James and religion Flashcards
What problems did Elizabeth leave?
- she was an inspiring leader
- famine
- war with Irish ~ costs £££
- childless ~ only James to inherit
did leave England in a relatively settled religious state
What was the population change
- approx 4.1 million in England in 1600
- mid 17th century, rose to around 5.3 million
what was the issues with the population in 1603?
- main profession: farming, but there was a mini ice age so less food was available for the growing population = starvation
- issues: pressure on land & employment
what was the issue with the economy in 1603?
- people would stay in the same area
- certain areas became richer + more prosperous e.g. London compared to Birmingham
what was the issues with with landownership in 1603?
- it was the key to social status, provided you with income without working
- led to govt. relying on social elite to help them rule (hard for James as he’s Scottish and has no connections)
- no chance of social mobility
- no land; minor gentry, yeoman, merchants, lawyers, labourers
Where the Stuart’s accepted?
- relatively
- had heirs
- Puritans campaigning for reform of existing system, not trying to overthrow
- Catholics settled as long as not persecuted
- 1569 —> 1640: longest period of domestic peace England had ever seen
What was the Roman Catholic Church like?
- more than just a spiritual power
- had a significant amount of power
- influenced monarchs & rulers all around the world
what was the issues with the church (1603)?
- pluralism
- absenteeism
- nepotism
- simony
- members of clergy not following vows of chastity
what is pluralism?
holding several positions in the church
what is absenteeism?
regularly staying away from work without good reason
what is nepotism?
those with power favouring family / friends by giving them jobs
what is simony?
selling church positions
what was the protestant reformation?
- Martin Luther (german priest) believed church was abusing its power & disagreed with some of its practices
- October 31st 1517: nailed a 95 thesis to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany
- Luther put on trial in front of church officials to defend thesis
- January 1521: Church declared Luther a heretic & excommunicated him
- had access to a printing press
- split christianity into 2: Catholics and Protestants
- Luther & others translated bible into german, english and french making it more accessible = a vernacular bibile
what was the effects of the protestant reformation?
- revolutionised christian faith
- led to:
—> common people questioning religion + other aspects of life
—> gave general public freedom & power to decide own fates
—> technological innovations
who else challenged the church before Luther?
why weren’t they as successful?
- John Wycliffe & Jan Hus
- Luther had the printing press
when did Luther mail his 95 thesis to the church door?
October 31st 1517
what was the Anglican church (CoE)?
- established after Henry’s break from Rome
- means monarch doesn’t have to fear people will follow pope instead of crown
- monarch is head of church
- rejected some Catholic teachings
- recusancy fines imposed for non attendance
why is it important everyone went to the Anglican church?
- religious conformity = political conformity
- no internet, church allowed govt. to deliver info to everyone
what are Puritans?
- preferred to be called the ‘Godly’
- wanted to purify church of all Catholic teachings
- some puritans left the CoE & set up own congregations
- some left on the mayflower & set sail for the new world
- didn’t like idea of bishops/ state control of the church
- hoped presbyterianism would be introduced to England
- were influenced by Calvin who believed in predestination
who were puritans influenced by?
Calvin
what was a puritan?
a radical/ extreme protestant
what did puritans want to do?
purify the church of all catholic teachings
what is presbyterianism?
a reformed (calvinist) protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders
what is predestination?
a theological view affirming that God chooses who will receive salvation and who won’t
what was the religious situation in Scotland?
- CoS was presbyterian
- James liked idea of Bishops as the hierarchial nature of church & supported the monarch being at the top
- Scotland mainly Protestant but the their was some Catholics in the highlands
why did all religions thought they’d be favoured when James arrived?
- Catholics = mother was catholic
- Protestants = brought up by presbyterians, he was protestant
- Anglicans = their system brought him the most power
Anglicans were right.
