[WillH]

kk im doin a year 8 project about olliver cromwell about if was a good person but i dont know any bad but i know lots goods things so please can u help me on the bad points thank u

[Mrs Faithorn]

If you are looking at both 'sides' of Oliver Cromwell (sort of 'Hero or Villain' type of thing that lots of teachers do ) then you will find these sites helpful.
http://www.historyle...ell_england.htm
http://www.historyon...er_cromwell.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/monarch...omwell_01.shtml ... for adults really and much more detailed but you may find that helpful.

Also see this on 'Hero or Villain':
http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/year8links/...rovillain.shtml

As for the 'bad' things that he did, then that rather depends on your point of view. For those who supported the monarchy, the execution of Charles I was "a bad thing"; if you had fought to get rid of Charles in the first place then the same event could well be seen as "a good thing". Do you see what I am saying here? It's very much a matter of what interpretation you put on the events and that is almost certainly what your teacher is working towards you understanding.

Other events/thigs that Cromwell did that you might consider in this way (as above) include:

• Closing down inns and theatres and banning sports and entertainment on Sundays
  
• banning 'non-religious' Christmas celebrations
  
• his use of 'terror tactics' against Irish Catholics

I hope that helps?

[punkeepenguin]

Hi
How was oliver cromwell a villain?

[Miss Buxton]

have a read of this article: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/326121.stm

[MrJohnDClare]

What about this?
http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/year8links/...rovillain.shtml, witha tasksheet here.

And these 'role cards' will give you some really basic facts to use in your argment for and against (there is an even easier version here)

There is a narrative YouTube video about Oliver Cromwell.

To find out what the Irish think about Cromwell - if you can cope with a bit of 'language', watch this YouTube video of the Pogues: 'A curse on you Oliver Cromwell'

Quote

Have you ever walked the lonesome hills
And heard the curlews cry
Or seen the raven black as night
Upon a windswept sky
To walk the purple heather
And hear the westwind cry
To know that's where the rapparee must die

Since Cromwell pushed us westward
To live our lowly lives
There's some of us have deemed to fight
From Tipperary mountains high
Noble men with wills of iron
Who are not afraid to die
Who'll fight with gaelic honour held on high

A curse upon you Oliver Cromwell
You who raped our Motherland
I hope you're rotting down in hell
For the horrors that you sent
To our misfortunate forefathers
Whom you robbed of their birthright
'To hell or Connaught'; may you burn in hell tonight

Of one such man I'd like to speak
A rapparee by name and deed
His family dispossessed and slaughtered
They put a price upon his head
His name is known in song and story
His deeds are legends still
And murdered for blood money
Was young Ned of the hill

You have robbed our homes and fortunes
Even drove us from our land
You tried to break our spirit
But you'll never understand
The love of dear old Ireland
That will forge an iron will
As long as there are gallant men
Like young Ned of the hill

A curse upon you Oliver Cromwell
You who raped our Motherland
I hope you're rotting down in hell
For the horrors that you sent
To our misfortunate forefathers
Whom you robbed of their birthright
'To hell or Connaught'; may you burn in hell tonight

A google search for
cromwell hero or villain
will yield a whole lot more links, some of which you might find useful.

[Jessica..x]

I am also doing some work on Oliver Cromwell, about if he was good or bad. But I have found loads of things that are bad about him and hardly any good. Please could you help me on the good points. Thankyouu

[MrJohnDClare]

Oliver Cromwell is my hero. He was not a 'cuddly' man - he would not have won any popularity contests (and would not have wanted to). But he was a man of total principle. He NEVER allowed his power to go to his head and he NEVER tried to use it for his own benefit. He had totally strong Puritan/Protestant values, and he stuck by them, whatever the cost. He KNEW what he wanted to see for England, and he just hammered on trying to achieve it.

Many of the things he wanted we agree with 100% nowadays, and the main problem we have with him is HOW he went about trying to achieve it. But that was how they were in those days - live with it!!!
Remember; if he hadn't executed the king, the king would have executed him without a blink.

1. Successful general - formed the New Model Army and won the Civil War
2. Grasped the nettle and executed the king - the ultimate in accountable government,
3. Dismissed the corrupt Rump Parliament - tried to find a godly Parliament to rule England - the beginning of government 'for the people' (though nb he did not believe in democracy - he opposed the Levellers)
4. Refused to become king on grounds of principle.
5. As Lord Protector, kept England, Scotland and Ireland under control in a time of chaos - imposed peace on England so that - when Charles II was restored - it all happened peacefully.
6. Strict Puritan rule - this is usually presented as a BAD thing, but it involved abolishing bear-baiting, cock-fighting, Sunday trading, drunkeness and gambling - all things which are today recognised as socially harmful.
7. Allowed the Jews to return to live unpersecuted in England.
8. A good ruler - he abolished out-of-date laws, and reduced the number of crimes which carried the death penalty.
9. Successful foreign policy - built up the navy (the start of Britain 'ruling the waves')
10. Conquered Jamaica (the start of the British Empire).

Oliver Cormwell is like that tough teacher who can be a right martinet, and everybody fears a little, but whom they all have to acknowledge is a great teacher and totally 'down-the-line' - honest, consistent and fair. Not the most popular or reasonable teacher in the school, but one whom erybody looks up to and respects for his unyielding principles.