List of MPs elected to the English parliament in April 1640 facts for kids
The Short Parliament was a special meeting of the English Parliament that happened a long time ago, in 1640. It started on April 13th and ended very quickly on May 5th, lasting only 28 days! It met in a place called Westminster. This parliament was called by King Charles I because he needed money, but things didn't go as he planned. Because it was so short, some arguments about who should be a member couldn't be sorted out before it closed. After this super-short meeting, another, much longer parliament, called the Long Parliament, began in November 1640.
Contents
Why Was This Parliament Called?
Back in 1640, King Charles I was having some big problems. He was fighting a war against Scotland, and wars cost a lot of money! Kings usually needed Parliament's permission to raise new taxes. Charles I had ruled for 11 years without calling Parliament, which was unusual. He hoped this new parliament would quickly agree to give him the money he needed for his war.
What Happened During the Short Parliament?
When the members of Parliament met, they had their own ideas about what was important. Instead of just giving the King money, they wanted to talk about their complaints first. They had many worries about how the King was ruling the country. They felt he had been unfair with taxes and had ignored some of their rights. They wanted to fix these problems before they would agree to any new money for the King.
Why Was It So Short?
The King and Parliament couldn't agree. Parliament wanted to discuss their problems, but King Charles I just wanted the money. He got frustrated because they wouldn't give him what he wanted right away. After less than a month, on May 5th, 1640, the King decided to close the Parliament down. This is why it's called the "Short Parliament"—it didn't last very long at all! Even though it was short, it showed how much disagreement there was between the King and the people he ruled. This disagreement would later lead to even bigger problems in England.
Images for kids
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Sir John Glanville – Bristol (Speaker)
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John Hampden – Buckinghamshire
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Sir Edmund Verney – Wycombe
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Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Bt – Aylesbury
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Oliver Cromwell – Cambridge
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Major General Sir William Brereton – Cheshire
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Francis Rous – Truro
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Sidney Godolphin – Helston
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Sir John Maynard – Totnes
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John Pym – Tavistock
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Samuel Vassal – Middlesex - City of London
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George Lord Digby – Dorset
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Denzil Holles – Dorchester
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Harbottle Grimston (younger) – Colchester
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Sir Anthony Ashley-Cooper – Tewkesbury
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William Hamilton – Portsmouth
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Lucius Carey, Viscount Falkland – Newport
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Sir Robert Harley – Herefordshire
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Sir Orlando Bridgeman – Wigan
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Sir Arthur Haselrig – Leicestershire
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Sir John Glynne – Westminster
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Miles Corbett – Great Yarmouth
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William Fitzwilliam – Peterborough
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Sir Thomas Widdrington – Berwick upon Tweed
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William Lenthall – Woodstock
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Nathaniel Fiennes – Banbury
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Sir Ralph Hopton – Somerset
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Sir Edward Littleton, 1st Baronet – Staffordshire
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Sir Robert Long, 1st Baronet – Midhurst
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Richard Viscount Dungarvon – Appleby
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Sir Henry Vane – Wilton
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Benjamin Rudyerd – Wilton
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Edward Hyde – Wootton Bassett
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Henry Vane – Hull
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Ferdinando Lord Fairfax – Boroughbridge
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Sir John Colepeper – Rye
See also
- List of parliaments of the United Kingdom
- Short Parliament
