part 2 life in Elizabethan times Flashcards
(91 cards)
1
Q
give the order of the great chain of being
A
- god
- queen/king
- nobility
- gentry
- peasantry
- animals/plants
2
Q
describe who the nobility were
A
- most powerful and wealthy people
- titles past from father to son
- held most senior positions E.G privy council
3
Q
describe who the gentry were
A
- often wealthy landowners
- held important positions E.G JP
- might be richer but still below nobles in society
4
Q
describe who peasants were
A
- poorest members of society
- farm labourers
- often struggled for work
5
Q
what was the rise of the gentry
A
- before Elizabeth’s reign, almost all wealth was held by the nobility
- the stability that the Elizabethan period brought changed this
- people could make money from trade
- the gentry grew as a result of this and filled up powerful positions
6
Q
what was Hardwick hall
A
- Bess of Hardwick known as Elizabeth Shrewsbury built it between 1590 and 1597
- one of the grandest houses in Elizabethan England and a way to show her wealth + position
7
Q
in what ways did the homes of the gentry change
A
- no longer for defence but to show refined taste
- usually symmetrical with open courtyards, unlike the closed secure ones that went before
- lots of expensive glass windows to show owners wealth
- medieval great hall replaced by a great chamber
- privacy: number of rooms increased, separating servants from owners
8
Q
describe the roles of writers, actors and theatre troupes with the theatre in Elizabethan England
A
- playwrights like Shakespeare produced new works every year including comedies, histories and tragedies
- acting was an entirely male profession
- popular actors like Richard Burbage became very famous and would return to roles or have plays written for them
- works were performed by theatre troupes such as Lord Chamberlains men
- companies were named after the people who provided funding
9
Q
describe the physical attributes of the theatre
A
- the galleries: seated, covered areas for the rich
- roof: over the stage, often called the heavens, roped and rigging were used for some scene changes and dramatic entrances
- lords room: most expensive seats, sometimes used by actors and musicians during performances
- gentlemen’s room: balconies on either side
- stage: often decorated with scenery and always a trapdoor for special effects
- pit: where ordinary people stood to watch often heckling the actors
10
Q
what was a day at the theatre like
A
- performances generally began at 3pm and continued to the evening
- the ticket price depended on where you sat
- audience members would push and shove to get a better view
- a cheap afternoon out for the poor and an opportunity for the rich to show off
- although the rich and poor occupied different parts of the theatre they watched the same play
11
Q
why was the theatre so popular
A
- it was affordable
- it was new and exciting
- it was a social event
- it was entertaining
- it was contemporary and relevant to the time, some carried a political message
12
Q
what were the oppositions to the theatre
A
- puritans saw theatregoing as a distraction from prayer
- some saw it as sinful
- there were concerns that large gatherings might spread disease
- theatres were dangerous places where there was drunkenness, crime and other immoral behaviour
13
Q
what were the 8 accomplishments of the golden age
A
- art
- peace, power and pride
- science and technology
- exploration
- education
- theatre
- buildings
- literature
14
Q
how was art an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- portraits - including detailed miniature ones - became very popular and often contained symbolism
- decorative silverware and textiles became important signs of wealth and culture in the homes of the rich
15
Q
how was peace, power and pride an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- before the tudors there was conflict over the throne
- the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I brought political stability but religious turmoil
- England’s growing wealth and military success made many of Elizabeth’s subjects very proud
16
Q
how was science and technology an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- significant breakthroughs in navigation, astronomy and a growing understanding of magnetism
- improved printing presses allowed new ideas to be spread quickly
17
Q
how was exploration an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- Europeans discovered new lands and new peoples
- England became a major power in the world
18
Q
how was education an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- seen as increasingly important
- wealthy boys and some girls received an education, but the poor did not
19
Q
how was theatre an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- theatre became popular with all levels of society
- the first permanent theatres were built
20
Q
how were buildings an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- many great stately homes, such as Hardwick hall, were built
- for the first time houses were not built with defence in mind
21
Q
how was literature an accomplishment of the golden age
A
- many great plays were written during Elizabeth’s reign and are still performed today
- poetry was very popular, many nobles wrote poetry and some, such as Shakespeare wrote sonnets
22
Q
what were some negatives about the ‘golden age’
A
- blood sports like dog fighting and bear baiting remained popular
- torture and brutal execution were still used by the government
- a small minority lived in luxury while the rest lived in poverty
- life expectancy was low and medical treatment was ineffective
23
Q
where did the term ‘golden age’ come from
A
- it was encouraged by Elizabeth and her government
- plays, festivals and pamphlets promoted the idea
- the term ‘Gloriana’ was used to describe the spreading of this term
- for Elizabeth this was a way to secure her popularity on the throne
24
Q
what were paupers
A
people who relied on charity to survive, this meant begging or going to the local church for help
25
what were the 4 reasons for poverty in Elizabethan England
- actions of previous monarchs
- changes in agriculture
- population increase
- flu outbreak
26
describe why actions of previous monarchs was a reason for poverty in Elizabethan England
- Henry VIII limited the right of nobles to hold private armies, this left soldiers without work
- dissolution of monasteries meant that monks, nuns and other church employees were left with nowhere to work or live
- the closure of the monasteries also left the sick with no one to care for them
- economic problems under Henry VIII and Edward VI led to the collapse of the cloth trade and the loss of many jobs
27
describe why changes to agriculture was a reason for poverty in Elizabethan England
- bad harvest between 1594 and 1598 led to food shortages and starvation in parts of England
- the food shortage also increased prices which led to inflation
- increasing numbers of landlords began to keep sheep on their land rather than grow crops, this was known as enclosure and meant that fewer workers were needed
- many unemployed farm workers headed to towns and cities in search of employment but there weren't enough jobs to go around
28
describe why population increase was a reason for poverty in Elizabethan England
- during Elizabeth's rein, England's population rose from 2.8 million to 4 million
- a shortage of places to live gave power to landlords who increased rents
29
describe why the flu outbreak was a reason for poverty in Elizabethan England
- a terrible outbreak of flu in 1556 killings 200,000 people, including many farm workers
30
what were the attitudes and responses to the deserving poor
- the great chain of being made it clear to many nobles that they were better than the poor
- many believed it was there duty to help those below them in society
- they recognised that many paupers could not help the situation they were in and were not to blame for their poverty
- charities for the poor grew and almshouses were established
31
what were the attitudes and responses to the underserving poor
- some paupers were seen as undeserving, untrustworthy beggars who had no interest in honest work
- they were called vagabonds
- some would bite soap that they would be frothing at the mouth to get money
32
what happened to the poor after 1531
- beggars were publicly whipped
- those caught a 2nd time would have a hole burned through their ear
- a 3rd offence would result in being hung
33
what happened in 1576
an act for setting the poor to work placed the responsibility on local authorities
34
how did different authorities deal with poverty
in different ways
35
what was the first poor law
- was in 1601
- the wealthy should be taxed to pay for the care of the sick and venerable
- fit and healthy paupers should be given work
- those who refused to work would be dealt with harshly
36
what 3 categories were the poor placed into after the introduction of the first poor law in 1601
- the helpless poor (sick and old)
- the able bodies poor
- the idle poor
37
how effective was the poor law
- although the 1601 poor law made some impact it was not properly enforced in some areas
- begging seemed to decrease but this may have been because of the threat of the house of correction rather than the extra help available
- many argue that it was unsuccessful because it made each town responsible for its own paupers
- some were sent from one place to another without receiving any help
38
what countries and people played a role in making Elizabeth's reign an age of discovery
- Portugal and Spain played a major role
- sir Francis drake
- sir Walter Raleigh
- john Hawkins
39
between what years did Drake circumnavigate the globe
1577 and 1580
40
when did drake become a sir
26 September 1579 in Plymouth he was knighted upon his ship the golden hind by Elizabeth
41
what did drake do on the 3rd of September 1578
- sailed through the straight of Magellan
- was the first Englishman to do it
- a storm destroyed 1 ship and blew the rest of course
42
who was sir Walter Raleigh and what did he do in the new world
- he was given royal permission to explore the Americas- the new world ion 1584
- he was allowed to colonise any land that was not ruled by a Christian
- in return he had to give the queen 1/5 of all the gold and silver he found there
- he did not sail himself, but sent others to explore and establish colonies in the new world
- many of the colonies did not last
43
what 3 factors made the exploration of sir Walter Raleigh possible
- defences
- technology
- navigation
44
how did defences make the exploration of sir Walter Raleigh possible
better weapons like cannons made it easier to explore hostile territories
45
how did technology make the exploration of sir Walter Raleigh possible
- better designed ships were faster due to the triangular lateen sail
46
how did navigation make the exploration of sir Walter Raleigh possible
- the astrolabe allowed sailors to judge their position
- more accurate compasses made navigation easier
47
who was john Hawkins and how was he related to the slave trade as an impact of voyages
- he was a respected sailor and courier
- he was responsible for building up the navy and commanding it against the Spanish armada
- in 1564 he kidnapped several hundred west Africans and sold them in south America, this was not the first example of the slave trade
- this was the first time it had been carried out by only an Englishmen though
- he was also known as a successful privateer and is thought to have brought tobacco to England
48
how was wealth an impact of voyages
- raiding Spanish ships and ports allowed riches to be stolen and brought back to England
- trading systems were established from which England's wealth grew over the following centuries and new products like spices, silks and porcelain were brought to England for the first time
- the trade in African slaves brought significant wealth to individuals and to England as a whole
- other Englishmen saw how Hawkins had profited and so became involved in the slave trade over the following years
- slave labour enabled raw materials to be produced cheaply in the Americas
49
give 3 examples of things brought back to England as a result of trade during voyages abroad
- trade with the east in spices and other goods grew as middlemen could now be cut out - English sailors could now directly deal with merchants in Asia
- new companies were created to deal with trade in a particular area, for example, the levant company dealt exclusively with trade in Turkey and the middle east
- the east India company was established in 1600 to oversee trade in the far east and India
50
how was power an impact of voyages
- naval power had been growing under Elizabeth and was able to hold its own in any sea battle
- improved weapons and tactics, and the skilled command of men like Francis Drake, played a key role in this
- the English victory over the Spanish Armada showed the dominant position that England held
51
how was territory an impact of voyages
- England was not the first country to build colonies in newly discovered lands and there were several failed attempts
- perseverance led to increasing numbers of colonies, particularly in north America, being established in the name of Elizabeth and her successions
52
what were catholic beliefs and practises under Elizabeth's rule
- the pope is the head of the church
- bible and church services in Latin
- priests should not marry
- highly decorated churches
- bread and wine transform into body and blood of Jesus
- priests are ordinary peoples links with god
53
what were protestant beliefs under Elizabeth's rule
- the monarch is the head of the church
- bible and church services in English
- priests can marry
- plain churches
- bread and wine represent the body and blood
- ordinary people connect to god through prayer
54
what are the similarities between Catholicism and Protestantism
- god created the world
- Jesus was gods son
- those who challenge the true faith must be punished
55
what religion was Elizabeth
protestant but also practical as she knew that compromise would bring stability and peace
56
what was Elizabeth's religious settlement
- priests were allowed to marry
- services were all in English and followed the protestant book of common prayer
- she declared herself 'governor' rather than 'head' of the church
- Catholics would worship in their own way in private
- a moderate protestant, Mathew parker, was appointed AB of C
57
what was the northern rebellion
- 1569
- inspired by Elizabeth's refusal to allow the duke of Norfolk to marry her catholic cousin, Mary queen of Scots, 2 northern nobles led a rebellion against Elizabeth
- the earl of Westmorland and the earl of Northumberland took control of Durham cathedral and held an illegal catholic mass
- they marched south with 4600 men but the rebels disbanded when the earl of Sussex raised an army against them
- Northumberland was executed, Westmorland escaped to France and the duke of Norfolk was imprisoned
58
what was the papal bull
- 1570
- 27 April pope Pius V issued a special message ( papal bull) in which he stated that Elizabeth was not the true queen and called on the people of England not to obey her laws
- the bull also excommunicated her from the church
- the popes aim was to stir up rebellion by forcing English Catholics to choose between their queen or their religion
59
what was the Ridolfi plot
- 1571
- led by an Italian named Ridolfi but also involved the duke of Norfolk and a second northern rebellion
- the uprising would coincide with an invasion of foreign Catholics from the Netherlands and the murder of Queen Elizabeth
- her catholic cousin MQS was to be placed on the throne and would marry the duke of Norfolk
- the plot was discovered before it could be carried out
60
what was the Throckmorton plot
-1583
- led by sir Francis Throckmorton
- the plan was to assassinate Elizabeth and replace her with MQS
- there would then be an uprising of English Catholics and a French invasion, the Spanish ambassador was also involved
- when the plan failed Throckmorton was executed
61
what was the Babington plot
- led by Anthony Babington
- the plan was to assassinate Elizabeth and replace her with MQS
- the plots discovery led to the trial and execution of Mary
62
what was the counter reformation
- the attempt by the catholic church to bring as many protestants back to the old faith
- in 1568 William Allen established a seminary at Douai in the Netherlands to train catholic priests
- Allen aimed to send these priests to England as missionaries
- he had the full backing of the pope
- one key movement within the counter reformation was the Jesuits
63
who were the Jesuits
- the society of Jesus was created in 1540 and it began to send missionaries to England from 1580
- its purpose was to convert the protestant population to Catholicism
- Elizabeth saw the Jesuits as a threat
64
who were the key Jesuits in England
- Edmund campion and Robert Parsons arrived in England on 24 June 1580 as missionaries
- campion travelled the country spreading his message, whereas Parsons kept a lower profile
- campion became a wanted man because the authorities were convinced he wanted to start a rebellion
65
where the Jesuits really a threat
- Jesuits like campion claimed not to want rebellion but just to spread their religious message
- Elizabeth and many others however saw them as a genuine threat to the stability of England, even if they were not directly involved with any plots against her
66
how serious was the catholic threat to Elizabeth
- the pope had made it very clear with his papal bull that he wanted Elizabeth's rule to end
- he said it was the duty of Catholics to challenge her rule
- Jesuits and other missionaries were another serious threat as they could undermine the stability of her religious settlement
- English Catholics were encouraged by the papal bull to rebel
- European Catholic rulers like Philip II of Spain were encouraged by the pope to challenge her authority
67
what was Elizabeth's response to the catholic threat
- in the 1580's Elizabeth began to move away from the tolerance of the Catholics that was part of her religious settlements
- instead she began to introduce anti-Catholic laws
68
what was the anti-Catholic law introduced in 1571
- recusancy fines for Catholics who did not take part in protestant services
- they could be fined or have property taken away
- however the rich could afford to pay and Elizabeth did not enforce the law to harshly
- when parliament tried to increase the fines she refused
- it became illegal to own any catholic items such as rosary beads
69
what was the anti-Catholic law introduced in 1581
- recusancy fines were increased to £20
- more than most could afford
- this law was strictly enforced
- it became high treason to convert to Catholicism
70
what was the anti-Catholic law introduced in 1585
- any catholic priest who had been ordained (made a priest) after 1559 was considered a traitor and he, and anyone protecting them, faced death
- it became legal to kill anyone who tried to assassinate the queen
71
what was the anti-Catholic law introduced in 1593
the 'statute of confinement' - Catholics could not travel more than 5 miles from home without permission from authorities
72
how did Elizabeth deal with the Jesuit threat with Campion
- by July 1580, Campion had spent a month traveling around England making speeches and encouraging people to convert to Catholicism
- Elizabeth saw him as a threat to order and therfore to her
- he was arrested and, despite maintaining that he had no plans to overthrow the queen, was brutally tortured and dragged through London before being hanged, drawn and quartered
- it was clear that Elizabeth wasn't going to take any threat lightly
73
how did Elizabeth deal with the Jesuit threat with priests
- the 1585 act against Jesuits and seminary priests called for them to be driven out of England
- many were executed
74
what 4 factors made Elizabeth's religious policy change
- the threat from abroad
- powerful Catholics
- Jesuit missionaries
- the Ridolfi, Throckmorton and Babington plots
75
why did the threat from abroad make Elizabeth's religious policy change
- both Spain and France were powerful Catholic countries and invasion was a real concern for Elizabeth
- the Spanish Armada of 1588 showed the fear was justified
- the threat declines toward the end of her reign, following the Armadas defeat
76
why did powerful Catholics make Elizabeth's religious policy change
- several powerful catholic families lived in the north of England
- they had mostly remained loyal
- but there was growing concern that they might obey the popes command and rebel
77
why did the Jesuit missionaries make Elizabeth's religious policy change
- the popularity of people like campion undermined Elizabeth's authority
- she could not allow them to spread their message
78
why did the Ridolfi, Throckmorton and Babington plots make Elizabeth's religious policy change
- although these plots failed, they showed that Elizabeth had enemies who wanted to overthrow her and restore the catholic church
79
who were the puritans
- strict protestants who were influenced by extreme protestants in Europe like John Calvin
- is some cases they lived in exile in Europe during the reign of Elizabeth's catholic cousin Mary
- they were keen to remove all catholic elements from the English church
- they studied the bible, wanted plain clothing and simple services
- some were appointed as bishops by Elizabeth, though some argued over their robes
- by 1568 most had agreed to were the white gown or surplice
80
what were hard-line puritans
- known as Presbyterians, they questioned Elizabeth's religious settlement and the need for bishops
- in the 1570's they held popular meetings (prophesyings) to discuss the bible, they often criticised the queen
- Grindal, the AB of C encouraged prophesyings despite these criticisms
- Elizabeth suspended Grindal as AB
- in 1580 john field, a prominent and very strict puritan, was banned from preaching
- the leaders of a new separatist church founded in London in 1593, Henry barrow and john greenwood were hanged
81
who were 3 powerful puritans
- sir Francis Walsingham - the queens senior minister and spymaster. he largely kept his religious views to himself, aware they might make him unpopular
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester- a privy councillor and seen as a potential husband for Elizabeth, he was unwillingly put into his position at risk by openly challenging the church
- Peter Wentworth and Anthony Cope- presbyterian MPs who tried to bring change to the church by introducing bills to parliament, however, they did not gain much support from other MPs
82
what was Elizabeth's response to puritanism
- Grindal died in 1583, Elizabeth replaced him as AB with John Whitgift, who took a tough stance against puritans
- with the deaths of Dudley in 1588 and Walsingham in 1590, Elizabeth began to crack down on puritanism
83
what are the measures that Elizabeth introduced to deal with puritans
- new rules introduced by Whitgift banning unlicensed preaching and forcing church attendance with recusancy fines
- a new high commission with the power to fine and imprison puritans who refused to follow the rules
- the dismissal or imprisonment of hundreds pf clergymen
- the punishment of printers for spreading the puritan message
- a crackdown on high profile puritans, like Anthony Cope, who was imprisoned in the tower of London
84
why did the influence of puritanism decline after 1590
- the church of England had brought stability to religion and people were unwilling to risk losing it
- the death of powerful puritans removed its influence in the royal court
- Whitgift's crackdown broke the organisation of puritanism
- the death of John Field in 1588- this important leader had inspired many and been highly critical of the church of England
85
what are the 2 categories that the plots and rebellions against Elizabeth fit into
- religion and power and influence
86
what were the 5 reasons why the plots against Elizabeth failed
- spies
- a skilled politician
- unconvincing alternatives
- punishment
- religious settlement
87
why were spies a reason for the plots against Elizabeth failing
- Elizabeth's huge network of spies was ale to quickly identify threats and deal with trouble makers
- Sir Francis Walsingham, one of the queens most trusted advisors, was also her spymaster
88
why was a skilled politician a reason for the plots against Elizabeth failing
- Elizabeth was very good at getting her own way
- she dealt with parliament with great skill, allowing MPs and Lords to feel like they had influence while still showing that she had the final say
88
why were unconvincing alternatives a reason for the plots against Elizabeth failing
- most people, even Catholics preferred the idea of an English queen than a foreign one e.g. MQS
- Mary was generally not trusted, was blamed for her husbands death and Philip who had been crowned king of England after marrying Mary had shown little interest in the country
- Mary sent hundreds of protestants to be burned at the stake
- lack of an alternative monarch meant the plots could not get wide support
89
why was punishment a reason for the plots against Elizabeth failing
- Elizabeth rarely showed mercy to those who betrayed her
- Rebels were tortured and brutally executed
- Elizabeth even executed her own cousin, MQS, and her former favourite Earl of Essex
- for potential Rebels the consequences were clear
90
why was the religious settlement a reason for the plots against Elizabeth failing
- Elizabeth's religious policy kept the majority happy
- Although there were crackdowns on Catholics and Puritans later in her reign, religious differences were mostly tolerated
