1645 Facts for Kids

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	16th century – 17th century – 18th century
Decades:	1610s 1620s 1630s – 1640s – 1650s 1660s 1670s
Years:	1642 1643 1644 – 1645 – 1646 1647 1648

The year 1645 was a very important time, especially during the English Civil War. This was a period when people in England were fighting against each other. Many key events happened, changing how the war was fought and leading to new inventions and discoveries.

Major Events of 1645
- English Civil War: Key Battles and Changes
- Life and Changes Beyond the War
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Major Events of 1645

English Civil War: Key Battles and Changes

The English Civil War was a big part of 1645. It saw many important battles and changes in how the armies were organized.

New Model Army Forms

On February 15, a new army called the New Model Army was officially created. This army was different because its soldiers were chosen for their skill, not their social class. This made the Parliament's army much stronger.

Important Leaders and Talks

On January 14, Thomas Fairfax became the main leader of the Parliament's army. Later, on June 10, Oliver Cromwell was confirmed as a top general for the cavalry (horse soldiers). There were also talks to try and stop the fighting. These "armistice" talks started on January 29 in Uxbridge, but they sadly failed by February 29.

Big Battles and Victories

Many battles took place across England and Scotland:

On February 2, the Covenanters (a group in Scotland) were beaten by Montrose at the Battle of Inverlochy.
On May 9, Montrose won another battle against the Covenanters at the Battle of Auldearn.
A huge battle, the Battle of Naseby, happened on June 14. About 12,000 soldiers loyal to the King fought against 15,000 Parliamentarian soldiers. The Parliamentarians won this very important battle.
On July 10, Cromwell led his forces to victory at the Battle of Langport in Somerset.
In Scotland, Montrose was defeated by the Covenanters at the Battle of Philiphaugh on September 13.
On September 24, Parliamentarian cavalry beat the Royalist cavalry at the Battle of Rowton Heath.

Royalist Losses

The King's side, known as the Royalists, lost several important places:

On June 1, Prince Rupert's army took Leicester, but then they lost it.
On June 28, the Royalists lost Carlisle.
On September 10, Prince Rupert gave up Bristol to the Parliamentarians.
The long Siege of Raglan Castle also happened during this year.

Life and Changes Beyond the War

Even with the war, other important things happened in 1645.

Plague Concerns

The plague was a big worry. In Edinburgh, Scotland, the Town Council took steps to stop it from spreading. On March 31, they banned most gatherings, only allowing weddings and funerals. On April 10, they even moved up the college graduation so students could leave the city quickly. Teaching later continued in Linlithgow in November.

New Inventions and Ideas

A mechanical calculating machine was invented by Blaise Pascal. This was a big step for computers!
Wallpaper started to become popular for decorating walls, taking the place of tapestries.
The Long Parliament made a decision to outlaw the 1559 version of the Book of Common Prayer.
This year also marked the beginning of the Maunder Minimum, a time when very few sunspots were seen on the Sun.

Important People and Places

On July 23, Alexei Mikhailovich became the new Tsar (ruler) of Russia.
On October 8, Jeanne Mance founded the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, which was the very first hospital in North America.
The Stolberg-Wernigerode branch of a noble family was founded in Germany.