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The module will focus on political, social, cultural and religious change but will also consider the extent of continuities. Topics will vary from year to year and may include: the causes, outbreak and impact of the Civil War; the Civil War in regional and local context; the ideas which surfaced during this period (e. g. the Levellers, Hobbes’ Leviathan); the attempts to reach a settlement in the period 1646-49; the factions which shaped the post-war period and the breakdown of negotiations leading to the trial and execution of Charles I; the role of Oliver Cromwell as general and Lord Protector of England; community and society in the English Republic; the end of the Republic; the collapse of censorship and the role of the press; and the impact of religious and political radicalism during the 1640s and 1650s.

i. Knowledge and understanding
On successful completion of the module the student should be able to demonstrate:
a) a good knowledge of the major developments in English history in the period 1640-1660;
b) an understanding of a range of historiographical approaches employed in the analysis of the English Civil War and Interregnum;
c) an appreciation of the interrelated nature of the causal factors of the English Civil War.

ii. Skills
On successful completion of the module the student should be able to demonstrate: 
a) an ability to evaluate primary source materials;
b) an ability to identify historiographical issues and critically assess historical debates;
c) proficiency in written and verbal communication.

Staff / student contact: 20%
Student directed learning: 80%

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.