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Question: What was life like for those who lived in England!.!.!.!?
After Oliver Cromwell came to power!? I heard that he was a Puritan and tried to make England into a theocracy, and that he banned a LOT of things that are culturally significant to the English people!. What were people actually allowed to do for fun!? Would you say that England under Cromwell was similar to the New England colony of Massachussetts Bay!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
It's true!. England was not a lot of laughs under Cromwell!. England during this period was operating under the same sort of regime as Massachusetts Bay!. Imagine the Taliban, only Christian!. Theaters and public entertainments were banned because they were considered immoral!. Attendance at excrutiatingly long and dull church services was compulsory!. I suppose people could eat for fun, but that could be considered sensual pleasure which was strictly forbidden!. It was not a happy period, which is why when the monarchy was restored, the English were happy to ship the Puritans off to America!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It wasn't all bad under Comwell!. Although a Puritan, he upheld religious toleration, provided judicial administration for Scotland which prospered under his rule and he gave Ireland representation in Parliament, despite concluding the earlier Civil War there in a ruthless manner!.!. In foreign affairs, he ended wars with Portugal and Holland, made a treaty with France and defeated the Spanish at the Battle of the Dunes!.
But he was not popular with theatrical people!. he was not a theocrat, he was a statesman fairly typical of his time but without a crown and with a Puritan conscience!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The following from the Monty Python team will help with dates and a few names of the English Civil War : -

http://pop!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=ObI4eaK_G!.!.!.

People now have the luxury of being able to say what they like about the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell!. It is in part thanks to him that we are allowed to say what we like!. For inspite of everything, Oliver Cromwell was and remains England's greatest Parliamentarian!. He was a man who believed that the Common People should rule themselves and not have some King, unelected to rule over them!.

Puritanism spread to the American Colonies and took root there, where it remains firmly and strongly in the hearts and minds of the American people today - an America rooted in a strong Christian tradition, upholding the values of Jesus Christ, which sadly are now missing in many parts of his own England!.

I'm not familiar with 17thC Massachussetts Bay, but imagine it might have been quite a lot like England of the same period!.

It is certainly the case that it was Puritanism which was one of the driving forces which ultimately lead to the American War of Independence, otherwise called The Revolution!.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Oliver Cromwell
In December 1653, the army decided that Cromwell should become England's new
!.!.!.!. (11) Oliver Cromwell commenting on the activities of the Levellers and the !.!.!.
http://www!.spartacus!.schoolnet!.co!.uk/STU!.!.!.

THE EARLIEST CRICKET
Cricket in England, 1000-1300 AD; Cricket Banned 1300-1500 AD !.!.!.!. When Oliver
Cromwell was accused in the 1650s of being a "secret cricketter", !.!.!.
http://www!.seattlecricket!.com/history/ea!.!.!.

Oliver Cromwell: A Dictator's Tragedy by Mary Taylor Blauvelt at !.!.!.
FURTHER to the earlier answer, wolves did not become extinct in Britain in the
14th century!. Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) is said to have banned the export !.!.!.
http://www!.questia!.com/library/book/oliv!.!.!.

Football - History
Between 1324 and 1667, football was banned in England alone by more than 30 !.!.!.
In the period following the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell had some !.!.!.
http://www!.spiritus-temporis!.com/footbal!.!.!.

Western Resistance: The Struggle For The Soul Of Christmas
Dec 24, 2007 !.!.!. Cromwell's ban on Christmas lasted until 1660, two years after he !.!.!.!.!.
"Oliver Cromwell and the Rule of the Puritans in England" as well as !.!.!.
http://www!.westernresistance!.com/blog/ar!.!.!.
Medieval football - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Between 1314 and 1667, football was officially banned in England alone by more
!.!.!.!. Oliver Cromwell who left Cambridge University in 1617 was described by !.!.!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Medieval_fo!.!.!. - Cached

SurfWax: News, Reviews and Articles On Oliver Cromwell
England's Oliver Cromwell outlawed Christmas in 1642!. !.!.!. arguably our most
successful Danquah-Busia leader did what Oliver Cromwell did while men and women !.!.!.
http://news!.surfwax!.com/history/files/Ol!.!.!.

The Open Door Web Site : History : Life in Cromwell's England
In the end, despite Cromwell's wishes, the Church of England and Catholicism were
banned, however!. Any other form of worship was allowed though, !.!.!.
http://www!.saburchill!.com/history/chapte!.!.!. - Cached

CHANGES TO THE LEGEND: Protestants and Propaganda, Robin Hood !.!.!.
For 11 years, England had no king in a period known as the Interregnum!. The Puritans
set up the Commonwealth and Protectorate led by Oliver Cromwell!. !.!.!.
http://www!.boldoutlaw!.com/robages/robage!.!.!. - Cached

Oliver Cromwell: Freedom's Friend or Foe!?, by Peter Richards
On balance I think Cromwell did more to damage the liberty of the people of
England than he did to restore it!. The outcome of the Civil War was that one !.!.!.
http://www!.libertarian!.co!.uk/lapubs/hist!.!.!.


THE LORD PROTECTOR OF ENGLAND

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Oliver Cromwell and the rise of Parliamentary Democracy
http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=YFlG3ak4R!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com