Unit 5 the english bourgeois revolution in the 17th century

Ex.1 Translate and memorize the following words:

Approval, commonwealth, troop, to rule, to execute, to gain, to lead, to dissolve, to restore, to extend, to justify, to limit, to preserve, to sign, to decree.

Ex.2 Insert the words from exercise 1 in the gaps:

1. The government had given its … upon certain actions. 2. The government issued a … that a new tax should be imposed. 3. The… of Independent States was founded in 1991. 4. After continuing debates the government had to … an agreement. 5. Cromwell used his … to take power. 6. These fine old houses should be … for the future. 7. Queen Victoria … over the British Empire for more than 60 years. 8. Having so little money … you in your choice. 9. Three of the Earl's faithful servants were … at Perth. 10. It would be hard to … the policy of the government. 11. A new Parliament was formed where Royalists … majority. 12. We … the fence to the edge of our property. 13. The troops were … by Oliver Cromwell. 14. The city council has helped to … some older buildings. 15. The Kind decided to … the Parliament.

Ex.3 Translate the following sentences from English into Russian:

1. In 1642 a civil war broke out in the country as a result of the antagonism between the King and Parliament. 2. After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, England had no king and the English Commonwealth was proclaimed. 3. Actually the Commonwealth was a military dictatorship and Cromwell became a dictator who ruled over the country without the council of the people. 4. In 1660 monarchy was restored in England. 5. In 1689 the new king had to sign the Bill of Rights. It was the establishment of constitutional, or parliamentary, monarchy.

Ex.4 Read the text and give answers to the following questions:

1. Were the 1600s were difficult times for England? 2. Did the Parliament win the victory in the Civil war in the 1600s? 3. Was Charles I executed? 4. Did Cromwell use his troops to take power? 5. Did the English Commonwealth, the first republic in Europe, justify the hopes of the people? 6. Did the period of Restoration solve the problems of England?

Text 1

The 1600s were difficult times for England. In 1642 a civil war broke out in the country. It was a result of the antagonism between the King and Parliament. The struggle of Parliament against the King had begun in England long before the events as any king wanted to rule over the country without any parliament. It was in the reign of Charles I (1625-1649) that the struggle between Crown and Parliament reached its culmination. In the Civil War the Parliament won the victory and Charles I was executed.

After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, England had no king. The English Commonwealth was proclaimed. It became a republic governed by the common people and was called the Commonwealth. In fact, real power was in the hands of the army, which was led by Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658). During the Civil War, Cromwell became an outstanding military leader and created the New Model Army¹. After the king's execution in 1949, Cromwell used his troops to take power. People greeted him and hoped for better life.

But the English Commonwealth, the first republic in Europe, did not justify the hopes of the people. A constitution was written but it protected the rights of the landowners against peasants. In 1653 Cromwell dissolved Parliament and ruled the Commonwealth with the advice of the Council of State, using the title Lord Protector, until his death five years later. Actually it was a military dictatorship and Cromwell became a dictator who ruled over the country without the council of the people.

The end of the Commonwealth came with the death of Cromwell. The government was too weak and anew Parliament was formed where Royalists² gained majority. Charles II was invited by the new Parliament to become king of England. Thus in 1660 monarchy was restored in England. The period of 1660-1688 is known as the Restoration.

However, it did not solve the problems of England. The period of Restoration is characterized by a struggle for power between the bourgeoisie and the landed aristocracy, between Parliament and king. Charles II and then James II⁴ wanted to free themselves from Parliament and to restore Catholicism in England. The Parliament wanted to limit the power of monarchy, to extend that of Parliament and to ban Catholics to occupy any position of government importance.

The landed aristocracy and the bourgeoisie were consolidated in their struggle with the Catholic king. A compromise between the landed aristocracy and the bourgeoisie was found. As a result a Protestant king was seated on the English throne. Thus monarchy was preserved as well as the House of Lords, the royal court. These traditional institutions of feudalism had now anew content and they were to serve the bourgeoisie in alliance with the landed aristocracy. In 1689 the new king had to sign the Bill of Rights. It was decreed that questions of prime importance were to be decided not by the king but by Parliament. No English king or government could follow policies, which did not have Parliament's approval. Thus it was the establishment of constitutional, or parliamentary, monarchy.

¹New Model Army - армия нового образца

²Royalists - Those who fought on the king's side called Cavaliers (or Royalists - роялисты). They had long hair and dressed fine. Those who fought on the side of Parliament were nicknamed Roundheads (круглоголовые). They had short hair and simple dresses.

³Charles II - Charles I's son (Карл II - сын Карла I).

⁴James II - the king was crowned in 1685 after Charles II’s death.

Ex.5 Look through the text again and translate the following words and word-combinations:

Civil war, to reach culmination, common people, outstanding military leader, the Council of State, to gain majority, the period of restoration, to solve the problems, landed aristocracy, to limit the power of monarchy, to occupy the position, the Bill of rights, the royal court, to serve bourgeoisie, to be of prime importance, to follow the policies, the establishment of constitutional, or parliamentary, monarchy.

Ex.6 Find in the text the English equivalents for the following:

Борьба началась задолго до этих событий; именно в период правления Карла I борьба достигла кульминации; одержал победу; Карл I был казнен; власть была в руках армии; Кромвель использовал войска для захвата власти; не оправдала надежды народа; но она защищала права землевладельцев; фактически это была военная диктатура; Кромвель распустил парламент; был издан декрет о том, что ... .

Ex.7 Correct the statements if necessary:

1. It was in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1625-1649) that the struggle between Crown and Parliament reached its culmination. 2. People greeted Cromwell and hoped for better life. 3. A constitution was written but it protected the rights of the peasants against landowners.4. Charles II and then James II wanted to free themselves from Parliament and to restore Protestantism in England. 5. A compromise between the landed aristocracy and the bourgeoisie was not found. 6. Thus monarchy was preserved as well as the House of Lords, the royal court.7. No English king or government could follow policies, which did not have Congress’s approval.

Ex.8 Give questions to which the following sentences are the answers:

1. It was in the reign of Charles I (1625-1649) that the struggle between Crown and Parliament reached its culmination. 3. In 1649 the English Commonwealth was proclaimed. 4. In fact, real power was in the hands of the army, which was led by Oliver Cromwell. 5. A constitution was written but it protected the rights of the landowners against peasants.

Ex.9 Use the text to enlarge the given statements:

1. The government was too weak and anew Parliament was formed where Royalists … . 2. The period of Restoration is characterized by a struggle for power between … . 3. The Parliament wanted to limit the power of monarchy, to extend that of … . 4. The landed aristocracy and the bourgeoisie were consolidated in … . 5. Thus monarchy was preserved as well as … . 6. It was decreed that questions of prime importance were to be decided … . 7. No English king or government could follow policies, which did not have … .

Ex.10 Answer the following questions:

l. What was the result of the struggle of Parliament against the king?

2. What kind of state was established after the king's execution?

3. Who governed the country after the Civil War?

4. Did the English Commonwealth justify the hopes of the people?

5. What changed in the country after Cromwell's death?

6. How was constitutional monarchy established?

Ex.11 Reorder the items of the plan according to the logic of the text. Describe item 2 of the plan in detail.

1. In 1660 monarchy was restored in England.

2. In 1642 a civil war broke out in the country as a result of the antagonism between the King and Parliament.

3. In 1689 the new king had to sign the Bill of Rights. It was the establishment of constitutional, or parliamentary, monarchy.

4. After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, England had no king and the English Commonwealth was proclaimed.

5. Actually the Commonwealth was a military dictatorship and Cromwell became a dictator who ruled over the country without the council of the people.

Ex.12 Give a written summary of the text in 5-7 sentences.

Text 2

Ex.1 Translate and memorize the following words:

Plague, disease, to occur, empty, narrow, to affect, to spread, to escape, to purify, to die down, to be over, to occur.

Ex.2 Insert the words from exercise 1 in the gaps:

1. The river here … to a width of half a mile. 2. There was a great epidemic in London in 1665 - the … . 3. He was … by influenza. 4. All water in this area has been … of undesirable chemicals. 5. Two criminals … from prison last night. 6. The man was dying: he had a fatal … . 7. The … territory stretches for nine hundred miles across southern Arabia. 8. By the end of November the plague began to … . 9. In Riga one can see a lot of … streets. 10. A great disaster … in Chernobyl in 1986. 11. World War II was over in 1945.

Ex.3 Translate the following sentences from English into Russian:

1. In June 1665 London was affected by the greatest epidemic - the plague. 2. The narrow airless streets of London, bad sanitation helped the disease to spread. 3. About 70 000 people died of the disease that year. 4. The rich population of London escaped to their country houses. 5. The Lord Mayor¹ ordered the fires to be burnt in the streets to purify the air. 6. The cold weather of December stopped it at last. 7. And then, just when the worst months of the plague were over, another disaster occurred: fire.

Ex.4 Read the text and give answers to the following questions:

1. Was the plague the worst attack since the Black Death three centuries earlier? 2. Was a red cross painted on the door to show that someone in a house had the plague and that no one might go near it? 3. Could the great mass of poor people leave London?