Chapter 1

• What challenges did Elizabeth face during her early reign?

  Challenges at home and abroad
• What was the state of society and government in 1558 England?

  Violent and dangerous
• How was order maintained in Elizabethan England?

  Through a clear social structure
• What was the importance of equality in Elizabethan society?

  It was not important
• Who was at the top of the Elizabethan social hierarchy?

  The monarch
• How was one's place in the Elizabethan hierarchy generally determined?

  By land ownership
• What percentage of England's population lived in the countryside?

  About 90%
• Who were yeomen in Elizabethan society?

  Men with a small amount of land
• What role did tenant farmers play in Elizabethan society?

  They farmed rented land
• How was the social hierarchy in towns based?

  On wealth and occupation
• Who were at the top of the town hierarchy?

  Wealthy merchants
• What were guilds in Elizabethan towns?

  Trade associations for craftsmen
• What was the duty of landowners in Elizabethan society?

  To care for their tenants
• Who was the head of the household in Elizabethan families?

  The husband and father
• What was the role of the Privy Council in Elizabethan government?

  To advise the monarch on government policy
• How many members were typically on the Privy Council?

  Approximately 19 members
• What was the role of Parliament in Elizabethan England?

  To grant extraordinary taxation and pass laws
• Who could call and dismiss Parliament?

  The monarch
• What was the royal prerogative?

  Decisions only the monarch could make
• What is divine right?

  The belief that monarchs rule by God's grace
• Who was Elizabeth's most important Privy Councilor?

  Sir William Cecil
• What is patronage in the context of Elizabethan government?

  Providing important jobs or positions
• What was the role of Justices of the Peace (JPs)?

  To maintain law and order locally
• What was extraordinary taxation?

  Occasional additional taxation for emergencies
• How did Elizabeth control Parliament?

  By stopping discussions on unwanted issues
• What was the significance of the size of Elizabeth's throne in Parliament?

  It showed her importance
• What are the key features of Elizabethan government?

  • Court: Entertained and advised the monarch
  • Privy Council: Debated issues and advised on policy
  • Parliament: Granted taxation and passed laws
  • Lord Lieutenants: Managed local militias and defenses
  • Justices of the Peace: Maintained law and order locally
• Describe the social hierarchy of Elizabethan England.

  • Monarch at the top
  • Nobility and gentry next
  • Yeomen below them
  • Tenant farmers next
  • Landless or laboring poor at the bottom
• What were the roles of courtiers and the Privy Council in Elizabethan government?

  • Courtiers: Key servants and advisers to the monarch
  • Privy Council: Debated issues and ensured decisions were carried out
• What was the relationship between the monarch and Parliament in Elizabethan England?

  • Monarch could call and dismiss Parliament
  • Parliament granted extraordinary taxation and passed laws
  • Monarch had significant control over discussions
• What were the implications of divine right for Elizabeth's rule?

  • Justified her authority as God's chosen ruler
  • Limited Parliament's power to challenge her decisions
  • Reinforced the social hierarchy and inequality
• What was the significance of patronage in Elizabethan politics?

  • Used to gain support and loyalty
  • Allowed the queen to control influential figures
  • Essential for maintaining power and influence
• How did the social structure affect daily life in Elizabethan England?

  • Clear roles and expectations for each class
  • Respect and obedience were mandatory
  • Landowners had a duty of care to tenants
• What were the limitations of Parliament during Elizabeth's reign?

  • Few could vote or become MPs
  • Monarch controlled discussions and decisions
  • MPs could be punished for overstepping bounds
• What was the role of the Secretary of State in Elizabethan government?

  • Closest adviser to the monarch
  • Managed important government matters
  • Significant influence on policy decisions
• What was essential for a monarch to inherit the throne?

  Being born in wedlock
• Why was Elizabeth I's legitimacy in doubt?

  Her father divorced to marry Anne Boleyn
• Who was Elizabeth I's father?

  Henry VIII
• What did Henry VIII hope to achieve by marrying Anne Boleyn?

  To have a male heir
• What was the Pope's stance on Henry VIII's divorce?

  He refused to grant it