Queen, Government and Religion

Question 1

What was the social hierarchy of the countryside?

Answer 1

Nobility - Now
Gentry - Go
Yeomen farmers - Yell
Tenant farmers - To
Labourers - Let
Homeless - Him hear

Question 2

Why did Religion remain a key issue at Elizabeth’s ascension?

Answer 2

England’s official religion had changed constantly since her father, Henry VII. People feared the monarch would burn them down for their religious beliefs.

Question 3

What was the social hierarchy of towns?

Answer 3

Merchants - Many
Professionals - People
Business owners - Believe
Craftsmen - Cats
Unemployed - Understand

Question 4

How did social hierarchy of the countryside differ from social hierarchy of towns?

Answer 4

In the country side, power was due to having more land wheras in the towns, power was due to having more wealth.

Question 5

What percentage of the population made up the English countryside?

Answer 5

90%

Question 6

What did the social hierarchy depend on?

Answer 6

Giving and recieving:

People showed obedience and respect to those above them in the hierarchy. The richer people needed to receive the worker’s services and ensured that by giving them pay.

Question 7

Who worked in the Privy Council?

Answer 7

Elizabeth chose roughly 19 members. They were her closest nobles, courtiers and parliamentarians.

Question 8

What role did the Privy Council have?

Answer 8

They met with the monarch three times a week to:

Give the monarch advice on key decisions

Enact the monarch’s wishes

Monitor the other government organisations, e.g. the Justices of the Peace

Question 9

Who worked in Parliament?

Answer 9

The House of Lords contained nobles and bishops chosen by the monarch. The House of Commons were nobility and gentry chosen by election. Very few people in Elizabethan England could vote.

Question 10

What was the role of Parliament?

Answer 10

They approved extraordinary tax.
If the Queen wanted to change the law, parliament needed to pass an Act of Parliament.
They gave the monarch advice on key decisions.

Question 11

Who was a part of the Court?

Answer 11

Members of nobility who the monarch invited. This included the monarch’s closest friends and servants.

Question 12

What was the role of the courtiers?

Answer 12

• To entertain the monarch through parties, conversations and performances.
• To show wealth and power.
• To attempt to influence the monarch’s views on certain issues.

Question 13

Who were the Lord Lieutenants?

Answer 13

The queen chose members of the nobility to become Lord Lieutenants.

Question 14

What was the role of the Lord Lieutenants?

Answer 14

They trained and assembled the local militia in times of unrest.

They ensured the people in their county followed Elizabeth’s policies.

They supervised the Justices of the Peace.

Question 15

Who were the Justices of the Peace (JP)?

Answer 15

Large landowners chosen by Lord Lieutenants. It was an unpaid, voluntary position. Justices of the Peace held a lot of status and power.

Question 16

What was the role of JPs?

Answer 16

They collected poor relief

They acted as judges in serious crimes in the county court. This occurred every three months

They ensured the people in their community followed Elizabeth’s policies.

Question 17

What was patronage?

Answer 17

Patronage meant the queen had the right to give land or titles to those she trusted

In response, the person pledged their loyalty to the queen

If Elizabeth disagreed with a person’s actions, she could take away the title or land she gave.

Question 18

Why was Elizabeth’s legitimacy questioned?

Answer 18

Her father, King Henry VIII, had married six times. This created a complicated line of succession. Some of her subjects argued that she was not the rightful queen of England.

Question 19

Why was Elizabeth’s gender questioned?

Answer 19

It was unusual for a queen to rule in her own right, as Christian traditions suggested that women should follow men’s authority. Many people disapproved of the idea of a queen regnant.

Question 20

Why was it helpful for Elizabeth to have become a courtier under her father’s reign?
(Early Life)

Answer 20

Elizabeth learnt the dangers of the royal court. She witnessed other courtiers spreading rumours to gain more influence with the monarch. She learnt that, as queen, she needed to control the court.

Question 21

In 1558, how much was the crown in debt?

Answer 21

£300,000

Question 22

In 1558, over how much of Crown debts was owd to foreign moneylenders?

Answer 22

Over £100,000. They charged a high interest rate at 14%.