Elizabethan England

• During the height of which change did Elizabeth become queen?

  The Reformation
• Henry VIII broke away from what?

  Rome
• What branch of Christianity did the Church of England follow under Henry VIII?

  Neither- he never made it clear which religion he intended it to follow.
• Why was there was religious instability before Elizabeth’s reign?

  Edward VI was Protestant, but Mary I was Catholic.
• Roughly how many Protestants did Mary I burn at the stake?

  300
• Under what religion was Elizabeth raised?

  Protestant
• What was Elizabeth seeking to create?

  A middle way (via media)
• What area of the country was mostly Catholic?

  North and West
• What areas of England were mostly Protestant?

  London and the South East
• What were the two most powerful countries in Europe?

  Spain and France
• What proportion of the nobility was Catholic?

  One third
• Why was Spain so wealthy?

  They conquered the New World.
• What significant country in Europe did Spain control?

  The Netherlands
• Were France and England at war in 1558?

  Yes
• What was the name of the alliance between France and Scotland?

  The Auld Alliance
• What happened to Scotland in 1559, while Mary was in France?

  It became Protestant with Elizabeth’s aid
• Why could Spain and France NOT form an alliance against Elizabeth?

  They were enemies
• What is the Papacy?

  The pope’s power
• The Pope had the power to do what?


  Excommunicate Elizabeth (which he did in 1570)
• Why did Catholics think Elizabeth was illegitimate?

  Henry VIII broke from Rome to divorce Catherine of Aragon. Therefore the Pope never authorised Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, and the Catholics viewed Elizabeth as a bastard child.
• Who did the Catholics believe was the true queen of England?

  Mary, Queen of Scots
• Who was the only other female monarch before Elizabeth, and what impression did she leave?

  Mary I left the impression that women made for unstable leaders
• Why was Elizabeth’s gender a problem?

  Patriarchal and sexist views were normal
• What was expected from Elizabeth to maintain the Tudor dynasty?

  An heir (specifically a male one)
• What was a Tudor wife expected to do?

  Her husband’s bidding
• What would happen if Elizabeth married?

  She would lose power to her husband
• What would happen if Elizabeth married a foreign prince?

  There would be foreign interference in English affairs, and England may get dragged into European wars.
• What would happen if Elizabeth married an Englishman?

  There would be resentment from the other Privy Councillors, creating a divide.
• How much debt did Elizabeth inherit from the war with France?

  £227,000
• What did Elizabeth sell to pay for the debt?

  The Crown lands
• What was the problem with Elizabeth selling the Crown lands?

  While it generated a lot of money quickly, it significantly limited future income.
• Elizabeth also inherited high levels of what?

  • Poverty
  • Unemployment
  • Poor harvests
• When did Elizabeth issue her Religious settlement, and how many parts did it consist of?

  1559, and 3 parts
• What was Elizabeth’s religious settlement known as?

  The Middle Way
• What did the Act of Supremacy entail?

  • Elizabeth become the ‘Supreme Governor’ of the Church
  • The Pope’s authority was rejected
  • The Clergy and Royal officials had to take an Oath of Loyalty to Elizabeth
• What did the Act of Uniformity entail?


  • Services and appearances of churches to be identical.
  • English Book of Common Prayer
  • Everyone must attend church on Sunday and Holy days
  • Recusants were fined one shilling
• What was special about the English Book of Common Prayer?

  The wording around Holy Communion (Mass) was vague, so Catholics and Protestants could choose to believe what they wished.

  Catholics believes in Transubstantiation

  Protestants believed that the bread and wine was symbolic of the Last Supper
• What did the Royal Injunctions entail?

  • The Catholic Doctrine on pilgrimage and saints was denounced.
  • Images and vestments were allowed.
  • Royal supremacy was to be preached.
  • All churches had to use the English bible.
• Which powerful people were Puritans?

  Robert Dudley and Walsingham
• What was the Crucifix controversey?

  When Puritan bishops threatened to resign in protest of decorative crucifixes. Due to the lack of replacements for bishops, Elizabeth had to back down. She ordered the removal of all crucifixes, barring the one in her own private chapel.