
o Another source of religious conflict: separation of the puritanical movement
from the Church of England
o Puritans felt that the Church of England wasn’t protestant enough they
wanted more Protestantism
o Puritans moved to North American also the raison why a lot of colonial
towns in New England are founded by Puritans + why America still has a
strong Puritan influence
• Further colonization
o Specifically North America
o First town to be permanently settled in the US is called James Town
1
, Culture and History of the UK III
English culture an history
• The Gunpowder Plot
o = plot arranged by Catholics with leadership by Guy Fawkes
o Plan: blow up the house of parliament while the king was inside put barrels
of gunpowder in the basement
o Failed: some Catholic members of parliament in the house and they were
warned they warned everybody else in the house
o Still today on the 5th of November, the English still celebrate Guy Fawkes Day
(also called Bonfire Night, they burn representations of Guy)
• King James’ Bible (based on William Tyndale’s work)
o First English translation of the Bible
o Few words were misprinted which let the confusion
o Nickname: the Wicked Bible
• The House of Stuart have all absolutist tendencies and financial problems
o Felt that kingship was a divine right + tried to limit the power of Parliament
o Financial problems because of his regular arguments with Parliament
Charles I Stuart
• 2nd son of James I (heir)
• More absolutist tendencies than his father
o Dissolves Parliament for 11 years wanted total power
• Married a Catholic woman
o Led to protests among his population
• Religious conflicts with Scotland and Ireland
o He wanted to enforce the Anglican church over Scotland and Ireland
• Conflicts with parliament over finances (like his father)
• Emergence of the two-party system
o Division in parliament: Royalists and parliamentarians
o Royalist: In favor for the monarchy (Tories)
o Parliamentarians: in favor for more power for parliament and people (Whigs)
2
English culture an history
The Union of the Crowns
• Elizabeth I died without an heir
o James VI closest living relative beginning House of Stuart
• Not a political union: both England and Scotland remained separate independent
countries (monarchical union)
• First Union Jack
o No red diagonal cross (= Saint Patrick’s cross) added in
1901 when Great Britain merged with Ireland
James I Stuart (17th century)
• Reign was plagued by religious conflict
o Was Protestant himself + was in favor of maintaining the Church of England
(was also head of the Church)
o Descent proportion of the population was still Catholic James didn’t like
that he took measures against Catholics
• Emigration of Puritans to North America
o Another source of religious conflict: separation of the puritanical movement
from the Church of England
o Puritans felt that the Church of England wasn’t protestant enough they
wanted more Protestantism
o Puritans moved to North American also the raison why a lot of colonial
towns in New England are founded by Puritans + why America still has a
strong Puritan influence
• Further colonization
o Specifically North America
o First town to be permanently settled in the US is called James Town
1
, Culture and History of the UK III
English culture an history
• The Gunpowder Plot
o = plot arranged by Catholics with leadership by Guy Fawkes
o Plan: blow up the house of parliament while the king was inside put barrels
of gunpowder in the basement
o Failed: some Catholic members of parliament in the house and they were
warned they warned everybody else in the house
o Still today on the 5th of November, the English still celebrate Guy Fawkes Day
(also called Bonfire Night, they burn representations of Guy)
• King James’ Bible (based on William Tyndale’s work)
o First English translation of the Bible
o Few words were misprinted which let the confusion
o Nickname: the Wicked Bible
• The House of Stuart have all absolutist tendencies and financial problems
o Felt that kingship was a divine right + tried to limit the power of Parliament
o Financial problems because of his regular arguments with Parliament
Charles I Stuart
• 2nd son of James I (heir)
• More absolutist tendencies than his father
o Dissolves Parliament for 11 years wanted total power
• Married a Catholic woman
o Led to protests among his population
• Religious conflicts with Scotland and Ireland
o He wanted to enforce the Anglican church over Scotland and Ireland
• Conflicts with parliament over finances (like his father)
• Emergence of the two-party system
o Division in parliament: Royalists and parliamentarians
o Royalist: In favor for the monarchy (Tories)
o Parliamentarians: in favor for more power for parliament and people (Whigs)
2
