Elizabeth-Impact of Economic, Religious and Social change

• What was bad about the economy when Elizabeth ascended the throne?

  Bad harvest, high mortality, high taxation and significant cuts in real wages.
• What were some local initiatives when trying to deal with economic and social issues?

  Although real wages were falling some thought they were too high. The Council of the North tried to get York and Hull to enforce a schedule of wage rates which applied in 1514, 113 labourers were charged with unlawfully high wages
• When was the Statute of Artificers?

  1563
• What was the Statue of Artificers?

  It was a national attempt to try to sort out appropriate wages. It established a number of rules: Compulsory labour, minimum period of one year for the hire of workmen, a probation on anyone following a craft and a maximum wage which were set by JPs
• How successful was the Statue of Artificers?

  Partially, the government lacked enforcement to investigate wage rates and it was difficult for even JPs within their own counties
• What were social problems in Tudor England?

  Poverty and Vagabondage
• What were the causes of poverty?

  Increased population, real wage cuts, harvest failures which created food shortages especially mid-1550s and 1594,95,96 and 1597
• What was Cecil's attitude towards the homeless and unemployed?


  Due the large number of them he saw them as a threat to law and order
• What did Cecil's policy towards the poor?

  He split them into two groups, the 'deserving' and the 'undeserving'. The deserving were given limited assistance and the undeserving could be punished.
• Why was there little help for the poor?

  The Church was usually provided poor relief but the Reformation had destroyed it so alternative methods were needed
• What did Parliament do to help the poor?

  Acts in 1552, 1555 and 1563
• What was wrong with parliamentary aid?

  National legislation lagged behind local provisions
• Who initiated the re-stabilisation of the currency?

  Mary and Northumberland
• How did Elizabeth re-stabilise the currency?

  Withdrew debased coins and replaced them with minted coins
• What was the impact of Stabilising the currency?

  Some individuals suffered but the government didn't debase the coinage again and only the new coins were in circulation. Although prices continued to rise
• What did Protestants initially view Elizabeth as?

  The 'English Deborah' (Protestant Queen)
• What religion was the Religious Settlement bias towards?

  Protestantism
• Who was Matthew Parker?


  Anne Boleyn's previous chaplain and Elizabeth's Archbishop of Canterbury
• Why did Elizabeth appoint returning exiles as bishops?

  To reshape the Church hierarchy to more evangelical ways
• What did the Religious Settlement emphasis?

  The Erastian nature of the church
• What did many ministers believe the Religious Settlement would do?

  Bring about the true Church of England
• What were the two developments that defined the character of the Settlement?

  1562 publication of 'An apology of the church of England. 1563 Thirty-Nine Articles
• What did the publication of 'An Apology of the Church of England' do?

  Argued England was returning to the true position abandoned by the Church of Rome
• What did the Thirty-Nine Articles do?

  Defined the difference between the Church of England and the Catholic Church. And were supportive of reformed doctrine. The vision of reform wasn't shared with Elizabeth. And the Church became Calvinist in it's doctrine.