The Cabal Ministry and Early Party Politics Flashcards

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What was the Cabal Ministry?

It was a group of five powerful ministers who advised Charles II between about 1668 and 1674.

Which five men made up the Cabal Ministry?

Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley (later Shaftesbury) and Lauderdale.

Why was it called the 'Cabal' Ministry?

Because the first letters of the five ministers’ names spelled CABAL, and the word also meant a secret group.

Why did Charles II rely on the Cabal Ministry?

He used it to help rule without depending too much on one minister or on Parliament.

What was the Treaty of Dover (1670)?

It was an agreement where Charles II secretly promised to support Catholic France and fight Protestant Holland in return for French money.

What was the Declaration of Indulgence (1672)?

It was Charles II’s order, backed by the Cabal, to relax laws against Catholics and Protestant dissenters.

How did Parliament respond to the Declaration of Indulgence?

Parliament forced Charles II to cancel it and then passed the Test Act in 1673.

What did the Test Act (1673) do?

It said that people in public jobs had to take Anglican communion and deny key Catholic beliefs, which forced some Catholic leaders, like Clifford, to resign.

Why did the Cabal Ministry lose power?

Its policies over war, religion and working with France angered Parliament and the public, so Charles II replaced it with new ministers.

What is meant by early party politics in Charles II’s reign?

It was the start of organised groups in Parliament, with a ‘Court’ group that backed the King and a ‘Country’ group that often criticised him, which later grew into Whigs and Tories.

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