Early Elizabethan England 1558-88 (Rivalry with Spain abroad - Poverty - Elizabethan society in the age of exploration - Education and leisure) Flashcards
(94 cards)
1
Q
Why did England and Spain have good relations at the start of Elizabeth’s reign?
A
- Marriage alliances (Henry VIII and Catherin of Aragon also Phillip II of Spain was married to Elizabeth’s sister Mary I)
- Spain and England fought together against France in the 1550s.
2
Q
Who controlled the Netherlands?
A
-Spain / Philip II
3
Q
Why were the Netherlands important to England?
A
-English exports to Europe were vital to the English economy and they went through Dutch ports like Antwerp (in the Netherlands).
4
Q
Which port in the Netherlands was vital to England’s exports?
A
-Antwerp
5
Q
Which countries did Phillip II rule over?
A
- Spain, Portugal, parts of Italy and the Netherlands.
- He also had an empire in North and South America and Asia (Philippines).
6
Q
Give two reasons why there was political rivalry between England and Spain?
A
- Spanish ambassadors were involved or linked to the Throckmorton plot.
- Elizabeth refused to marry Philip so causing him considerable embarrassment.
7
Q
What do you call English sailors who traded illegally with Spanish colonies and attacked Spanish treasure fleets? Name two famous examples of these men.
A
- They were called privateers
- John Hawkins and Francis Drake are examples of privateers.
8
Q
Give 3 examples of commercial rivalry between England and Spain during Elizabeth’s rule?
A
- John Hawkins (English Privateer) challenged the Spanish monopoly of the slave trade.
- Hawkins, Drake and other privateers stole from Spanish ships. Key steals such as the Nombre de Dios (1572) and Cacafuego (1579).
- Drake captured £40,000 of silver in 1572 and returned with £400,000 of treasure after his circumnavigation of the globe in 1580.
9
Q
How did Elizabeth help Dutch rebels against the Spanish in 1568?
A
-After the Dutch revolted against the Spanish, Elizabeth sheltered Dutch sea beggars in her ports.
10
Q
What did Elizabeth do in 1568 with the Spanish ships laden with gold that took refuge in English ports?
A
- She stole the gold for herself this was called the Genoese loan, she argued that it was money from Italian bankers and not Spanish gold.
11
Q
How did Phillip react to the seizure of the ‘Genoese Loan’?
A
- Phillip banned English trade with the Netherlands. This damaged England’s economy and forced merchants to look for new markets overseas.
12
Q
Who did Elizabeth encourage to help the Dutch against the Spanish in the 1570s?
A
- The French Duke of Alencon.
13
Q
What did the Spanish sign with the Dutch after they went bankrupt in 1576?
A
- The Pacification of Ghent asking the Spanish to leave the Netherlands.
- The Spanish later ignored this and invaded the Netherlands again.
14
Q
How did Elizabeth increase the help she was giving to the Dutch in 1577?
A
- She sent a mercenary called John Casimir to fight the Spanish in the Netherlands. This later failed.
15
Q
How did Elizabeth support the Dutch rebellion against the Spanish rule in 1581?
What else did she do to anger Phillip in 1581?
A
- Offered limited financial help to the rebels so as to not provoke Phillip.
- She also knighted Francis Drake in 1581.
16
Q
Why was Elizabeth initially reluctant to help the Dutch rebels in the Netherlands against the Spanish?
A
Reluctant to provoke Philip by getting directly involved (did offer limited financial help).
17
Q
What was the name of the Dutch rebel who was assassinated in 1584?
A
William of Orange
18
Q
What did the French and Spanish sign in 1584 and how did this impact England?
A
- After the Duke of Alencon died, France and Spain signed the treaty of Joinville which meant that England was now isolated.
- The privy Council pushed Elizabeth to send an army to the Netherlands.
19
Q
What was the name of the Treaty Elizabeth signed in 1585 which placed the Netherlands under her protection?
A
- Treaty of Nonsuch.
20
Q
Give a Religious, Military, Commercial and Strategic reason why Elizabeth signed the treaty of Nonsuch.
A
Religious reason= To ensure freedom of worship for Dutch Protestants.
Military reason= because if rebels were defeated then Philip could use Netherlands as a base for invasion on England.
Commercial reason= The Netherlands acted as a key port for English trade.
Strategic reason= if Dutch rebels were defeated then Spain would control the Channel and Atlantic coasts of Europe.
21
Q
How many troops did Elizabeth send to the Netherlands?
A
In 1585, England sent 7000 troops to the Netherlands.
22
Q
Who led the English military expedition to the Netherlands?
A
- Robert Dudley (also known as the Early of Leicester).
23
Q
What title did Robert Dudley accept when he arrived in the Netherlands and why did Elizabeth force him to resign his position as a result?
A
- Governor-General of the Netherlands was the role he accepted.
- Risked provoking Phillip as implied that Elizabeth had seized control of the Netherlands.
24
Q
Give two reasons one for leadership and one for resources that meant that England was defeated in the Netherlands?
A
Leadership reason= Dudley was not a talented general and his officers were bitterly divided over strategy.
Resources reason= The English army was small and poorly equipped and funded compared with the Spanish army.
25
Who was the Spanish general leading the campaign against the Dutch rebels / English army?
-The Duke of Parma.
26
What effect did Dudley have as commander of the English forces against the Spanish in the Netherlands?
He was able to slow down the Spanish forces but was ultimately defeated.
27
What did Phillip II do after Elizabeth signed the Treaty of Nonsuch?
- Phillip prepared an invasion of England, he began plans to build an armada.
28
Which Spanish port did Francis Drake attack in 1587?
- The port of Cadiz.
29
Why did Francis Drake attack the port of Cadiz in 1587?
- To slow down Spanish preparations for the Armada by destroying or raiding naval supplies.
30
How many ships did Drake destroy in the raid of the port of Cadiz in 1587?
- 30 Spanish ships.
31
How else did Drake slow down Philip's preparations for the Armada?
- Drake sailed along the Spanish coast destroying supplies being sent to Lisbon and seized a valuable ship, the San Filipe, which allowed Elizabeth to improve English defences with money captured.
32
Give 3 examples of the impact of the raid on Cadiz to the Spanish armada.
- It destroyed planks of wood used to make barrels to carry food and water. This meant that the armada had to rely on poorer quality wood which did not preserve food or water well.
- It was expensive to salvage meaning that it strained Spain's finances.
- It delayed the Armada for a year allowing England time to prepare.
33
What was the nickname given to Drake's raid?
'Singeing the King of Spain's beard'
34
When did the Armada depart from Spain?
- May 1588
35
Who led the Armada and why did this become a leadership problem?
- Duke of Medina Sidonia, who had little military or naval experience.
- He also got seasick.
36
Who led the English fleet attacking the Armada?
- Lord Howard, Sir Francis Drake who were both experienced seamen.
37
Why was the Armada unable to join forces with Spanish troops waiting in the Netherlands?
- Poor communication and the troops in the Netherlands were slowed down by Dutch ships blockading them at Ostend. Spanish plans were greatly floored.
38
What did the English do to cause panic among the Spanish and lead them to cut their anchors?
- They sent fireships towards the Spanish fleet while they were anchored at Calais. This meant that they could not stop anywhere again out at sea.
39
Why were English tactics and ships superior to the Spanish?
- They had new faster/narrower galleons that could sail close to the Spanish ships and then move away quickly.
- The English cannons could also be reloaded more quickly.
40
What role did the wind play in the defeat of the Spanish Armada?
- The wind changed direction and blew the Armada in to the North sea making impossible to meet up with the Duke of Parma.
- This wind was called the "Protestant wind".
- The wind also meant that the Spanish got stuck in storms and had to sail back via Scotland and Ireland where many ships were shipwrecked.
41
Which European countries were first to explore the world beyond Europe in the 1400s and where did they explore?
- Spain and Portugal had voyages to Africa, the Americas and Asia.
42
Give 3 advances in technology which made longer journeys possible in exploration.
- 1590s= John Davies invented the backstaff which made navigation easier and more accurate than the sea astrolabe.
- 1570s= The log and line helped sailors estimate their speed with more accuracy.
- Better ships being built= England built larger and longer ships which were better suited to long ocean voyages because they were faster, more stable and easier to navigate. Lateen sails meant faster sailing too.
43
How did maps improve during that age of exploration and give an example of an improved map?
- Maps became more detailed and reliable.
| - An improved map was the Mercator map.
44
Name two reasons rivalry with Spain encouraged exploration.
- Spain made it difficult for English traders to trade freely through Antwerp. This encouraged English traders to look for new routes into Europe and further afield.
- Elizabeth realised she needed to compete with Spain globally or they would capitalise the whole world.
45
Name two ways Elizabeth encouraged the development of England's international trade.
- She granted some merchants monopolies which gave them exclusive rights to trade in a particular part of the world.
- She encouraged privateering and explored opportunities to establish English colonies in the Americas.
46
Give an example of an English monopoly that Elizabeth granted.
- She granted the East India Company which was a monopoly on trade with Asia in the 1600s.
47
Who was John Hawkins?
- He was a slave trader. He traded slaves captured in West Africa in the Caribbean making him very wealthy. He was also a privateer.
48
Who was Sir Walter Raleigh?
- He was an English explorer who attempted to develop colonies in modern day North America.
49
Name two reasons, POLITICAL and FINANCIAL, Elizabeth wanted an English colony in the Americas.
POLITICAL reason= It would challenge Spain's dominance in the Americas and could be used as a base for attacking Spanish treasure ships.
FINANCIAL reason= A colony would provide opportunities for trade and would be a source of raw materials that would make England rich.
50
When did Walter Raleigh go on his fact-finding missions to North America? Where in North America did he land?
- He went on the mission in 1584 and he landed on Roanoke Island.
51
Who did Walter Raleigh return to England with?
- Two native Americans.
52
When did the first attempt to set up a colony in Virginia take place?
- 1585
53
Who led the first expedition to set up a colony in Virginia?
- Sir Richard Grenville.
54
How many settlers went on this first expedition to Virginia?
- 108 settlers.
55
When did the majority of settlers return to England and why?
- They returned in 1586.
- They returned because Francis Drake arrived and found them running low on supplies so most were unhappy and decided to return.
56
When was the second attempt to establish a colony in Virginia? How many settlers went on this attempt?
- The second attempt to establish a colony was in 1587.
| - 100 settlers went on this expedition.
57
Why were supplies from England to the second expedition to Virginia delayed?
- Spanish Armada slowed down English supplies in 1588.
58
What happened when the supply ship from England finally reached Roanoke?
- All of the planters had disappeared.
59
Why was the attempt to set up a colony in Virginia a failure?
- TIMING= The voyage set off too late in the year to be able to plant crops in Virginia and so they were short of food.
- The ship the Tiger flooded meaning many supplies were ruined such as food and gunpowder.
- There was a poor mix of people= There were too many craftsmen and not enough farmers. This led to growing hostility amongst the native Americans as the English had to rely on them for certain services.
60
How did the planters anger the local Native Americans?
- The planters were too demanding of supplies and food.
- The local chief was killed in a battle with the colonists.
- Many people from the native American tribes were killed by disease.
61
Who was Sir Francis Drake?
- He was an English privateer.
62
What problems did Drake face when circumnavigating the globe?
- There were rough seas.
- Pirates
- The Spanish provided a great challenge.
63
Why was Francis Drake's circumnavigation an achievement?
- He was only the second man in History to achieve this.
- He was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe.
- Francis Drake returned with £400,000 in treasure with Elizabeth getting £200,000 of it, which was more than her entire income for a year.
64
Give two reasons why population growth increased poverty.
- Food production did not keep pace with the population so food prices consequently rose and led to food shortages.
- More competition for land for homes so rents increased and many were forced out of their homes.
65
What was the name given to increase in rents by greedy landlords?
- Rack renting.
66
Name two changes in farming during Elizabeth I reign which led to increased poverty and explain them.
- Enclosures= reduced common land that was available to the poor which they had used to grow crops and keep animals.
- Sheep farming= sheep farming required fewer labourers than growing crops so unemployment increased. It also led to a fall in grain production which contributed to rising food prices and inflation.
67
What did monasteries used to offer the poor before Elizabeth I reign?
- Food, shelter and basic treatment of illnesses.
68
Why were the poor no longer able to rely on monasteries under Elizabeth I?
- Henry VIII had closed down most of England's monasteries between 1536-41 as part of his conversion to Protestantism.
69
How had events abroad led to increasing poverty in England?
- Switch to sheep farming instead of grain was due to wool exports being more profitable. This then led to poverty as not as many farmers were needed to tend sheep.
70
Why were Elizabethan citizen worried about poverty levels rising?
- They were worried that crime rates would increase and they were worried that the poor might rise up in rebellion if the problem was not addressed.
71
What did Elizabethan society call the poor who were unable to support themselves or who wanted to work but were unable?
- The Helpless/ Deserving poor.
72
What did they call the poor who were beggars, criminals etc. ?
- The Undeserving poor.
73
What was poor relief?
- It was money paid for by the poor rate. If you were the underserving poor you were not helped by the Poor Relief but rather punished.
74
Name 3 things the 1563 Poor Law said.
- It gave magistrates the power to raise local funds for poor relief (poor rate).
- People not paying the poor rate could be imprisoned or fined.
- Stated the underserving poor could be publicly whipped.
75
Name two things the 1572 Poor Law said.
- Gave local officials the power to decide how much people should pay to the poor rate.
- Undeserving poor could be whipped and have a hole drilled through both ears. Death penalty if caught 3 times.
76
Where did rich children receive an education and what were the different activities for boys and girls?
- At home with private tutors.
- Boys did hunting, maths and languages.
- Girls did singing, dancing and also learnt languages and literature.
77
What were petty schools?
- Small local schools that prorided a basic education up to the age of 8 years.
78
What was taught at petty schools?
- Basic reading, writing and sometimes maths. There was a strong religious focus in petty schools.
79
How many new grammar schools were set up under Elizabeth?
- 100 new grammar schools.
80
What sort of children attended grammar schools?
- Mostly boys from upper middle classes and gentry. Some grammar schools offered free places to bright boys from poorer backgrounds.
81
Who attended petty schools?
- Mostly boys but some girls.
82
At what age did people attend petty schools?
- No fixed age but usually from six and stayed until they could read and write.
83
What was taught at grammar schools?
- Latin, classical literature, Greek and arithmetic.
| - Some grammar schools also taught subjects like craftsmanship/business skills.
84
Could girls get an education during Elizabeth I reign?
- Very few did except the very rich.
| - However there were some Dame schools for middle class girls.
85
What were the two main universities boys attended?
- Oxford and Cambridge.
86
What did students study at university and what language were all courses in?
- Arithmetic, Greek, Astronomy, Philosophy and theology. All courses were conducted entirely in Latin.
87
What did the rich do for entertainment?
- Hunted deer and other wild animals.
- Hawking with trained falcons.
- Fencing, tennis and bowls.
88
What did ordinary people do for entertainment?
- Football with few rules.
- Blood sports such as cockfighting and bull or bear baiting.
- Gambling.
89
Name two famous Elizabethan theatres.
- The Globe
| - The curtain.
90
How did theatre change under Elizabeth?
- Became more permanent and purpose built theatres were built.
91
What were the differences in how the poor and rich enjoyed the theatre?
- The poor paid a penny to stand in the pit.
| - The rich sat in the gallery.
92
How did Elizabeth support theatre?
- She set up her own acting company, The Queen's Men.
93
What was Drake's raid on Cadiz also known as and what were the successful outcomes of his raid?
- It was known as ' singeing the King of Spain's beard'.
- It was successful as 30 Spanish battleships were sunk, large amounts of timber supplies were destroyed and this prevented containers for food supplies being made.
- This raid delayed the armada by several months.
94
What was the treaty of Nonsuch (1585)?
- It was a treaty where Elizabeth agreed to send an army of 7000 to help the Dutch against the Spanish.
