The Royal Soap Opera, Part 4

Well, Elizabeth had no children and so when she died in 1603 her closest relative,[1] James Stuart, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, became James I of England and James VI of Scotland. The two crowns were united and so the first English settlement [2] established in America in 1607, Jamestown, received its name in his honor.

James I

James was a good king but his son, Charles I, was not so lucky. He thought that, as king, he could do anything he wanted to, but Parliament thought differently. Their conflict came to a climax in 1640 when a civil war started between the Royalists (the King’s supporters [3]) and the Parliamentarians.

Charles I

Eventually the Parliamentarians won the war. Charles was deposed [4] and then beheaded.[5] Oliver Cromwell, the Parliamentarian leader, became ruler [6] of England. He was a strong ruler and made England strong, but his rule was very strict. After he died, people wanted to return to a monarchy.

Oliver Cromwell

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[1] pariente más cercano, [2] asentamiento, [3] seguidor, [4] deponer, [5] decapitado, [6] gobernante