Elizabethan England 1568 - 1603 (quick fire) Flashcards
(27 cards)
Who was Elizabeth I’s chief minister for most of her reign?
William Cecil, Lord Burghley.
What was the Privy Council?
A group of advisors who helped Elizabeth govern England.
What were Elizabeth’s key problems when she became queen in 1558?
Religious division, financial problems, threats from abroad, and doubts over her legitimacy.
What was the Religious Settlement of 1559?
Elizabeth’s attempt to create a compromise between Catholics and Protestants.
What were the two key acts of the Religious Settlement?
The Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity.
What were recusants?
People who refused to attend Church of England services.
How did Elizabeth deal with Catholic threats?
By increasing fines for recusancy and executing Catholic priests.
Who was Mary, Queen of Scots?
Elizabeth’s Catholic cousin and a rival for the English throne.
Why was Mary, Queen of Scots, executed in 1587?
Because she was implicated in plots to assassinate Elizabeth (e.g. the Babington Plot).
What was the Ridolfi Plot (1571)?
A Catholic plot to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots.
Why did Spain launch the Armada in 1588?
Because of religious differences, English support for Dutch rebels, and piracy.
What were the main reasons for the English victory over the Armada?
Superior tactics, bad weather, fire ships, and better ships and leadership.
What was the “Great Chain of Being”?
A belief that society was ordered by God, with monarchs at the top and peasants at the bottom.
What caused poverty in Elizabethan England?
Population growth, enclosure, rising prices, and decline of traditional industries.
How did Elizabethan government respond to poverty?
With Poor Laws that distinguished between the deserving and undeserving poor.
What role did grammar schools play in Elizabethan education?
They provided education mainly for boys from wealthy or rising middle-class families.
What developments were made in Elizabethan theatre?
Permanent theatres like The Globe were built; playwrights like Shakespeare rose to prominence.
How did exploration expand under Elizabeth?
Explorers like Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh claimed land and raided Spanish treasure ships.
Why was colonisation important in Elizabeth’s reign?
It allowed England to compete with Spain and gain new trade and resources.
Who was Francis Drake and why was he significant?
He was a famous explorer and privateer who circumnavigated the globe and helped defeat the Armada.
Who built Hardwick Hall and when?
Bess of Hardwick in the 1590s.
What does Hardwick Hall reveal about Elizabethan society?
It shows the rise of wealthy nobles and courtiers who displayed status through architecture.
What features of Hardwick Hall reflect Renaissance and Elizabethan architecture?
Large windows, symmetry, long galleries, and decorative plasterwork.
