English[1] Rulers and Events: 1485-1820

This webpage is not a list of things you have to memorize. It is a tool for you to use if you have a question about change over time, about major events in the English monarchy, about religion, and about major events in colonization.

Example: How did the religion of the king encourage people in England (and Scotland) to migrate to the Americas?
Look down the “Ruler’s Religion” column. Notice how from 1547 through 1689 there is a swing back and forth between Protestant and Catholic rulers.

Think about it: If you and your family could be miserable or die if the king is Protestant and you are Catholic, what would you do?

Reign Begins	English Monarchy – Major Events	Ruler’s Religion	Colonization Events – If Religion Determined Who Migrated
1485	Henry VII - beginning of reign of Tudors 1501- Eldest son Arthur marries Catherine of Aragon (Spain—the nation most influential on the Roman Catholic pope) 1509 - At Arthur’s death, Henry VIII marries Catherine	Catholic	-
1509	Henry VIII forms the Church of England[2], an established church[3]to get a divorce from Catherine	Protestant – at least officially
1547	Edward (son of Jane Seymour)	Protestant
1553	Mary (daughter of Catherine of Aragon)	Catholic
1558	Elizabeth (daughter of Anne Boleyn) - last of reign of Tudors	Protestant	1585-1590 Roanoke
1603	James I, son of Mary Stuart of Scotland - beginning of the reign of Stuarts Known for belief in divine right of kings	Protestant, but Anti-Puritan	1609 Jamestown 1620 Plymouth – Calvinist Separatists
1625	Charles I, a son Quartered troops; forced loans; dissolved Parliament (1629) but needed their approval for new taxes so recalled them (1640)	Married a Catholic	1629 Massachusetts Bay Company – Calvinist Puritans 1634 Maryland – Roman Catholics
1642	Civil war, with the military forces named: § Roundheads – Puritans and pro-Parliament § Cavaliers – Anglicans and pro-king	¾	1644 Rhode Island charter granted
1649	Charles I, reign ended¾beheaded
1649	The Commonwealth, with Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector	Puritan	1652 Maryland, governor suspended
1660	Charles II, The Restoration	Catholic leanings	1663 Carolinas 1664 New York 1664 New Jersey 1681 Pennsylvania – Quakers
1685	James II, brother	Catholic conversion (1660s); married a Catholic (1670s)	1686 Dominion of New England
1689	William III of Orange and Mary, daughter of James, reign began as part of a Glorious Revolution (glorious because they got rid of a king without having to behead him) – Think of it as monarchy by invitation of Parliament. Note: 1690, John Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government published (written in the 1680s)	Protestant	1691 Massachusetts and Plymouth into 1 royal colony 1691 Maryland, royal
1701	Agreement that the Hanovers (German descendants of a daughter of James I) would be the sovereigns, but with limitations such as they had to be Protestant.	Protestant	1702 Jerseys into 1 New Jersey, royal colony
1702	Anne, daughter of James II	Protestant	1703 Delaware - subdivided from Pennsylvania
1714	George I - beginning of reign of Hanovers	Protestant	1715 Maryland, proprietary again 1719 Carolinas, proprietors lost control to the colonists 1729 Carolinas, into 2 royal colonies -North and South Carolina
1727	George II, reign began	Protestant	1732 Georgia, proprietary 1751 Georgia, royal - relinquished by the proprietors
1760	George III, reign began—Reminder: the king at the time of the American Revolution	Protestant
1820	George III, end of reign	Protestant

Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2003-2021

WCJC Department:	History – Dr. Bibus
Contact Information:	281.239.1577 or bibusc@wcjc.edu
Last Updated:	2021
WCJC Home:	http://www.wcjc.edu/

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[1] England begins being called Great Britain c. 1700 (c. = about).

[2] Church of England is also known as the Anglican Church. Why? The word Angles is another name for the English.

[3] Established church – a state church, one that is established by and financed by a government, with membership in that church required for such things as some typeszzz of employment