4.2　课后习题详解

1. What do you know about the nature and consequences of the Wars of the Roses?

Key: The nature: It was a feudal civil war, the war for power and wealth and at last for the possession of the Crown between the Lancastrians and the Yorkists.

The consequence: The wars of the Roses lasted 30 years and ended in 1485 with the accessions of Henry Tudor as Henry Ⅶ, the founder of the Tudor Monarchy. The ending of the Wars of the Roses was seen as the ending of the Middle Ages in European history and the beginning of the modern world history.

2. Why and how did the Reformation happen in England? And what was the effect?

Key: Henry Ⅷ was responsible for the religious reform of the Church. There were 3 main causes: encouraged by the success of Martin Luther (1483—1546), many people believed the time for reform in the Church had come; the privilege and wealth of the clergy were also resented; and Henry needed money. Henry Ⅷ wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon but Pope Clement Ⅶ refused. He made this break with Rome gradually between 1529 and 1534. The effect was the freedom from the Papacy.

3. How did Queen Elizabeth deal with the religious problem after she became Queen of the country?

Key: ①Elizabeth broke Mary’s ties with Rome and restored Church of England. ②Elizabeth Ⅰ spent nearly 20 years resisting Catholic attempts to either dethrone or assassinate her.

4. What do you know about the English Renaissance?

Key: ①Renaissance was the revival of classical literature and artistic styles in European history. The Renaissance began in Italy in the early 14th century. ②The English Renaissance was largely literary, and achieved its finest expression in Elizabethan drama. Its finest exponents were Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and William Shakespeare.

5. What was the absolute rule of James Ⅰ of England? How did the Puritans think about the King’s rule?

Key: James I, a firm believer in the Divine Right of Kings, would have preferred no Parliament at all and actually did without one for seven years. James refused all the puritans’ proposals for change in 1604.

They increasingly suspected him of being a secret Catholic because of his pro-Spanish foreign policy and his son’s Spanish marriage alliance. The Puritan protests were more peaceful, but James had little sympathy with their demands.

6. What do you know about the Gunpowder Plot of 1605?

Key: On November 5, 1605, a few Catholics attempted to blow King James in the Houses of Parliament where Guy Fawkes had planted barrels of gunpowder. The immediate result was the execution of Fawkes and the imposition of severe anti-Catholic laws. The long-term result has been an annual celebration on November 5. A bonfire is lit to burn a guy and a firework display is arranged.

7. How did the Civil Wars break out? What were the consequences of the Civil Wars?

Key: Charles, being still in want of money, called his Fifth Parliament. Then a whole series of measures were introduced by the Long Parliament limiting the authority of the Crown while increasing its own. The conflict was inevitable and the civil war broke out.

Consequences: Charles was beheaded in 1649. Oliver Cromwell declared England a Commonwealth. He became Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England.

8. What were the Commonwealth and the Protectorate?

Key: In 1649, Oliver Cromwell declared England a Commonwealth. He became Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England.

9. Why did the Restoration take place?

Key: After Oliver Cromwell died, Richard succeeded the crown. One of Cromwell’s generals, George Monck occupied London. The Parliament in 1660 resolved the crisis by asking the late King’s son to return as King Charles Ⅱ (1660—1685). The Restoration was relatively smooth.

10. How did the “Glorious Revolution” break out? What was the significance of it?

Key: James Ⅱ was a Catholic, and hoped to rule without giving up his personal religious views. The English politicians rejected James Ⅱ and invited Mary and her husband William to take the English throne in 1688. This became known as the Glorious Revolution.

Significance: The age of constitutional monarchy, of a monarchy with powers limited by Parliament, began.