The historical context of the origin of the Westminster Standards is vital to our having a fuller understanding of them. Chapter 2 surveys the historical and theological context that led to the formation of the Westminster Assembly and the creation of the Westminster Standards. The chapter examines events on the Continent, including the Thirty Years' War, which was part of the backdrop for the birth of the civil war between the king and Parliament and the creation of the Westminster Standards. The last two sections briefly explore the immediate theological context of the Assembly and the theological chaos of the time.