Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth (1649-1660) He was an English soldier and a fanatical Puritan. After the execution of Charles I, England was proclaimed a Commonwealth (a Republic). Until 1653 it was under the rule of the House of Commons, called the Rump. Only supporters of the Republic were allowed to sit in the House of Commons, the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished. Cromwell took his troops to Ireland where he massacred the combinated forces of Protestant and Catholic Royalists. In the 1650 Scots tried to invade the England and put the Charles I’s son on the throne but Cromwell won and exiled the son of the executed King in France. After three years the Rump Parliament hadn’t agree to call a new Parliament. In 1653 Cromwell closed the Rump Parliament down. In 1653 the army gave Cromwell the powers of the king. When another Royalist rising broke out Cromwell had to resort to military rule. Cromewell’s government pursued an aggressive foreign policy, with wars against Holland and Spain. He developed plans for colonial expansion in Jamaica. The Puritan Republic was an oppressive regime. Puritan Parlamentary wanted to build up a godly society. Theatres were closed and freedom of the press was denied. All the activities except worship and prayer were forbidden on Sundays. In 1650 Parliament introduced punitive laws for adultery, incest or fornication. Cromwell was succeded by his son Richard but he abdicated after eight months. The Republic slowly fell apart.