1.1 The Situation on Elizabeth's accession Flashcards
How old was Elizabeth when she gained the throne?
25
What year and month did Elizabeth access the throne?
November 1558
If you were 16 in 1558 what percentage of the population would you have outlived?
21%
What was a consequence for some for just having religious beliefs that were different to those that the monarch had?
Death - being burned alive.
What determined the religion on the country?
Whichever religion the monarch was.
What punishment did traitors face in 1558?
Execution
Where and when was Elizabeth imprisoned by Mary I?
Tower of London, 1554
Why was Elizabeth imprisoned by Mary I?
She was suspected of treason.
When was Elizabeth I’s coronation?
1559
Why was Elizabethan England often a violent or dangerous place?
There was no police force or permanent army.
What did people rely on for keeping order?
Societal structure where everyone knew their place and had their own role.
Was equality important to the Elizabethans?
No - in fact, law, order, governments and society were essentially based on inequality.
List the social hierarchy of Elizabethan England.
Monarch
Nobility
Gentry
Yeomen
Tenant farmers
Landless/labouring poor
Vagrants/homeless
What was the monarch the most important part of?
The nobility
What determined people’s place in the social hierarchy?
How much land you have and whether you owned or rented it.
What percentage of the population lived and worked in the countryside?
90%
What are yeomen?
Men who held a small amount of land or estate (classed as the lower gentry)
Who did tenant farmers rent land from?
Yeomen or gentry
What was the hierarchy based on in towns?
Wealth and occupation
List the social hierarchy of towns in Elizabethan England.
-Merchants (who often owned a lot of property)
-Professionals
-Businessmen (usually highly skilled craftsmen who employed others)
-Skilled craftsmen who has learnt a skill or trade
-Unskilled workers and the unemployed.
Give examples of an occupation which would class you as a professional in Elizabethan England.
Lawyers
Clergy
Teachers
Doctors
Give examples of an occupation which would class you as a skilled craftsman in Elizabethan England.
Silversmiths
Glovers
Carpenters
Tailors
(Note: All wealthy business owners)
What did skilled craftsmen organise themselves into to monitor standards?
Guilds
What is a guild?
A trade association which monitors standards, working conditions and who was allowed to practise the trade.
What category of society were apprentices in?
Craftsmen
What did you owe to those above you in society in Elizabethan England?
Obedience and respect
What did you owe to those below you in society in Elizabethan England?
A duty of care
How did landowners show traits of being good members of society by adhering to the rules?
They ran their estates according to the ideas and always showed a duty of care to the tenants who were below them in the hierarchy, especially during times of hardship.
Who was the head of the household?
The father or husband
What was the expectation of how you should approach the father or husband of the family?
To be obedient.
Rank the features of the Elizabethan government.
Court
Privy Council
Parliament
Lords Lieutenant
Justices of the Peace (JPs)
Give some key features of the court.
-Lived near the same palace/house of the monarch.
-Mostly made up of members of the nobility.
-Monarch’s key servants, advisers and friends.
-Attending court required the monarch’s permission.
What were the main roles of those in the court?
-To entertain and advise the monarch
-A public display or wealth and power
-Courtiers had influence over the monarch rather than actual power.
Who were courtiers?
Members of the nobility who spent much of their lives with Elizabeth I
Who made up the Privy Council?
-Leading courtiers, advisers, nobles, very senior officials (e.g., Sir William Cecil)
How many people approximately were on the Privy Council?
19
Who chose who went on the Privy Council?
The monarch
How many times did the Privy Council meet per week?
Three times a week
What was the role of the Privy Council?
-To debate current issues and advise the monarch on government policy.
-Made sure the monarch’s final decisions were carried out.
-Oversaw law and order, local government and the security of England
-Monitored the Justices of the Peace
-Monitored the proceedings of Parliament.
Who made up parliament?
The House of Lords (including bishops) and the House of Commons.
Who could call and dismiss parliament?
The monarch only.
How many people could vote for parliament?
Only very few, and elections were held before each new parliament was selected.
How many times did Elizabeth call parliament during her reign?
10
What was the role of Parliament?
-To grant extraordinary taxation
-To pass laws (Acts of Parliament)
-Offer advice to the monarch
What were the laws called passed by those in Parliament?
Acts of Parliament
What is extraordinary taxation?
Occasional and additional taxation to pay for unexpected expenses.
When may extraordinary taxation take place?
During wartime.
Who chose the Lords Lieutenant for each county?
The monarch
Who did the Lords Lieutenant tend to be?
Members of the nobility and were also on the Privy Council.
Why were the Lords Lieutenants essential?
Maintaining the monarch’s power and England’s defences.
What was the role of the Lords Lieutenant?
-In charge of raising and training the local militia and overseeing county defences.
-Oversaw the enforcement of policies.
-Part of local government.