Elizabeth - Queen, Government And Religion.

Question 1

Who started the Tudor dynasty?

Answer 1

Henry 7th and Elizabeth of York.

Question 2

Who parents Elizabeth?

Answer 2

Henry 8th and Anne Boleyn

Question 3

How long was Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 3

1558 - 1603

Question 4

Give 3 facts about Elizabeth and her life

Answer 4

She has English parents and so was free from oversea influences, she’s single and never married so she couldn’t be controlled by a foreign husband, she followed Protestantism

Question 5

What nickname was Elizabeth given being as so she never married

Answer 5

The virgin queen

Question 6

What are the privy council?

Answer 6

A group of 20 men, they were her most trusted advisors/ councillors. They advised her and ensured her wishes were carried out.

Question 7

Which members of society made up parliament and when did they meet?

Answer 7

Nobility and gentry. They only met up when she summoned it

Question 8

What did the queen need parliament for?

Answer 8

To pass new laws or raise taxes.

Question 9

What were the nobility and gentry’s role across the country?

Answer 9

They would enforce law and order

Question 10

What were local government posts?

Answer 10

They were unpaid jobs that most did to gain and increase their social power and influence

Question 11

Why did Elizabeth use patronage?

Answer 11

To ensure the support of nobility and gentry. This involved handing out titles that gave the holder a source of income. Elizabeth widely distributed patronage which ensured political stability.

Question 12

What was England’s economy largely dominated by?

Answer 12

Agriculture

Question 13

What type of trade was so important for England’s economy to remain stable?

Answer 13

Wool trade

Question 14

What was englands society dominated by?

Answer 14

Small land owning aristocracy, lawyers and merchants.

Question 15

How was England’s social structure?

Answer 15

There was great inequality in England and a severe divide between the rich and poor and poverty became a major problem.

Question 16

Why wasn’t Elizabeth ever expected to become queen?

Answer 16

She was 3rd in line for the throne, and seen as illegitimate

Question 17

What were the problems Elizabeth faced during her reign?

Answer 17

Legitimacy, religion, gender, marriage and an heir

Question 18

Why was legitimacy a problem for Elizabeth?

Answer 18

In 1533, Henry 8th Divorce, Catherine of Aragon and married Anne Boleyn. Divorced was forbidden in the rules of the Catholic Church, so the pope didn’t accept their annulment. And so in the eyes of many Catholics Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn wasn’t valid and the birth of Elizabeth made her a legitimate.
Elizabeth had been declared illegitimate following her mothers execution under an act of parliament. Despite being restored to the line of succession, under the act of succession many foreign powers still saw questioned her legitimacy as she was a daughter of an unlawful marriage.
This weakened her throne to the throne and allowed others such as Mary queen of Scotts too claim that they had a better right to rule over England.

Question 19

Why was Gender a problem for Elizabeth?

Answer 19

16th century England saw a woman to be an unfit ruler and the monarch should be a man. The violence and chaos that had descended upon England under Mary’s 1sts rule had reinforced people’s beliefs that a woman would be unsuccessful.
Many people thought Elizabeth would be a figure head and have her male councillors or husband govern for her. Elizabeth however was determined to rule in her own right and refused anyone else’s rule but hers.
This means England was now seen as weak as both France and Spain, 2 powerful nations were ruled by kings.

Question 20

Why was marriage a problem for Elizabeth?

Answer 20

She never married and so was named the virgin queen. There was pressure on Elizabeth to find a husband there were also concerns about succession, if Elizabeth died and didn’t have an heir there would be a risk of civil wars breaking out and different groups fighting for the throne. Choosing a husband could create serious political problems. If she chose one member of the nobility other members would be angered. And if she chose a European prince, she was handing over her county to them and allowing them to have too much control over England.

Question 21

Why was religion a problem for Elizabeth.

Answer 21

She grew up following Protestantism, and had reinforced it once she became queen.
Since Protestant England was surrounded by a majority of catholic Europe it left her with no allies and a possibility of war. England’s neighbouring countries were also France and Spain who were both 2 very powerful and influential countries, but were both catholic. England also faced many religious divides so it was hard to appease both catholics and Protestants without angering a side.
This created turmoil for england.

Question 22

What was a challenge Elizabeth faced at home and why?

Answer 22

The English economy was weak due to previous monarchs.

Question 23

Why did king Edward create economic challenges for England?

Answer 23

He spent sums of money on wars in Scotland and thus meant that Elizabeth inherited too much debt.

Question 24

Why did Mary create problems for Elizabeth?

Answer 24

She sold off large amounts of land owned by the crown to cover her debts. Although this had raised money in the short term, king terms it had reduced the monarchs income from rent. She also went to war with France and lost Calais - land in France which was really important for trade and had been under english control for 200 years. She was catholic and had married Phillip 2nd of Spain and had executed many people to restore authority to the pope.

Question 25

Why did Henry create challenges for Elizabeth?

Answer 25

He had spent money, irrationally, irresponsibly and spontaneously, he’d broken away from the church which had created religious divides. He went to war with Spain which had increased poverty massively in England.

Question 26

How much debt did Elizabeth inherit?

Answer 26

Around £300,000

Question 27

Why was the taxation system a problem?

Answer 27

It was old fashioned and ineffective, while ordinary people payed high taxes, nobility and gentry payed much less. England was suffering from inflation, whilst prices rose, wages stayed the same.

Question 28

Why was France a threat / challenge to Elizabeth?

Answer 28

France was wealthier and had a much larger population.
They were involved in an auld alliance; France and Scotland’s friendship
Auld alliance vs single protestant Elizabeth.
Mary’s engagement too the dauphin of France would bring France and Scotland closer and would increase the risk of a French invasion through Scotland.

Question 29

Why were Spain a threat / challenge to Elizabeth?

Answer 29

Strictly catholic country
Spain supported Mary queen if Scot’s and her rightful claim to the throne
Spain and France would create a bigger threat as they were both 2 catholic and extremely powerful and influential countries.

Question 30

Why was Scotland a challenge to Elizabeth?

Answer 30

Mary queen of Scot’s was seen as the legitimate her to the English throne. And was heavily supported by English catholics which strengthened her claim against Elizabeth who faced legitimacy problems.
Mary Of guise brought French troops to Scotland = risk of invasion

Question 31

Why was the pope a threat / challenge to England?

Answer 31

Head of Roman Catholic Church over a very catholic Europe.
He encouraged and influenced catholics too rebel against Elizabeth and her Protestant beliefs.
He disliked the Protestant reformation and wanted a counter reformation.
He offered support for France and Spain if they took action against it.

Question 32

What was the Protestant reformation?

Answer 32

It began in Germany and spread across 16th century Europe gradually.
Reformers challenged catholic beliefs and practices.

Question 33

What did Protestants believe in?

Answer 33

You are saved by beliefs not good deeds
They questioned the authority of the pope
Translated the bible from Latin into many languages so people could understand
They through churches should be plain and simple.

Question 34

What religious changes had Henry the 8th made?

Answer 34

Broke away from the Roman Catholic Church to marry Anne Boleyn. He rejected the popes authority and called himself the head of the church. However Henry didn’t exactly contribute / support the Protestant reformation, so Catholic practices remained largely unchanged

Question 35

What religious changes did Edward 6th make?

Answer 35

He was a strong Protestant and tried to reform the English church. He made churches simpler states and deco were removed from within and priests weren’t allowed to wear their vestments. A new Protestant prayer book was introduced and church services were in English not Latin.

Question 36

What religious changes did Mary 1st make?

Answer 36

She restored Catholicism and persecuted Protestants. She was a devout Catholic and restored authority to the pope, removed Edward’s reforms and brought back Catholic practices. 280 or more Protestant were executed for following Protestantism and many fled to European Protestant countries.

Question 37

What did Elizabeth want for religion in her country?

Answer 37

She was raised a Protestant. Turmoil has risen due to Mary’s Catholic reforms and Edward’s Protestant ones and so all she desired was too ensure religious stability and so created the religious settlement.

Question 38

What were the 3 things that came under religious settlement?

Answer 38

Act of supremacy, act of uniformity and royal injunctions.

Question 39

What came under the act of supremacy and what did it mean?

Answer 39

Made herself the supreme governor of the Church of England. This gave her control without explicitly describing her as head. Governor implied not so dictatorial but more tolerant. This appealed catholics and puritans who were uncomfortable with a monarch as head of state and religion. The act required churchmen to swear an oath of supremacy and loyalty too her. Most parish priests took the oath, Catholic priests didn’t and were replaced by Protestant ones.

Question 40

What came under the act of uniformity and what did it mean?

Answer 40

Imposed moderate reforms on the English church but they also made some concessions to English catholics.

Question 41

What reforms were implemented under the act of uniformity?

Answer 41

• church was compulsory there were fines as consequences for a lack of attendance
• book of common prayer was issued, had to be used in all churches
• parishes had a copy if the bible in English

Question 42

What concessions were implemented under the act of uniformity?

Answer 42

• wording of communion services was kept deliberately vague so it could be accepted by both catholics and Protestants
• churches allowed decorations and priests were allowed to wear certain Catholic vestments

Question 43

When was the religious settlement passed in parliament?

Answer 43

1559

Question 44

What was the puritan threat to the religious settlement and what did it mean?

Answer 44

Extreme Protestants, they wanted to remove all traces of Catholicism from the english church. Most puritans had been Marian exiles.
Vestment controversy, puritans refused to wear them as it was worn by catholics but the royal injunctions made them compulsory.
Elizabeth tolerated the puritans opposition as first, but in 1565, those who refused to wear the surprise were imprisoned or lost their jobs.

Question 45

What did catholic noblemen mean for Elizabeth (to the religious settlement) and what threat did they pose?

Answer 45

Since church services were compulsory under the act of uniformity, a large proportion of nobility were catholics and they were also known as recusants as they refused to attend church services. They used their status to influence and protect catholics and maintain their traditional religious practices.
Catholic nobles posed as a threat to the religious settlement and overthrow Elizabeth to restore Catholicism.
Elizabeth was wary of their threat so didn’t force them to attend church services, as long as they didn’t publicly practice they were allowed to do so in their homes.

Question 46

Was France a threat to the religious settlement and why?

Answer 46

They were strong Catholic rulers who may try to reverse the religious settlement and replace Elizabeth with a Catholic monarch.
A threat of a French invasion was serious but faded with the start of wars of religion in 1562

Question 47

Was Spain a threat to the religious settlement and if so, why?

Answer 47

They didn’t exactly pose as a threat because Spain was growing a revolt in the Netherlands to prevent an alliance from forming between 2 Protestant countries (England and Netherlands) so Spain stayed on good terms to avoid challenging her religious settlement.

Question 48

What was the papacy and why was it a threat to the religious settlement and why did it fail?

Answer 48

The Pope had power to excommunicate Elizabeth. This might encourage a Catholic invasion in England and a rebellion releasing her Catholic subjects from their duty of loyalty to Elizabeth.
However France not Spain had the military resources to invade England so the pope took no action against her in the 1560’s

Question 49

Who was Mary Queen of Scot’s?

Answer 49

Granddaughter of Margaret Tudor, she had a strong claim to the English throne and because she was Catholic she had support from many English catholics.
She became Queen of Scotland at 6 days old in 1542 and her mother Mary of guise acted as regent, she was raised in France.
Mary married the dauphin of France at 15 yrs old however he died and so she returned to Scotland.
Mary wanted to become the heir to the English throne, but Elizabeth was unwilling to do this as she feared Mary may try to encourage and support Catholic plots against her life.

Question 50

What were the events that led Mary to flee to England in 1568?

Answer 50

In 1565 she married Darnley, they were unhappy in their marriage. Darnley hated Mary’s personal secretary David Rizzio and suspected them if having an affair. And Darnley accompanied by Scottish noblemen killed.
In 1567 Darnley was murdered and it was suspected that Mary and her close friend earl of Bothwell murdered him. Suspicions seemed to be confirmed when Mary married him months later.
Scottish noblemen imprisoned her and rebelled against her. They forced her to abdicate against her one year old son James.
1568, Mary raised an army, her forces were defeated in battle and so she fled south to England.

Question 51

Why did Mary want Elizabeth’s help?

Answer 51

She through Elizabeth would help her regain control of Scotland. Elizabeth wasn’t willing to do this as Mary’s claim to the English throne meant there’d be a constant threat of invasion from Mary the north if Mary regained control of Scotland.
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Question 52

What did Elizabeth do instead of helping her?

Answer 52

Elizabeth imprisoned Mary for 20 years and set up and inquiry to investigate whether she had been involved in Darnley’s murder.

Question 53

What were the ‘casket letters’?

Answer 53

They were presented to the inquiry. They included several letters written by Mary to Bothwell which implicated the pairs involvement in Darnley’s murder. Mary’s supporters insisted they were forgeries but most believed they were genuine letters.

Question 54

Why did an innocent verdict mean? (For Mary)

Answer 54

Elizabeth had to free Mary and once free Mary might try to overthrow her.

Question 55

What did a guilty verdict mean? (For Mary)

Answer 55

If it was guilty It meant it supported the Scottish noblemen to overthrow Mary. And she’s have to kill a Queen.

Question 56

Did they end up reaching a verdict for Mary and what was the result of it?

Answer 56

They didn’t, so Mary remained in captivity. Imprisoning Mary meant it would prevent Elizabeth becoming the centre of Catholic plots as she had an influential Catholic monarch held in her possession. But Mary’s presence caused many problems for Elizabeth for the next 20 years.