Elizabethan Society

Question 1

After what date did Elizabeth refrain from creating further dukedoms? Why? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 1

Elizabeth did not create any further dukedoms after 1572, with this coming after all 4 Dukes had been executed for treason.

Question 2

How did England’s gentry seek to enhance their positions and prestige in the reign of Elizabeth? What are examples of these? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 2

Under Elizabeth, the gentry sought to enhance their prestige through mass building schemes of manor estates and large houses. These would be used to accommodate the Queen, and included Burghley and Wilton.

Question 3

What happened to the size of the gentry class under Elizabeth? What happened to the numbers of people who were substantially wealthy? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 3

The size of the gentry and numbers of people who were seriously wealthy increased under Elizabeth.

Question 4

What happened to the gap between rich and poor under Elizabeth? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 4

The gap between rich and poor in terms of incomes and living standards increased.

Question 5

What issues threatened the poorer portion of the population under Elizabeth? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 5

Under Elizabeth, the poorer population was threatened by the decline in real wages and the vulnerability of these groups to enclosure.

Question 6

Where did the majority of the population live under Elizabeth? What urban area was acting as a magnet for people? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 6

The majority of the population continued to live in the countryside during Elizabeth’s reign, with London acting as a magnet to rural labourers and the impoverished for the opportunity of work.

Question 7

When was the first Poor Law Act passed? What did this determine? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 7

The first Poor Law Act was passed in 1576. This attempted to create a national system of poor relief that would be administered and financed locally, as well as provision for local employment for the unemployed.

Question 8

When was the final Poor Law passed? What did this determine? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 8

The final Poor Law was passed in 1601. This set up the parish as the centre for the raising and administration of poor relief. Each parish would have an overseer of the poor to ensure that collection of funds and administration was done properly. They would also relieve the impotent poor, create work for the able-bodied and apprentice children.

Question 9

Describe the treatment of the undeserving poor. When was an act passed to add branding to the punishments for this group? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 9

The undeserving poor continued to be treated poorly, with it remaining to be the case that the poor would be whipped. In 1572, an act was passed to add branding to the punishments for this group.

Question 10

What was the significance of the 1597 Poor Law in terms of punishing the undeserving poor? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 10

The 1597 Poor Law set down that first time offenders from the undeserving poor would be whipped and returned to their parish, with repeated offenders being executed.

Question 11

Describe Elizabeth’s attitudes towards Ireland. What issues did she have with asserting these attitudes? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 11

Elizabeth wished to impose a policy of ‘Englishness’ upon Ireland in terms of religious and secular matters. However, Elizabeth lacked the authority to impose Protestantism upon a largely Catholic population.

Question 12

When did rebellions occur in Ireland during the middle of Elizabeth’s reign? (x2, from-until) - Elizabethan Society

Answer 12

Rebellions occurred in Ireland from 1569 to 1573 and from 1579 to 1582.

Question 13

When did the Irish rebel (led by Tyrone) against the English, later to be exploited by the Spanish? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 13

Tyrone led an Irish rebellion in 1595 against the English, with this later attempted to be exploited by the Spanish in 1596 by involving the Irish in an armada.

Question 14

When did the Battle of Yellow Ford occur? What was the outcome of this/impacts of this? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 14

The Battle of Yellow Ford took place in 1598, with the Irish rebels being victorious over the English. This led to Tyrone taking control of much of Ireland ‘beyond the Pale’ and threatening to establish an independent and Catholic Ireland.

Question 15

When did Elizabeth send Essex to Ireland to resolve issues of rebellion there? What action did Essex take? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 15

Elizabeth sent Essex to Ireland in 1599 to resolve issues of rebellion. This saw Essex disobey the Queen by making a truce with Tyrone rather than engaging in battle, before returning to Court. This truce then expired and Tyrone moved to take greater control of Ireland.

Question 16

Who replaced Essex as the Lord Lieutenant in Ireland? What action did they take? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 16

Essex was replaced as Lord Lieutenant in Ireland by Lord Mountjoy. They sought to reassert Crown control of Ireland by driving back Tyrone’s forces.

Question 17

When did the English triumph in Ireland under the command of Mountjoy? When did Mountjoy and Tyrone conclude a peace? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 17

Mountjoy triumphed over the Irish on Christmas Eve 1601, later agreeing a peace deal in March 1603.

Question 18

What was the state of the administration of Wales by the reign of Elizabeth? How was Wales governed? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 18

By the reign of Elizabeth, the Welsh border was no longer an issue as the integration of these areas had continued since the efforts of Henry VIII. Wales was still governed through the Council of Wales, while the marches were still guarded and maintained by the Marcher Lords.

Question 19

What changes occurred with regards to the Welsh language under Elizabeth? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 19

Under Elizabeth, the Welsh language largely disappeared in use during government, however it was preserved in religion by the translation of the Bible and Book of Common Prayer into Welsh.

Question 20

What changes did Elizabeth make to the appointments of border wardens for the Scottish border? What issues were there with this? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 20

Elizabeth made it so that southerners were appointed to roles overseeing the Scottish border rather than the use of northern nobility families. This resulted in individuals being installed here to oversee order and prevent the loss of control of the Crown over a potentially tempestuous region without having any support from locals, border clans or landed families.

Question 21

When did the Northern Rebellion begin? What possible motives were there for this rebellion? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 21

The Northern Rebellion began on the 9th November 1569. This was potentially motivated by the opposition to Elizabeth’s religious agenda in the North, while the rebellion’s leaders felt as though they had been deprived of political positions in controlling Northern government, stoking anger.

Question 22

What actions did the rebels in the Northern Rebellion take around Durham and the North East at the start of the rebellion? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 22

Rebels involved in the Northern Rebellion marched on Durham, seizing the city and hearing mass in the Cathedral here.

Question 23

Where did the Northern Rebellion rebels advance to after Durham? What action was taken here? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 23

The Northern Rebellion then advanced from Durham to York, camping around the city but never making any attempt to capture it.

Question 24

When did the Northern Rebellion rebels take Barnard Castle? What action followed after this? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 24

The Northern Rebellion rebels took Barnard Castle on the 14th December 1569. The rebels however decided to disband when hearing that a Crown force was moving north and fled into Scotland.

Question 25

When did a portion of the Northern Rebellion restart following it initially being disbanded in December 1569? Where was this? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 25

A portion of the Northern Rebellion restarted in January 1570 after it initially being disbanded, with this taking place in Cumberland.

Question 26

What reasons can be given for the failure of the Northern Rebellion? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 26

The Northern Rebellion failed due to the disorganisation of the rebels, the poor leadership from Northumberland and Westmorland, the lack of expected foreign support and the decisive crown action to disband this.

Question 27

Which 2 Earls were heavily involved in leading the Northern Rebellion? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 27

The Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland were prominent leaders in the Northern Rebellion.

Question 28

When did Elizabeth reinstate the Council of the North? Who controlled this and what advantages/disadvantages were there with this? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 28

Elizabeth reinstated the Council of the North in 1572, with this being under the control of the Earl of Huntingdon. The Earl was a puritan who could impose religious reforms on the heavily Catholic North, but was an outsider without local ties or support.

Question 29

How many rebels were ordered to be executed following the Northern Rebellion? How many were actually executed?- Elizabethan Society

Answer 29

Elizabeth ordered the execution of 700 rebels following the Northern Rebellion, when in actual fact only 450 were executed.

Question 30

How many rebels marched on Bramham Moor as part of the Northern Rebellion? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 30

5400 rebels marched on Bramham Moor as part of the Northern Rebellion.

Question 31

What % of England’s wealth belonged to 1% of families under Elizabeth? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 31

Under Elizabeth, 14% of England’s wealth belonged to 1% of families.

Question 32

What % of national income did commoners provide under Elizabeth? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 32

Commoners provided 20% of income under Elizabeth.

Question 33

By what % did the cost of living increase under Elizabeth? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 33

Cost of living increased by 60% under Elizabeth.

Question 34

How did Elizabeth attempt to preserve arable farming against the rise in profitability of livestock farming? When? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 34

Elizabeth passed a statute in 1598 against conversion of tillage to pasture and against engrossing to prevent the impacts of enclosure, allowing subsistence farming and arable production to continue.

Question 35

What % of people in towns lived in absolute poverty? What % of people in the countryside lived in absolute poverty? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 35

20% of people in towns lived in absolute poverty, while 10% of people in the countryside did the same.

Question 36

What % of land was enclosed in the worst impacted areas in 1603? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 36

9% of land was enclosed in the worst impacted areas in 1603.

Question 37

What was the size of the population by the end of Elizabeth’s reign? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 37

England had a population of 4 million by 1603.

Question 38

By what % did wages and agricultural commodities respectively increase over Elizabeth’s reign? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 38

Wages increased by 90% over Elizabeth’s reign, but agricultural commodities increased by 170%.

Question 39

What % of wages were spent on food and basic commodities in Elizabethan England? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 39

80% of wages were spent on food and basics in Elizabeth’s reign.

Question 40

When did the Essex Rebellion take place? What caused this? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 40

The Essex Rebellion took place in 1601. This was caused when Essex, having fallen from his importance in government following his failure in Ireland and treason charges, attempted to launch an armed coup of government to remove Robert Cecil from government and reassert his influence in court.

Question 41

Describe the events of the Essex Rebellion - Elizabethan Society

Answer 41

Essex gathered 300 supporters at Essex House in London. Privy councillors arrived and ordered Essex to stand down, but he held them captive. He then attempted to gather more support, but upon returning to Essex House had seen his hostages released. He was later persuaded to surrender.

Question 42

How many rebels participated in the Essex Rebellion? What action was taken to deal with these? - Elizabethan Society

Answer 42

300 rebels participated in the Essex Rebellion. Essex and his 5 associates were executed, although other participants had no action taken against them.