• The English Civil War – Wikipedia is always good place to start.  This article provides a 60,000 feet view of the periods before, during, and after the time we’re concerned with.
• Lectures On Early Modern European History – The English Civil War – A much shorter article, and touches more on the religious aspects and motivations of the war than Wikipedia does.
• The British Civil War 1638-1660 – Great site focusing on the military aspects of the civil war, but with good articles on the Covenanters and the Solemn League and Covenant.
• Google Timeline – British Civil War – I recently discovered these time-lines, and they are fantastic.  Basically Google builds a timeline based on the links it has to resources relating to the period in question, from which you can jump off into many directions.

One thing that has struck me as I read through this material is just how radical the Covenanters were.  They were willing to put their lives on the line for the purity of the Gospel and of worship.  We often pay lip-service to such a level of commitment, but if we had to make that choice, if I had to make that choice, would I?

I think it’s good to have a grasp of historical context whenever you’re reading source material.  In the same way that studying the historical background of the New Testament yields a deeper understanding of it, having this knowledge will allow you to appreciate and understand the writings of the Scottish Presbyterians in a more fulfilling way.