GCSE Edexcel History Elizabeth

• What was the

  court?- made up ofnoblemen

  - acted as advisers to monarch - helped display her wealth and power

  - could also be members of thePrivy council
• What were

  Justices of the Peace?- large landowners - appointed by government

  - kept law and order locally and heard court cases
• What were

  Lord lieutenants?- nobleman

  - governed English counties and raised the localmilitia
• What were the

  militia?a force ofordinary peopleraised in an emergency
• What was the

  privy council?members of the nobility which helpedgovern the country

  - monitored Parliament, Justices of Peace and oversawlaw and order
• What was the

  Parliament?- made up of House of Lords and House of Common
• What was the

  House of Commonsmade up of?- noblemen and bishops
• How were the

  House of Commonschosen?- by vote - very few people could actually vote
• What did the

  Parliamentpass?laws and approved taxes

  e.g. extraordinary taxation
• What was

  extraordinary taxation?Extra taxes required to pay for unexpected expenses, especially war
• What was

  militia?a force of ordinary people raised in an emergency
• What was the

  Elizabethansociety based on?inequality and a social hierarchy or structure
• What was the

  social hierarchyof thecountryside?

  
• What was the

  social hierarchyoftowns?Merchants

  Professionals

  Business Owners

  Craftsmen

  Unemployed
• What

  percentof people lived in thecountryside?90%
• What

  percentof people live intowns?10%
• What were the

  nobility?countryside

  major landowners; often lords, dukes and earls
• What were the

  gentry?countryside

  owned smaller estates
• Who were the

  yeomen farmers?countryside

  owned a small amount of land
• Who were the

  tenant farmers?countryside

  rented land from the yeoman farmers and gentry
• Who were the

  landless and labouring poor?countryside

  people who did not own or rent land - has to work to provide for themselves and their family
• Who were the

  homeless and vagranrs?countryside

  moved from place to place looking for work
• Who were the

  merchants?towns

  traders who were very wealthy
• Who were the

  professionals?town

  lawyers, doctors and clergymen
• Who were

  business owners?town

  often highly skilled craftsmen
• What were

  craftsmen?town

  skilled employees, including apprentices
• Who were the

  unskilled labourers and the unemployed?town

  people who had no regular work and could not provide for themselves and their families
• How was

  obedience and carestructured?You owed respect and obedience to those above you and had to care for those below you
• What were the problems facing Elizabeth when she became queen? (7 points)

  - Elizabeth was young (21 at the time)

  - Elizabeth's government needed money

  - Elizabeth's legitimacy was in doubt as the pope had refused the recognise her mother's marriage

  - Catholics refused to acknowledge Elizabeth's right to rule

  - Elizabeth was a protestant

  - Elizabeth was unmarried

  - passing laws needed the support of parliament
• When did

  Henry VIIItake over theHead of Church?1534
• What were the

  main issuesfacing Elizabeth in 1588? (3 points)- widely expected that Elizabeth would marry - would reduce her power

  - her inexperience meant that she needed the support and advice of her Privy Council

  - Elizabeth could issue royal proclamations and prerogative powers - enables her to govern without parliament's consent
• What was the problem of

  marriage? (3 points)- if Elizabeth married a Protestant, would anger Catholics

  - if Elizabeth married a Catholic, would anger Protestants

  - marriage could involve England in expensive wars, damaging royal finances, and requiring taxation
• How much debt was the

  crownin before she become queen?£300000
• Why was being

  charismatica strength for Elizabeth?This enabled her to win over her subjects and command support in parliament
• Why was being

  resilienta strength for Elizabeth?she had spent time in the Tower

  - she could cope with the pressures of being queen
• Why was being

  well educateda strength for Elizabeth?she spoke Latin, Greek, French and Italian
• Why was having

  an excellent grasp of politicsa strength for Elizabeth?she understood the interests and ambitions of her subjects and was able to use her powers ofpatronageeffectively
• Why was being

  Protestanta strength for Elizabeth?the number of Protestants in England was growing

  - could claimdivine rightwith growing conviction
• Define

  divine rightthe idea that God alone appointed the monarch
• How much was the

  Crownindebt?£300000