Which political faction sought to prevent James II from ascending the throne because he was openly Catholic?

• A. Tories
• B. Whigs
• C. Federalists
• D. Democratic-Republicans

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how religion and ideas about political power shaped opposition to a Catholic king. The Whigs argued that a openly Catholic monarch would threaten Protestant rule and undermine the balance between the crown and Parliament. Because James II was Catholic and pursued policies seen as favoring Catholicism, the Whigs believed his ascent would endanger civil liberties and the Protestant succession. They supported preventing his rise and backing a Protestant succession, which culminated in inviting William of Orange and Mary to take the throne and establishing a constitutional framework that limited royal prerogatives. The other options don’t fit this historical moment: those groups come from American party history, not the late 17th-century English scene.