An experiment in Absolutism, 1629–1640 common mistakes

Common mistakes

• Confusing Personal Rule with the Long Parliament

  Students often conflate the policies and events of Charles I's Personal Rule with those of the Long Parliament.

  Fix itFocus on the specific timeframe and policies of Personal Rule (1629-1640) and distinguish them from the events that occurred after Parliament was recalled in 1640.

• Confusing Arminianism with Puritanism

  Students often confuse Arminianism with Puritanism, thinking they are similar.

  Fix itRemember that Arminianism supports a more ceremonial and hierarchical church structure, while Puritanism advocates for a simpler, more direct form of worship.

• Confusing Wentworth's role with that of Parliament

  Students often confuse Wentworth's role as a royal advisor with the actions and responsibilities of Parliament.

  Fix itIt is important to distinguish Wentworth's policies and actions as part of the Crown's absolutist strategy from the legislative functions and opposition of Parliament.

• Confusing the Bishops' Wars with the English Civil War

  Students often conflate the Bishops' Wars with the later English Civil War, failing to recognize their distinct causes and contexts.

  Fix itClarify that the Bishops' Wars were specifically about religious tensions in Scotland, while the English Civil War involved broader political conflicts in England.