Thursday, September 6, 2007
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Jeff Harper
American History
Lesson 1 Essay
Everyone likes the what if questions right? Well what if the Spanish, and Phillip II had won and succeeded in there invasion of England and won the Spanish Armada? What would be the effects of the act? What kind of government would England and eventually the North American eastern seaboard colonies have? Well it is likely that the Church of England would have been abolished, Catholicism would have been restored to England and Wales. Therefore Catholicism would inturn replace Protestant belief. Ireland was weakly held by the English Crown, was largely Catholic and would probably have willingly submitted to Spanish rule. In addition, Elizabeth and her Council would have been imprisoned and possibly executed as revenge for the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and regional military governors would probably have been placed in control of various regions, including Wales.
However, in view of the growth of Puritanism in England during Elizabeth's reign, it is also likely that these developments would have been violently resisted - as Spanish rule was resisted in the Protestant Netherlands. So longer-term developments are more difficult to predict. It would depend on how well such resistance was led and how far Phillip's resources would have allowed him to wage war against English rebels at the same time as he was trying to suppress rebellion in the Netherlands. If we assume for the moment that Phillip was successful and Spanish rule was permanently established, the natural conclusion would be that England and Wales would have developed as Catholic countries. This being so, English interests would have been subordinated to those of Spain and developments such as the British Empire, the Industrial Revolution and the growth of parliamentary democracy would not have happened - or at least not in quite the same way.
If the Spanish and Phillip II were successful it would eliminate some if not all of the English Bill of Rights. Of those rights, three that would become abolished as a result, would be the right "That the pretended power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, without consent of parliament is illegal." Since Phillip II liked to handle things in his own way and under his own power, this right would not be there it would have been abolished, because of the fact parliament would have control of such issues and they would have to be consulted first before any action could take place. Next, the right "that the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defense suitable to their conditions, and as allowed by law" would have been abolished as well. Since Phillip II was a strong supporter and frontier man of Catholicism and that he hated and tried to make England a Catholic nation, the laws and rights of Protestants would change and not benifit them. He disliked them very much. Thirdly the next right that would have been abolished would be the right "That election of members of parliament ought to be free." This right goes with that of the first right i mentioned. With Phillip II in rule he would have most of the power and no need for other parliament or help, or so he thought at least. He would have chose them or the crown had chose them not free.
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