Early Elizabethan England 1558-88

Question 1

Elizabethan Religious Settlement - 1559

Answer 1

Elizabeth tried to follow a Middle Way in religion, which both Catholics and Protestants could accept. They passed two Acts of Parliament – the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity. Together, these are known as the Elizabethan Religious Settlement.
(The Royal Injunctions were a set of instructions to enforce the two new acts)

Question 2

The Act of Supremacy 1559

Answer 2

This required all clergymen and government officers to take an Oath of Supremacy. By this they were to swear that they would accept Elizabeth as Supreme Governor of the Church.

Question 3

The Act of Uniformity of 1559

Answer 3

The Act set the order of prayer to be used in the 1559 Book of Common Prayer. All persons had to attend Anglican services once a week or be fined 12 pence (equal to about three days wages).

Question 4

In Religious Settlement, what was wanted?

Answer 4

Catholics would like:
-To still be able to believe in transubstantiation
-For images to be allowed in churches

Protestants would like:
-Bible/Prayer books in English
-Control of the Pope ended

Question 5

Challenges to the Religious Settlement: Puritans

Answer 5

The main problems were with the use of crucifixes and vestments
Elizabeth had to back down over the crucifix but the majority of priests consented about vestments

Question 6

Challenges to the Religious Settlement: Catholics

Answer 6

The Pope instructed Catholics to not attend church services
Many of the English Nobilty in the North of England were recusants (Catholics that refused to go to Elizabethan church services).
This led to revolt of the Northern Earls

Question 7

Challenges to the Religious Settlement: Foreign Powers

Answer 7

Protestantism was rising in Europe but many leading Catholic powers (France,Spain) were a threat to Elizabeth’s settlement. Religious war broke out in France in 1562 and Elizabeth was worried about this threatening her position
Spain’, military presence in the Netherlands during the Dutch revolt was a clear threat to Elizabeth

Question 8

Relations with Spain: Political and Religious rivalry

Answer 8

-Elizabeth refused Phillip II’s offer of marriage when she came to the throne.
-Phillip also saw himself as the leading Catholic monarch
-Elizabeth’s support for Protestants and treatment of Catholics (eg Mary Queen of Scots) created big problems between England and Spain.
-English support for the Dutch Rebels was also a significant factor

Question 9

Relations with Spain: Commercial Rivalry

Answer 9

-Many English merchants directly challenged Spain’s dominance of the New World (America).
-Many even attacked Spanish ships and ports.
-Francis Drake was the most famous privateer who stole large amounts from Spain.

Question 10

Drake and the raid on Cadiz: ‘Singeing the King of Spain’s beard’

Answer 10

-April 1587 – Drake sailed into Cadiz Harbour and destroyed 30 Spanish ships and a large amount of their supplies.
-England knew that Spain was preparing an attack and this raid delayed their preparations by a year and this gave the English more time to prepare

Question 11

Why was the Armada defeated?

Answer 11

-English galleons
- English cannons
-Spanish had poor supplies
-unreliable communications
-no deep sea ports
-English tactics
-poor leadership
-weather finished off the Armada

Question 12

Consequences of the defeat of the Armada

Answer 12

-Great propaganda victory
-“God blew, and they were scattered” medal showed the importance of the religious victory
-Great boost to English pride
-Dutch rebels were encouraged to renew their fight
-Showed strength and skill of the English navy
-Defeat cost Spain very dearly, financially and politically and marked the beginning of a decline in fortune

Question 13

Reasons for increase in poverty and vagabondage during the years:

Answer 13

-Increased population
-Rising food prices
-Sheep farming and enclosure of fields meant less people were employed in farms
-More people forced to move to cities to look for work
-International problems such as Dutch Revolt affected trade

Question 14

Opinions about poverty

Answer 14

There were differing levels of poverty and differing levels of acceptance of reasons for poverty:
Impotent Poor (deserving poor) – unable to work through no fault of their own – they received more sympathy
Able Poor (idle poor) – able to work but not willing to do so – these people were treated more harshly

Question 15

Babington Plot 1586

Answer 15

What?
-Duke of Guise would again invade, Catholics encouraged to rebel. Anthony Babington wrote to Mary about the plot.

Events:
-Walsingham intercepted the letters and deciphered the codes within them.
-Babington and accomplices executed

Results/Significance:
-Elizabeth’s government became determined to crush Catholicism.
-Mary finally tried by the Privy Council and sentenced to death
-Mary executed in February 1587

Question 16

Why was Mary, Queen of Scots executed?

Answer 16

-Act for the Preservation of the Queen’s Safety barred Mary from the succession and allowed for her to be put on trial
-Walsingham had provided clear evidence that she was involved in plotting against Elizabeth
-Rumours of an imminent attack from Spain reinforced the threat that Mary posed.

Question 17

What was the significance of Mary, Queen of Scots’ execution?

Answer 17

Impact on Elizabeth – she was very upset by the execution but it shows her new harsh treatment of Catholics. An important threat removed.

Impact on English Catholics – angered by the execution, they have now lost their hope of Catholic monarch

Impact on relationships with Spain – already bad, made even worse by the execution. Gives Phillip II one more reason to want to remove Elizabeth

Question 18

What was the problem of Mary QOS?

Answer 18

Many Catholics saw Mary Queen of Scots as the legitimate monarch (she was Elizabeth’s second cousin and had a direct link to the throne). Mary arrived in England in 1568 after the Protestant Scottish Nobles revolted after the suspicious death of her husband.

Elizabeth was unsure what to do with Mary. She did not want to hand her over to the Scottish Lords but she also did not want to allow her to go abroad so she decided to keep her in England in captivity.