Compare and contrast the two views of the Glorious Revolution: group 9
The Glorious Revolution
The BBC as well as the Parliament's website told us about the incidents that occurred during the period of The Glorious Revolution (1688-1689), and although both sites narrated the same event, it is very clear that they had different points of view about it. For instance, the BBC site revealed that the episodes in the revolution were bloodless but by force and with much loss of life most of all in Ireland and Scotland while for the Parliament site the Glorious Revolution was an expression used to describe the peaceful way in which the Parliament proclaimed its rights over the monarchy.
As regards James' exile, both websites agreed about his successful escape for France, but only the BBC site mentioned that when he made his first attempt to escape he was captured by Kent Fishermen near Sheerness and as it was an inconvenient for William, he finally allowed James II to flee the country.
One topic in which both sites came to an agreement and explained it in a similar way is the fact that James II ordered Anglican clergy to read the declaration of indulgence from the pulpit to their congregations but the Archbishop of Canterbury and six other bishops refused to do it. Their refusal to read it brought as a consequence the arrest of the seven bishops who were later sent to the Tower to wait for the trial. Nearly a month later, the Seven Bishops were acquitted by jury and enormous crowds enjoyed themselves in the streets, destroying and attacking Catholic establishments.
Although the two articles stated that James wanted to secure his religious objectives using his powers and through the test case of Godden vs. Hales, the judges declared that James II could dispense with the Test Acts without the consent of Parliament, which gave him the opportunity to introduce Roman Catholics in his privy council; and, that in 1687 the King made public a declaration of indulgence which suspended penal laws against Catholics and granted toleration to some Protestant dissenters, the Parliament article explained the events in a larger and detailed way.
Regarding the Declaration of Rights, later enshrined in law as the Bill of Rights, which established several constitutional principles, the Parliament site named and also gave details about each of them whereas the BBC site just named a few of them, for example the illegality of prerogative suspending and dispensing powers, the prohibition of taxation without parliamentary consent and the need for regular parliaments.
To conclude this essay we will point out that after reading the articles, it was evident that both sides agreed and explained nearly the same series of issues about the events, but they were connected with other episodes, such as the periods before and after the Glorious Revolution, they had different opinions and points of view and consequently they showed them in diverse manners.
We strongly believe that whenever we want to know something about a specific period in history we should look for information from different sources so as to get various versions and this way we will be able to analyse each of them and come to a more certain conclusion about the historic period in which we are interested in.
Great!!! Publish!!!!
