Stuarts for Kids
The Gunpowder Plot, the Great Fire of London, the English Civil War & more!
The reign of the Stuarts for kids is particularly interesting because of the Gunpowder Plot, the Great Fire of London, the English Civil War and the Great Plague.
The Stuart kings and queens were on the throne from 1603 until 1714, with a break in the middle when England was declared a republic after the Civil War.
The city of London changed dramatically during the Stuart era after being largely destroyed in the Great Fire of London and rebuilt better than before. William Shakespeare continued to write his popular plays and the theatre flourished in the second half of the Stuart years.
The Great Fire of London
In September 1666, a bakery on Pudding Lane in London caught fire. It was an accident that changed the way London looked forever.
The English Civil War
During the 17th century, many people disliked the power that the king or queen held. They believed that Parliament should have more say in how the country was run.
The Pilgrims and the Mayflower
During the 17th century, there was religious unrest. There was a group of people who were Protestants, but who did not agree with the way the Church of England was being run.
The Gunpowder Plot
There was still a lot of religious unrest during the 17th century. King James I was Protestant, but his mother had been Catholic, so people expected their new king to be tolerant of both beliefs.