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12-20-1969 The Levellers' view of history Margaret Trowe

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Recommended Citation Trowe, Margaret, "The Levellers' view of history" (1969). Honors Theses. Paper 712.

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The name "Levellers" applies to a. political organization which.func­ tioned as a potent force in the politics of England in the late 1640•s.

During this period ~ fierce stru.ggle for power was being fought, partly on an ideological level. 'l'be fighting ot the first civil war had.ended in 1646; the arntT of Parliament had defeated the royalist forces and had captured the King. In the wake of military victory, the various factions among the victors began to vie for power. In 1645 and 1646 tracts support­ ing the establishment of a representative democracy, the guarantee of civil and religious freedoms, and the reform of the Judicial system were written independently bf Jchn Lilburne, Richard Overton, and William Walt,qn.l With the oircuiation ot the Petition of March. 1647, the organized efforts of the Levellers began.2 (The name "Levellers" was originally given to the party by its enemies, who accused members ot having the communistic goal of le>.(elling men's estates.J From 1647 throU&h 1649 a flood of pamphlets issued from the Leveller authors, who were often writing 1/fdrn prison cells. They received their support from the Aril\Y rank-and-file and the citizenry of London. Do2ens of petitions and protestations were published, often illegally, during this time. In addition, LeTeller ideas found expression in the radical

Aftreement ot tpe People issued by the Arrrr:r Agitators (elected regimental

~presentatives) in late 1647, and the more moderate Agreemen~ R' thE! Peonle produced by the Officers in January. 1649. Both documents were presented to Commons as demands for a clear delineation of Parliament's rights and limitations, and a guarantee of religious and civil rights for every English.. man.