GCSE HISTORY PAPER 2 BOOKLET B
Wednesday 7th June 2023
lucagupta.com/british
British Depth Study
In Paper 2 of the Pearson Edexcel GCSE History Course, the candidate will have 1 hour and 45 minutes to answer 4 questions across two booklets with a total of 64 marks (32 marks per booklet) to be awarded. This paper is worth 40% of your qualification/grade.
Paper 2 Booklet B: British Depth Study
Students answer a single three-part question that assesses their knowledge and understanding. The first two parts are compulsory. For the third part, students select one from a choice of two.
Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588
Option B4
These are all of Luca’s notes on each topic and lesson in Paper 2’s British Depth Study Option B4: Early Elizabethan England, 1558-88.
B4A | Queen, Government and Religion, 1558–69
B4B | Challenges to Elizabeth at Home and Abroad, 1569–88
B4C | Elizabethan Society in the Age of Exploration, 1558–88
B4A | Topic A: Queen, Government and Religion, 1558–69
You’ll study the situation of Elizabeth’s accession, the ‘settlement’ of religion, the challenge to the religious settlement, and the problem of Mary, Queen of Scots.
B4a1 | Elizabethan England in 1558: Society and Government
Elizabethan England in 1558: society and government.
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Elizabeth's Accession
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Elizabeth became Queen in 1558
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She inherits a government that has recently been run by Mary I's Catholic advisors and leaders
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Elizabeth has to quickly replace them with her own leaders that were Protestants
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Tudor Government
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The structure of a Tudor government is very different from how it is today
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Elizabeth is the supreme ruler and makes all the decisions
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She has a parliament that provides advice which includes the House of Lords and the House of Commons
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The House of Lords was mostly made up of noblemen and bishops
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The House of Commons was elected but very few people could vote (for example, if you were a woman or didn't own land, you did not have the vote)
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Parliament was in charge of passing laws and approving taxes
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However, they very rarely argued with the Queen and her decisions
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These laws that were passed were put in place in the criminal system of the day
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Large landowners were usually appointed as the Justices of the Peace (JPs), they weren't paid for their roles but it was in their interest to keep law and order in the area and they sometimes heard local court cases
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Above them were the Lord Lieutenants which were noblemen who were appointed by the government and governed English courtiers, raised, local militia if needed and oversaw if the law was being followed in the country
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The Courts
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The Courts were mostly made up of nobles
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Members were usually Elizabeth's friends and advisors
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They made Elizabeth look good by showing off her wealth and giving her advice on day-to-day matters
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Privy Council
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Members of the Privy Council were nobles that advised Elizabeth
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They were mostly Elizabeth's chosen friends
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They were in charge of helping Elizabeth to make decisions about the country
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They also monitored Parliament, made sure the JPs were doing their jobs and that law and order across the country was secure
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Society
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Elizabethan society was very unequal
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There were those that were able to vote and own land
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At the same time, there was some extreme poverty in England
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Countryside
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When you were out in the countryside in England, there was a particular structure of society:
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Nobility: right at the top
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Gentry: they also had land but didn't have hereditary titles
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Farmers/Yeomen: these were people who owned their land and farmed it
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Tenant Farmers: they didn't own their land and they had to pay rent in order to use the land for farming
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Labourers: they have no land at all, they just did other jobs in the countryside
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Homeless people: there are vagrants and homeless people that are looked down on and have no job at all
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Towns
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When you were in a town in England, the social hierarchy was different:
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Merchants: these were traders that had become extremely wealthy and were in charge of importing and exporting goods
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Professionals: these were professional people like lawyers and the clergy
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Highly-Skilled Craftsmen: these were people who could make beautiful things like silver smiths, tailors and carpenters
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Skilled Employees: they work for the craftsmen's businesses
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Labourers: they have no land at all, they just did other jobs in towns
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Homeless people: there are vagrants and homeless people that are looked down on and have no job at all
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Law
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There wasn't a police force back then
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There was a local watchman who'd report on things people were up to and report to the Justice of the Peace
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If you missed church or were being rowdy because you were drunk, the watchman would report you'd be dragged in front of the Justice of the Peace
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More serious crimes could lead to you being faced in front of the Courts
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B4a2 | The Virgin Queen
The Virgin Queen: the problem of her legitimacy, gender, and marriage. Her character and strengths.
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Legitimacy
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There were questions surrounding Elizabeth’s Legitimacy
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Catholics refused to accept Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s marriage as it hadn’t been approved by the Pope
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Age
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Elizabeth was young
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She lacked experience
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She’d been sent away from court most of her life
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Many were uncertain if she knew enough to operate a country
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This was emphasised by the fact she needed a lot of help from her Privy Council and Parliament to get any laws passed
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Marriage
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Elizabeth wasn’t married
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Being unmarried was a strange feature of a Queen
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If she married, she’d be giving away some of her power but making her most acceptable to many
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A male leader was perceived as strong and stable unlike a woman
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She also needed a husband if she planned to provide an heir and clarify the Line of Succession
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King Philip II of Spain, the former husband of Mary I, extended a proposal offered to continue an alliance with England and Spain
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Elizabeth declined
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There were many potential suitors came forward over the years
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Elizabeth used the suggestion of marrying the suitors to get the men to do what she wanted
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France and Spain were in an intense rivalry, and marring a suitor from either country would create an enemy of the other
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All though there were no royal suitors found, there were many rumours that Elizabeth had a close relationship with Robert Dudley
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Dudley was a childhood friend and an English noble
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His marriage didn’t break the bond between him and Elizabeth
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Elizabeth was sour towards his wife
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Gender
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Elizabeth had to put effort into showing she was a strong leader
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Women were seen as inferior to men
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A woman’s place was associated with the home as a wife and mother
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It was seen as applying and indecent if a woman was actively involved in politics and or other ‘man’s matters’
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Even though there was a female ruler before Elizabeth, Mary I, she was married and was seen to be governing with the assistance of a rich and powerful husband
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Mary I’s reign hadn’t been very prosperous for England
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The war against France affected many people
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The harvests were poor
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Mary I had put a bad image of female rulers
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People didn’t trust Elizabeth as they thought she wouldn’t be able to avoid the same mistakes made by Mary I
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People treated a female ruler with caution and concern
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Elizabeth realised she’d have to take a long-term approach to this issue of her gender
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Elizabeth’s Masculine Traits
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To overcome female stereotypes, Elizabeth strode to be both feminine and masculine
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In 1558, she described herself as ‘I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a King’
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Elizabeth’s Family
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Her father, Henry VIII had beheaded her mother, Anne Boleyn, for treason in 1536
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Her parents’ marriage was questionable and Henry VIII had divorced his first wife, Cathrine of Argan so he could marry Anne Boleyn
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Henry had hoped Anne Boleyn would provide him with a male heir
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Henry VIII’s third wife was Jane Seymour who gave birth to Edward VI, who’d be the next King of England
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Elizabeth was declared illegitimate as her parents’ marriage wasn’t approved by the Pope
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Elizabeth was Sent Away
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She’d been sent away from court
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She saw her father and half-brother on rare occasions
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Elizabeth didn’t return until 1543, she came back when her father allowed it
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This was because Henry’s 6th wife, Catherine Parr, suggested it not because Henry wanted to
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Elizabeth’s Education
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When she was sent away, Elizabeth focused on her education
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She learned Greek, Latin, French and Italian
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This was befitting of someone with high status in Tudor England
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She was also taught about the nature of politics
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She learnt riding, arching, dancing, music and needlework
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Elizabeth’s Arrest
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In 1553, Elizabeth’s half-sister Mary I took the Throne
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Mary I was highly suspicious of Elizabeth and believed that she was involved in the Wyatt’s Rebellion (a protest over Spain’s influence in England)
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Mary I accused Elizabeth of treason and locked her in the Tower of London
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Elizabeth was spared the death penalty due to a lack of evidence
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Elizabeth’s Personality Traits
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She was confident and charismatic
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She had authority
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Her charisma allowed her to gain support from everyday people and parliament
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She granted lands and job titles to encourage support
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She coped well with the pressures of being Queen
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She’d learned resilience while imprisoned
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She used this resilience to reinvent the roles of Queens not needing to have a husband to rule
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The Virgin Queen
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She was queen married to her country rather than a man
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This highlighted her strength
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B4a3 | Challenges from Home and Abroad
Challenges at home and from abroad: the French threat, financial weaknesses.
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The French Threat
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England had been at war with France since the former Queen Mary I had married Philiip II of Spain
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The Scottish Threat
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Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary had a claim to the English Throne
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Mary, Queen of Scots was a Catholic
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She was also married to the future King of France
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There was a threat of Scotland joining up with France and would attack England
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The Spanish Threat
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Spain and England had been allies during Mary I’s reign
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The English and Spanish relationship became uncertain when Elizabeth became the Queen
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England’s Debt
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England was in debt which Elizabeth had inherited
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There was a debt of £300,000
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This debt was from Mary I’s war against France
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Elizabeth needed to gather this money to rule the country successfully
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Elizabeth’s Threat at Home
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If Mary I and her husband, Philip II of Spain, didn’t produce an heir, then Elizabeth would be next in line to the throne
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Mary I was worried because of their religious differences
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Mary was a Catholic while Elizabeth was a Protestant
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Mary had at least 300 Protestants killed during her reign which gave her the name Bloody Mary
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Although Mary was her half-sister, there was no guarantee that Elizabeth would avoid persecution
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Bring Protestant meant she faced threat from the Catholics in Northern England
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B4a4 | Religious divisions in England in 1558
Religious divisions in England in 1558.
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The Church of England
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Henry VIII split with the Catholic Church in 1534
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This was because the Pope refused his request to divorce his first wife
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He established the Church of England and named himself its head
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England’s Religion
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The rulers of England would change the religion of England depending on their own beliefs
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King Edward VI made England more protestant
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Queen Mary I returned it to strict Catholicism
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By the time Elizabeth gained the Throne, England was deeply divided
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B4a5 | Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement
Elizabeth’s religious settlement (1559): its features and impact.
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The Religious Settlement
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Elizabeth thought the best thing to do was to enforce the Religious Settlement
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It was a document broken into three parts
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It outlined the religion of England and how it should be enforced
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She perceived it to be the Middle Way, a compromise between Catholics' and Protestants' beliefs
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The Act of Supremacy
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It stated that Elizabeth was the Supreme Governor of the Church of England
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She used a different title so that Catholics didn’t feel as if the Pope was being challenged
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All clergy and royal officials had to swear an oath of loyalty to her
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The Act of Uniformity
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It outlined how churches and services would be conducted
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The Book of Common Prayer was introduced
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It was to be followed in all services
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The wording was deliberately vague so both Protestants and Catholics could interpret sections in their own way
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Services were to be spoken in English
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Ornaments and decorations were to be allowed
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The singing of hymns was permitted
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Offerings of bread and wine would take place but there wouldn’t be an explanation of how they should be received
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Everybody was required to attend Church
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The Royal Injunctions
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Ensured all clergy taught the Act of Supremacy
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All recusants (those who refused to attend church) were to be reported to the Privy Council and fined a week’s wage
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Priests
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Needed Government licenses
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Vestments were worn
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Pilgrimages and religious shrines were to be banned
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An Ecclesiastical High Commission was established
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This kept discipline
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This also punished recusants
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The Impact
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8,000 of the 10,000 clergies accepted it
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Most ordinary people accepted the Religious Settlement
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Everyone attended Church
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Even Catholics attended as they privately maintained Catholic beliefs
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However, all but one of Mary’s bishops resigned rather than take the oath
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B4a6 | The Church of England's Role in Society
The Church of England: its role in society
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Its Role
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It preached the Government’s message regarding religion and politics
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It was seen as the only way a person could be guided to Heaven
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Its Power
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The Church of England held great power
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It had its own courts which dealt with marriages, wills, inheritance and slander cases (a false accusation made against an individual)
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Its Help
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The church helped legitimise Elizabeth’s rule
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It helped society to be loyal to her
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It also conducted visitations every 3-4 years to ensure the Religious Settlement was being followed correctly
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The Clergymen
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They were central figures in towns
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They conducted many key services in a person’s life
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Baptisms, marriages and funerals
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They offered practical religious advice during hard times
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People of the villages paid a tax called a tithe which funded these activities
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Clergymen in bigger towns faced greater difficulties due to the range of people and their religious beliefs
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Some parishes were very richer and some very poor
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All faced issues of vagrancy, poverty and diseases
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Accession Day
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Elizabeth I emphasised her role of restoring the ‘True Religion’
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She stressed unity among her people
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She added her Accession Day to the church calendar to associate herself with fun and feasting
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B4a7 | The Puritans' Challenge
The nature and extent of the Puritan challenge.
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Puritans
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They wanted a more extreme version of Protestantism
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They wanted Churches to be as plain as possible
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With whitewashed walls and no statues or music
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They believed these things distracted the mind from God
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They wanted Priests to wear plain black robes/vestments
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They didn’t like Elizabeth’s preference for decorated Churches and the vaguery of the Book of Common Prayer
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Consubstantiation
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Puritans believed in consubstantiation
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They believed that bread and wine represented but didn’t transform into the body and blood of Christ
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They wanted this to be clearly stated in the Book of Common Prayer
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Elected Committee
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They preferred there to be an elected committee of churchgoers to run the Church rather than bishops
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The Puritan Bishops
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Some Puritans accepted roles as bishops
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They thought they could be able to persuade Elizabeth to make changes once they were a part of the Church
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People like Sir Francis Walsingham became very influential in English politics
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He hoped to guide Elizabeth to a more Puritan outlook
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1559-1563
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Some Puritans challenged the idea of Holy Days, organ music and decorative gowns from the years 1559-1563
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Elizabeth refused to implement these changes
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Those who continued to protest were imprisoned
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The Main Organisers
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The main organisers of the Puritan challenge were a small group in Southeast London
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They were united on the idea that it was better to have Elizabeth on the Throne rather than her Catholic cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots
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However, Puritans were fragmented into 3 groups
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Moderates: were largely concerned with using plain black vestments
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Presbyterians: wanted to get rid of the bishops
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Separatists: wanted the Church to operate on a smaller and more local level
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They were unable to unite and pose a successful challenge and they didn’t want to as they saw Elizabeth and the best option
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After the 1560s
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Most Puritans had fallen in line by the late 1560s
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They were another attempt to push for change in 1572 with the Admonition to Parliament
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This was a letter which outlined Puritan demands
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It was ignored
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B4a8 | The Catholics' Challenge
The nature and extent of the Catholic challenge, including the role of the nobility, Papacy and foreign powers.
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The Catholic Church
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They’d been fighting to regain authority since 1517
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It started when a German Monk, called Martin Luther, started the Reformation
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The Counter-Reformation
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After Elizabeth introduced the Religious Settlement, the Catholic Church planned to take back control through the Counter-Reformation
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It was a plan to take back land controlled by Protestants
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Pope Pius V
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In 1566, the Pope instructed Catholics not to attend Chruch of England services
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This was a direct contradiction to Elizabeth’s Act of Uniformity
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Elizabeth the Heretic
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Catholics labelled Elizabeth a heretic, a traitor to God
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Heretics were dealt with very severely
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Many were executed for their beliefs
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The Catholic Chruch wouldn’t tolerate enemies and Elizabeth was one of them
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Although, the Pope didn’t send an army to contest her as she still was a Queen and posed a threat
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The Catholic Threat at Home
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Elizabeth was concerned about the Catholic threat within England
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National Catholics posed a greater threat if they united
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It would be even more dangerous if another county moved to support the English Catholics
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Recusants and Nobles
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Elizabeth was initially reluctant to ‘allow’ Catholicism
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She allowed them to unofficially practice Catholicism in secret
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These Recusants were mostly in Northern England
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They made up ⅓ of the Nobility
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Nobles had gained large amounts of land and wealth under the previous Queen
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They were concerned about Elizabeth favouring Protestants over them
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After the Pope told Catholics not to attend Protestant Churches, the nobility had a clear reason to rebel
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They did between 1569-70
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Elizabeth’s response was swift
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She executed the main Earls involved
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The Excommunication
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The Pope disapproved of Elizabeth executing the main earls involved in a Catholic rebellion
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He saw it as a direct attack on Catholicism
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He retaliated by excommunicating Elizabeth in 1570 (she’d been removed from the Catholic Church)
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This showed that Elizabeth was an enemy of the Catholic Church
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This increased the threat to Elizabeth as she was surrounded by Catholic superpowers like France, Spain and Rome
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Elizabeth had already annoyed France by supporting Protestants in the Religious Wars of 1562
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She’d hoped to regain the land lost in Cialis as a result of a previous peace settlement
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Spain’s Threat
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By the late 1560s, Spain posed a greater threat
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In 1570, Spain gained control of the Netherlands
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This brought the Catholic threat closer to England than ever
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When Spain gained control of the Netherlands, they’d killed 100s of Dutch Protestants
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Elizabeth publicly spoke out against these Protestants who were seen as rebels
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However, she secretly allowed them to seek shelter in England
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In 1568, Elizabeth had stolen the Genoese Loan from the Spanish
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This was a large amount of gold lent by the Spanish to the city of Genoa
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Mary, Queen of Scots
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As she was alive, a Catholic and had a claim to the English Throne, it gave Catholics a clear figurehead to rally under
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This caused many plots and opposition to overthrow Elizabeth and put Mary on the Throne
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B4a9 | Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots: her claim to the English throne, her arrival in England in 1568.
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Mary’s Childhood
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Born on December 8th, 1542
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She was Elizabeth’s cousin
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Mary also had a claim to the English throne
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Her claim was seen as more legitimate than her grandmother was King Henry VIII’s sister
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Mary had become Queen of Scotland when she was 6 days old
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Her mother, Mary of Guise, ruled on her behalf until she was old enough to rule
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Mary was sent to live in France and was promised to marry Francis II, the heir to the French throne
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She became a devout Catholic
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She Becomes Queen
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In 1559, Francis became the King of France
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In 1559, Mary became the Queen of Scotland and France
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Francis died on December 5th, 1560
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Mary was forced to return to Scotland
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Back in Scotland
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While Mary had been in France, Scottish Protestants had become more powerful
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Mary was seen as an outsider and was unprepared for the Protestant opposition
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New Husbands
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Mary needed to find a new husband
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She considered suitors all across Europe
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She even considered Robert Dudley upon Elizabeth’s suggestion
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Mary chose her cousin, Lord Darnley - Henry Stuart
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They were both grandchildren of Margret Tudor
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Mary’s marriage to Lord Darnley quickly turned sour
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They had a son called James who possessed a double claim to the English Throne through both of his parents
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On February 10th, 1567, the house that Lord Darnley was staying at was destroyed by a gunpowder explosion
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His body was found in the garden and he’d suffocated
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Some suspected Mary was involved in his murder
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Suspicion agaisnt Mary increased when she married the chief suspect
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Mary married the Earl of Bothwell - James Hepburn
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He was the chief suspect in the murder of Lord Darnley
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Catholics and Protestants were outraged at Mary
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26 Scottish lords known as the Confederate Lords forced Mary to abdicate the Throne in favour of her son, James VI of Scotland
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Mary in England
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In 1568, Mary fled to England
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B4a10 | Relations between Elizabeth and Mary, 1568–69
Relations between Elizabeth and Mary, 1568–69.
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Mary in England
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Mary fled to England in 1568
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She’d hoped that Elizabeth would help her
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Elizabeth agreed to hold an enquiry and allowed Mary to stay
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Mary was kept at a safe distance from London and Scotland
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Mary was allowed to live luxuriously but was constantly supervised and was largely restricted to the house
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Now Mary was in England, the threat to Elizabeth increased
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Catholics wanted to put her on the Throne
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B4B | Topic B: Challenges to Elizabeth at Home and Abroad, 1569–88
You’ll study the plots and revolts at home, the relations with Spain, the outbreak of war with Spain 1585-88 and the Armada.
B4b1 | The Revolt of the Northern Earls
The reasons for, and significance of, the Revolt of the Northern Earls, 1569–70.
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Issues Surrounding the Country’s Religion
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The Revolt of the Northern Earls, also known as the Rising of the North was Elizabeth’s first big threat at home
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It began due to issues surrounding the country’s religion
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The Religious Settlement of 1559 made England a Protestant country
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Although it didn’t persecute Catholics
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Elizabeth overlooked recusants
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But Catholics had a living figurehead that they wanted to put on the throne, Mary, Queen of Scots, as she was a Catholic herself and could make England Catholic again
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Mary as a figurehead and the irritation of the Religious Settlement set the stage for the English Catholics to rebel
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The Northern Earls
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They’d gained a lot under the reign of Queen Mary I
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This included land and money
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They also were given a large amount of power to do what they liked in their territories
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Elizabeth’s Government
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Favoured Protestants over the Catholics
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They sought to bring the Northern Earls under their direct control
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The Earls’ Irritations
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They were annoyed that Elizabeth hadn’t announced a successor
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They didn’t know if the future ruler would restore or reduce their power
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They were annoyed at the Religious Settlement
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All this meant they started to plan a revolt
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The Duke of Norfolk and Mary
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It was planned that the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Howard, would marry Mary, Queen of Scots
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He’d help her overthrow Elizabeth
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It’s believed that in 1569 that Mary told the Spanish Ambassador that she’d be the Queen of England in the next 3 months and restore Catholicism in England
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Who Supported the Revolt
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The revolt was supported by:
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The Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Howard
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The Earl of Northumberland, Thomas Percy
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The Earl of Westmorland, Charles Neville
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The group couldn’t mount a rebellion alone
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They were reliant upon Spanish troops joining them on the coast
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The Plot was Discovered
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Robert Dudley discovered the plot and told Elizabeth
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He arrested and imprisoned the Duke of Norfolk
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The Rebellion Continued
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Even though the plot had been discovered and the Duke of Norfolk had been arrested, they continued with the rebellion
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The rebellion took place between 1569-1570
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The Earls raised an army of around 4,000 and moved south
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They took over Durham Cathedral and celebrated Mass there as a clear sign of their intention of restoring Catholicism
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Elizabeth had already arrested Mary earlier and as she was aware that she was their ultimate goal, moved Mary to Coventry to prevent her from being free
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It Failed
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The plot failed
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The Spanish support never arrived
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Nobles in Lancashire and Chesire refused to join due to the fear of failure and loyalty
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When the Royal Army reached the River Tees, the rebels realised they had no chance of winning and fled to Scotland
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The Earl of Northumberland was beheaded for treason
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Elizabeth ordered the execution of 700 suspected rebels
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The Significance of the Failed Plot
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It highlighted to Elizabeth that the real threat was Mary, Queen of Scots
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Pope Pius V was disgusted with Elizabeth’s treatment of the rebels and excommunicated her from the Catholic Church
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This signalled to other Catholics that Elizabeth was an enemy and it was time to move against her
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Elizabeth became warier of English Catholics than she originally was
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She was no longer as lenient towards them
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After the revolt, Elizabeth had more control over the North
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B4b2 | The Ridolfi, Throckmorton and Babington Plots
The features and significance of the Ridolfi, Throckmorton and Babington plots. Walsingham and the use of spies.
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The Ridolfi Plot
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Took place in 1571
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Orchestrated by an Italian banker, Roberto Ridolfi
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Ridolfi’s Plan
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Ridolfi planned to use the support of Spain and the Pope to overthrow Elizabeth
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It ensured a marriage between Mary, Queen of Scots and the Duke of Norfolk
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It was to restore Catholicism in England
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Ridolfi’s Efforts
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Ridolfi travelled to the Netherlands to meet the Duke of Alba and try to persuade him to invade England
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After Ridolfi travelled to Italy and tried to persuade Pope Pius V to send an army
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And then he went to Spain in hopes of persuading King Philip II of Spain to send an army
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However, Philip and the Duke of Alba had reservations and said it was best to wait until Elizabeth had been removed from the Throne before they’d send a support
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Francis Walsingham
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Walsingham and his team were already aware of the plot
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They arrested servants of the Duke of Norfolk, who then confessed the plot’s details
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When the Duke of Norfolk was arrested, Ridolfi realised the plot had been uncovered
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The Aftermath
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Ridolfi remained in Paris after
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The Duke of Norfolk was beheaded in June 1572
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Ridolfi went on to work for the Pope and retired in relative wealth
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It’s been suggested that Ridolfi may’ve been working for Walsingham all along - this hasn’t been confirmed
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Elizabeth passed a law that if any spoke against her, they were a traitor
-
A few weeks later, Mary’s relatives in France committed a massacre of Protestants in Paris,
-
Fears of a Catholic attack on England escalated
-
-
-
-
The Throckmorton Plot
-
Took place in 1583
-
Orchestrated by Sir Francis Throckmorton, he carried letters between the Spanish and French Governments and Mary
-
Throckmorton’s Plan
-
He wanted an insight an uprising in the North
-
While the uprising began, the Duke of Guise led a French invasion supported by the King Philip
-
This was to put Mary on the throne and restore Catholicism
-
-
It Failed
-
The English Government treated this more seriously as the main aim was targeting Elizabeth’s life
-
The plot failed
-
Philip didn’t send the troops he’d promised
-
Evidence of the plot was gathered after monitoring Throckmorton which led to his arrest and the search of his house
-
But it wasn’t possible to conclude if Mary had been aware of the plot
-
-
The Aftermath
-
In 1584, Throckmorton was executed
-
The Earl of Northampton, Henry Howard, and the Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy were arrested under suspicion of collusion
-
The Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy took his own life as a result
-
Fears of plots to kill Elizabeth grew after the assassination of Prince William I of Orange in July 1584
-
Philip II of Spain had declared Prince William I of Orange an outlaw and a traitor to Catholicism
-
It was clear what happened to royalty that didn’t follow Catholic beliefs
-
-
-
-
The Babington Plot
-
Took place in 1586
-
Anthony Babington
-
He was a 25-year-old Catholic
-
He wrote to Mary, who’d been imprisoned for 19 years
-
In his letters, he’d listed 6 steps on how to kill Elizabeth and put Mary on the throne
-
-
The Spies
-
Spies had been placed in Mary’s household
-
The spies persuaded Mary of safe ways to send letters to Babington
-
In reality, the spies sent Mary’s letters to the spymaster, Walsingham
-
Elizabeth’s Government was aware of the plot from the start
-
Mary’s reply to Babington and what it said was an indirect confirmation of her desire to kill Elizabeth, this was evidence against Mary
-
-
Arrests and Hangings
-
All involved in the plot were arrested and hanged, drawn and quartered in September 1586
-
The only exception to the execution was Mary for now
-
-
-
Francis Walsingham
-
None of this could’ve happened without Walsingham
-
His spy network foiled every plot
-
They were able to intercept and decode ciphered letters
-
They interrogated and tortured captured priests
-
They searched residencies suspected of involvement
-
He’d employed spies overseas and in England from a variety of backgrounds
-
Some were trained and some were ordinary citizens
-
-
Between 1570-1588, Walsingham helped pass a number of acts against Catholics
-
He also helped pass the Bond of Association in 1584 which said if Elizabeth’s life was threatened, you’d be executed
-
-
B4b3 | Mary, Queen of Scots’ Execution
The reasons for, and significance of, Mary Queen of Scots’ execution in 1587.
-
The Bond of Association
-
After the Throckmorton Plot in 1583, spymaster Francis Walsingham helped passed the Bond of Association in 1584
-
Anybody plotting against Elizabeth was to be executed
-
-
Mary’s Arrest
-
Mary had been imprisoned for 19 years by the time of the Babington Plot
-
This plot would’ve seen Elizabeth killed and Mary put on the Throne
-
Elizabeth had three choices
-
Get Mary out of the country: send her to Scotland and France but this could backfire as she could gain more support to challenge Elizabeth
-
Keep Mary imprisoned: this would reduce the risk of Mary gaining more support from other countries and allow Elizabeth to keep control of her. But unlawfully imprisoning Mary could provoke international outcry and attacks
-
Execute Mary: this would remove the Catholics’ figurehead but it could provoke an international attack for killing a Queen
-
-
-
The Plots
-
The Catholic Plots and the Revolt of the Northern Earls are considered to be the reasons why Mary, Queen of Scots was executed
-
They highlighted the real threat Mary posed to Elizabeth’s reign
-
It showed how much support Mary had behind her
-
-
The Babington Plot
-
Everyone involved in this plot was arrested and hanged except Mary
-
Mary wasn’t executed due to her status as Queen
-
Royalty was traditionally exempt from a public trial
-
-
-
The Trial
-
The 1584 Bond of Association meant anyone who threatened Elizabeth’s life was to be hanged
-
Mary was put through a lengthy trial
-
She was found guilty
-
Mary was recommended for execution
-
Originally sentenced to death on October 25th, 1586, Elizabeth kept hesitating as it was disrespectful to God if you were to kill another monarch
-
She was also scared about other monarchs and King James’ reactions
-
-
-
Mary, Queen of Scots’ Execution
-
Elizabeth eventually signed the death warrant
-
Mary was beheaded on February 8th, 1587
-
Elizabeth was distraught and claimed her councillors acted without her permission
-
-
The Catholic Countries’ Reactions
-
France, Spain and Pope Pius V were outraged by Elizabeth’s actions
-
They spoke out against her
-
But they were all too busy with their own country’s concerns and politics to wage war against England
-
-
King James’ Recreation
-
He was distraught about his mother’s death
-
But he didn’t want to threaten the Anglo-Scottish alliance so he did nothing
-
B4b4 | Political and Religious Rivalry with Spain
Political and religious rivalry.
-
The Religious Rivalry
-
Philip II of Spain, who’d been married Queen Mary I, was used to a Catholic England
-
When Elizabeth was on the throne and converted England to Protestantism, she created tension between England and Spain
-
Because Elizabeth had tolerated Catholics at the start, there was no immediate war
-
Elizabeth’s Penalties
-
From the 1570s, Elizabeth increased the penalties for Catholics
-
She made it harder for Catholics in England to maintain beliefs in private
-
When the Pope excommunicated her, Many Catholic missionaries began arriving in England
-
-
Spain’s attacks against Protestants in the Netherlands angered Elizabeth’s Government
-
-
The Political Rivalry
-
This created more tension
-
Both countries wanted to expand their sphere of influence sound the World
-
King Philip had gained territory in the ‘New World’
-
B4b5 | Commercial Rivalry with Spain
Commercial rivalry. The New World, privateering and the significance of the activities of Drake.
-
Privateering
-
In 1576, the Spanish Government in the Netherlands lost a lot of money to privateering and English attacks
-
This meant Spain couldn’t fund their soldiers
-
Spanish ships in the area of the ‘New World’ were loaded with gold and treasures
-
Privateers like Sir Francis Drake were hired by private investors to attack and rob Spanish ships
-
Elizabeth didn’t publicly encourage Drake and the privateers but she did receive a share of the wealth obtained by the attacks
-
Philip complained about these English attacks several times
-
He’d lost £20,000 in 1572 after Drake attacked the port of Nombre de Dios
-
In 1579, Drake raided the galleon Cacafuego, stealing £140,000 from Spain
-
-
Elizabeth knighted Drake on the deck of the ship he used to attack the Spanish
-
This displayed her dislike of the Spanish
-
Spanish and English relations were declining
-
-
-
The Sack of Antwerp
-
To gain more money, Spanish troops began the Sack of Antwerp, a city in the Spanish Netherlands
-
They spent 3 days looting and killed 1000s of civilians
-
The devastation ruined the city as it was the economic heart of the Netherlands
-
This was one of the many brutal attacks in the Spanish Fury
-
The attack made lots of countries unite against Spain
-
It led 17 Dutch Provinces to pass the Pacification of Ghent
-
This called for all Spanish troops to leave the Netherlands
-
-
-
Woollen Cloth
-
England had been reasonably successful in creating woollen cloth, exporting it to Antwerp and exporting it around Europe
-
But, Philip II of Spain’s mission to take over the Netherlands and the overproduction of woollen cloth led to a slump in the market
-
England was able to make a few trade agreements with India and Russia but this wasn’t as good for them as trade with the Netherlands
-
-
The ‘New World’
-
Spain had control over the ‘New World’
-
Spain only allowed trade in the ‘New World’ if they had a licence given by them
-
England wasn’t given the licence to trade by Spain
-
There was an economic appeal to trade with colonists who needed a lot of different items, which encouraged England to pursue trade relations anyway
-
B4b6 | English Direct Involvement in the Netherlands
English direct involvement in the Netherlands, 1585–88. The role of Robert Dudley.
-
The English Channel
-
The Netherlands border the English Channel
-
This was an important travel route for England and Spain for trade and security reasons
-
King Philip II of Spain was able to reach his territories in the Netherlands by sailing down the Channel
-
This made Elizabeth very worried
-
-
-
The Protestants Rebelled
-
In 1572, Dutch Protestants rebelled against Spanish rule
-
It had started in 1568 but renewed itself by 1572 in a period called the Dutch Revolt
-
The Protestants called upon Elizabeth as an ally to support them against Philip
-
Many of Elizabeth’s councillors, including Robert Dudley, wanted to help
-
If Spain sent an army to stop the rebels in the Netherlands, they’d be positioned near to England
-
-
Elizabeth’s Rebellion Help
-
Elizabeth initially didn’t want to act
-
She didn’t want to place England into a war they couldn’t support financially
-
But Elizabeth didn’t want to leave her protestant allies isolated
-
Elizabeth secretly sent money and arms to help the rebels
-
She also allowed Dutch ships to dock in English ports to give them shelter
-
The group of ships known as the Watergeuzen (Sea Beggars) would go on and capture the city of Brielle (Brill), Netherlands on April 1st, 1572 which marked their first major success in the rebellion
-
-
-
The Battle of Gembloux
-
Spain couldn’t tolerate a Protestant revolt in Brielle, a city they controlled
-
In 1578, they sent their army into the Battle of Gembloux under the leadership of the Duke of Parma, Don Alexander Farnese
-
Spain won the battle
-
They forced the leader of the revolt, Prince William I of Orange, into retreat
-
-
The Treaty of Nonsuch
-
Prince William I of Orange was assassinated in 1584
-
This caused Elizabeth to directly help
-
Elizabeth created the Treaty of Nonsuch in August 1585
-
It promised a 7,000 men army
-
It promised money to fund a war
-
It also promised that Elizabeth would protect the Netherlands in exchange for access to Brielle and Flushing (two coastal areas in the Netherlands that would provide good bases for English troops if Spain ever tried to invade England)
-
-
The Treaty of Nonsuch was an agreement of direct involvement
-
This treaty sparked the initial outbreak of the Anglo-Spanish was between England and Spain
-
-
Robert Dudley
-
The English army caused problems that Elizabeth didn’t like
-
The English army was led by the Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley
-
Dudley was told to keep Spain at bay rather than start a full blown out war
-
Dudley didn’t think Elizabeth was investing enough in the war and disagreed with Dutch and English representatives
-
Elizabeth thought the war was costing too much money and refused to provide any more money or weaponry for the war
-
Dudley further angered Elizabeth by excepting the title of the Governor General of the Low Countries
-
It looked like that Elizabeth wanted to gain physical territory in the Netherlands which challenged Spain’s Empire
-
This heightened tensions
-
-
Dudley’s army did have success, they slowed the progress of the Spanish army and successfully prevented them from capturing Flushing
-
-
Elizabeth Strengthens Defences
-
Elizabeth needed to strengthen England’s defences
-
She placed soldiers and warning beacons (posts that could easily be set on fire) along the English coast
-
She also ordered that trading ships were to be converted into warships
-
But this and the war was costly and she needed to increase England’s finances
-
Although she publicly condemned Drake’s raids on Spanish ships, Elizabeth was happy to privately receive a share of the money he stole
-
B4b7 | Drake and the Raid on Cadiz
Drake and the raid on Cadiz: ‘Singeing the King of Spain’s beard’.
-
Elizabeth’s Need for Money
-
Elizabeth needed money for the war as it was costly
-
She condemned Drake’s attacks on Spanish ships but didn’t mind privately receiving a share of the money he stole
-
In 1585, Sir Francis Drake returned with another $30,000
-
-
Singeing the King of Spain’s Beard
-
Drake was a daring privateer
-
Drake knew Philip II of Spain was furious at his raids
-
Drake persuaded Elizabeth to let him carry out his most daring raid: Singeing the King of Spain’s Beard
-
Singeing the King of Spain’s Beard occurred in 1587
-
It severely weakened and damaged the launch of the Spanish Armada
-
It bought England precious time to prepare
-
-
-
The Raid on Cadiz
-
Drake sailed into Cadiz Harbour and set fire to a number of Spanish ships and ruined supplies
-
When Drake was leaving Cadiz, he encountered a number of ships carrying materials to Spain to make storage barrels
-
He destroyed all of these ships
-
Then he stole the treasure ship, San Felipe which was carrying £114,000
-
-
Elizabeth used this money to fight Spain
-
B4b8 | The Spanish Armada
Spanish invasion plans. Reasons why Philip used the Spanish Armada.
-
The Numbers
-
The Spanish Armada was made of 130 ships and 27,000 soldiers
-
-
Philip’s Four Motives
-
Motive 1: Religious Rivalry
-
There was a religious division between the Catholics and the Protestants
-
The Pope promised forgiveness to anybody taking part in attacking England
-
In Philip II of Spain’s eyes, God wanted him to restore Catholicism
-
-
Motive 2: Political Rivalry
-
Defeating England would expand the Spanish Empire
-
The Treaty of Joinville in 1584 ensured that France wouldn’t aid England in such an event
-
Similarly, the Treaty of Nonsuch in 1585 had England protect the Netherlands which provided Spain with justification to attack
-
-
Motive 3: Provoking
-
England had been provoking Spain for months
-
England challenged Spain’s control of the Netherlands
-
England stole Spanish gold through privateers
-
-
Motive 4: Spanish Victory
-
It looked like a Spanish victory was sealed
-
Spain’s position in the Netherlands looked fairly secure
-
Philip had gained more ships from Spain’s takeover of Portugal
-
-
-
Philip’s Plan
-
His plan was to sail through the English Channel to Calais
-
The Duke of Parma would march 27,000 men into the Netherlands to meet Philip
-
Philip, the Duke of Parma and their armies would ship across to Kent, England and march on to London
-
English Catholics would rise up alongside them and force Elizabeth to surrender
-
Catholicism would be restored in England once again
-
This posed a serious threat to Elizabeth
-
Timing was crucial
-
If Philip’s ships or the Duke of Parma’s army turned up late, the chance to attack would be lost
-
-
-
The Spanish Armada Fire
-
They were spotted in the Channel on July 29th, 1588
-
On July 31st, 1588, two Spanish ships were captured in Plymouth
-
On August 6th, 1588, Spanish ships docked at Calais
-
The English commander, Lord Howard, on that night ordered 8 empty English ships filled with gunpowder and set on fire
-
The wind then blew the fire to the Armada
-
The Spanish soldiers panicked, they lifted their anchors and scattered
-
Mant lost their anchors in the chaos
-
This resulted in them being unable to meet the Duke of Parma’s army and many were unable to shelter in ports as they had no anchor to drop
-
-
-
The Battle of Gravelines
-
On August 8th, 1588, Lord Howard launched the Battle of Gravelines
-
Poor weather conditions helped the English
-
Many of the Spanish ships were damaged and lost
-
All the English ships survived
-
The English had won
-
B4b9 | The Reasons for the English Victory
The reasons for, and consequences of, the English victory.
-
Spanish Failures
-
Communication problems weakened Philip’s plan
-
Spanish ships had been at sea longer and their food supplies had turned rotten
-
This weakened the soldiers and reduced morale
-
-
-
England’s Superior Tactics
-
Using fire ships which were designed to be set on fire and sheered to enemy ships highly confused the Spanish and led them into chaos
-
The positions of the English ships were brilliant, they remained close enough to attack but not close enough to be boarded so they sustained little damage
-
-
England’s Advantages
-
The English were better equipped
-
Their guns were made to be loaded more quickly than the Spanish guns
-
England had far better leadership
-
Morale was high
-
-
The Key Players
-
Lord Charles Howard, Sir Francis Drake and John Hawkins were all masters of their trade and tactical strategists
-
They directly influenced the victory
-
Compared to Philip’s commander, the Duke of Medina Sidonia didn’t have a naval background and suffered terrible sea sickness
-
-
The Weather
-
The weather was a big help
-
On the retreat, many Spanish ships were blown towards Ireland where they were destroyed ont= the rocks
-
-
The Outcome
-
England’s defeat of the Armada increased its reputation and trade possibilities
-
Elizabeth used the victory to strengthen her position
-
Elizabeth’s support of the Netherlands created a firm alliance so England was no longer isolated
-
The defeat of the Armada strengthened Protestantism in England
-
It convinced many that God was on England’s side
-
Elizabeth played on this by creating a special commemorative medal which created greater loyalty from the public for Elizabeth
-
-
For Philip, it encouraged others to threaten Spain
-
The war continued, but the Spanish Empire began to decline
-
B4C | Topic C: Elizabethan Society in the Age of Exploration, 1558-88
You’ll study education and leisure, the problem of the poor, exploration and voyages of discovery, and Raleigh and Virginia.
B4c1 | Elizabethan Education
Education in the home, schools and universities.
-
During Elizabethan Times
-
Education became more accessible
-
School attendance increased
-
But education was still seen as a luxury by the lower classes
-
It was not as important as working the fields and earning enough money to survive to the lower classes
-
-
All schools had some sort of fee
-
Most of the labouring classes couldn’t afford it
-
-
Schools in Elizabethan times was to prepare a child for their future job role which would befit their class
-
There’d be very little point teaching a poor child with a university-level education as they’d only need to read and write a few words: for prayers, their names and recording births, marriages and deaths
-
-
20% of Elizabethans were literate with most of them being from the Gentry
-
Protestants believed that all citizens should have access to the Bible
-
The invention of the printing press in the 1440s provided increased access to cheap and widely produced books
-
This provided more reading materials to learn from
-
-
-
Parish Schools
-
Set up in local areas
-
They were run by the Church
-
They’d teach basic literacy up to the age of 10
-
-
Petty Schools
-
They would teach the same age group as parish schools
-
They operated in people’s homes
-
Or they were found attached to grammar schools where the pupils would be taught by older students
-
Both girls and boys could attend petty schools
-
-
Grammar Schools
-
For boys aged 10-14
-
They were separate from the Church
-
They required a fee to attend
-
Some boys were offered a scholarship to attend if they were from a lower-class background
-
Students would be taught the Art of Debating, Maths, Reading, Writing, Philosophy, Latin and Greek
-
-
Universities
-
For boys 14 and older
-
There were only two universities at the time
-
Oxford University and Cambridge University
-
-
All degrees incl. Grammar, Logic, Maths, Theology, Music and Astronomy
-
Pupils could specialise in 1 subject with the most popular being Law
-
All students that attended would also be taught social values and how to speak proper English
-
Labouring class boys could attend if they had a scholarship
-
The playwright and poet Christopher Marlow is an example of a working-class boy who was awarded a scholarship to attend Cambridge
-
-
-
Private Tutors
-
Available for a hefty price
-
Only Noble families could afford them
-
-
Girls’ Education and Dame Schools
-
Girls received little to no education
-
Women were supposed to focus on taking care of children and family matters
-
Elizabethans thought they had no need to learn subjects that men were taught
-
Dame Schools
-
They were set up to teach girls how to behave
-
Girls were also taught basic reading and language skills
-
Dame schools were run by wealthy women in their own homes
-
-
Only Gentry women and Royalty had any chance of receiving a proper education
-
B4c2 | Sports, Pastimes and the Theatre
Sport, pastimes and the theatre.
-
Pastimes
-
What you did in your spare time depended on your social class
-
-
The Pastimes of the Male Gentry and Nobility
-
Hunting: they rode horses and used dogs to sniff out prey
-
Hawking: they used birds of prey to hunt
-
Fishing
-
Real Tennis: a cross between tennis and squash
-
Bowls
-
Fencing
-
-
The Pastimes of the Female Gentry and Nobility
-
They could do hunting and fishing
-
Employing household musicians
-
Embroidery
-
Singing
-
-
The Description of England
-
In the 1570s, William Harrison, a clergyman, wrote the Description of England
-
Harrison identified a group of people called the Fourth Sort
-
The Fourth Sort was the poorer and unemployed people
-
They didn’t own their own land
-
They probably didn’t rent land either
-
-
-
The Pastimes of the Male Fourth Sort
-
Wrestling: they would participate and bet upon bouts
-
Football: they were unlike those played today, there were no restrictions on the number of players, the size of the pitch or the method of getting the ball into the net; people could die from injuries due to violent football matches
-
-
The Pastimes of the Female Fourth Sort
-
Feast Days: like May Day or All Saints’ Day, women of the lower classes would sing, dance and bake food
-
-
Spectator Sports
-
Baiting: Elizabethans would watch animals fight until one is killed; common baitings were dogs against chained bears and bets would be placed on the outcome of the fight
-
Cock-fighting: spectators would bet on the victor; sometimes metal was added to the bird’s beak or legs to give them an advantage
-
-
The Pastimes of All Elizabethans
-
Music and Dancing: all classes enjoyed these leisure activities but they never crossed classes; Nobles would never dance with a lower-class citizen
-
Instruments: wealthy Elizabethans could play instruments like the lute and harpsichord; musicians would perform in public events or be employed to perform at mealtimes in the homes of Nobles
-
The Theatre: enjoyed by all classes
-
-
The Theatre
-
There wasn’t a single theatre in 1558
-
Troupes
-
Before groups of actors called a troupe would travel across the country to perform in public spaces or in the houses of the rich
-
They focused on miracle or mystery plays, usually, they’d taken stories from the Bible and perform them on stage
-
Many other historical stories would be acted on stage
-
Elizabethan authorities treated troupes with suspicion and compared them to vagabonds
-
Some wealthy people often supported actors with finances and protection
-
The Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley and Queen Elizabeth were both supporters of actors, by financing a Troupe, they became the group's patrons
-
Acting companies would often take their patron's name, like the famous troupe, The Queen’s Men
-
-
-
Shakespeare
-
William Shakespeare was the most famous Elizabethan playwright
-
He could be considered the most famous playwright of all time
-
He produced many works for the stage
-
-
Theatres
-
The first theatre in London was called ‘The Theatre’ built in 1576
-
The Theatre was so popular, many more were built
-
Incl. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in 1599
-
-
As theatres increased in popularity, more plays were written and performed
-
Comedies became very popular with the rich
-
-
Women weren’t allowed to perform; all female roles were played by young boys
-
The theatre became very popular with all classes due to its pricing strategy allowing everyone to attend
-
Lower classes: often would purchase entry for 1d, allowing them to stand in the pit at the front which was often busy, noisy and wet as there was no roof above this area and plays would continue in the rain; people who watched from the pit were known as groundlings
-
Middle classes: often would purchase entry for 3d, allowing them to stand or sit in the three covered galleries which provided protection from the rain
-
Upper classes: they’d get to sit on the stage itself where they could be seen by everyone in the theatre
-
-
The theatre was open-roof so plays were performed in the afternoon before it got dark
-
Half-roofs were positioned above the galleries but left the main area open
-
The roofs were made of dried vegetation called thatch which was flammable which was risky
-
Plays often used small cannons to create loud noises and in 1613, a cannonball landed on the thatch of the Globe Theatre causing it to catch fire and burn the globe to the ground
-
-
The theatre was very popular but not everyone approved
-
Puritans believed that the theatre was the work of the devil and called upon the Government to shut them down
-
Some were fearful it’d encourage people to be lazy, drunk and disorderly
-
There were concerns about the spread of diseases like the plague would spread very quickly in the crowded space so theatres would be shut down during plague epidemics
-
-
-
-
Elizabeth and the Theatre
-
She didn’t visit the theatre despite being a huge supporter of the plays
-
Instead, she invited actors to perform for her in court
-
Elizabeth was concerned that plays could criticise her rule and encourage rebellions
-
She introduced censorship laws in 1572
-
All acting companies needed a licence to operate which only Elizabeth could grant
-
The Master of Revels would read all play scripts before he approved their performance
-
-
B4c3 | The Increase in Poverty
The reasons for the increase in poverty and vagabondage during these years.
-
Why People Were Poor
-
The population was rapidly growing
-
It went from 3 million in 1551 to 4.2 million in 1601
-
-
More people meant more land was needed for people to farm
-
More food was needed for the growing population
-
The land was expensive and the deposit (known as an entry fee) needed to be paid for it and many couldn’t afford it
-
-
Food Prices
-
Food prices began to rise
-
Many preferred to farm sheep as their wool could be sold for a higher profit
-
-
Land for crops was instead populated for sheep
-
This caused less food to be produced
-
Food prices began to rise due to high demand and little supply
-
-
-
Enclosures
-
Because cattle could wander enclosures were put in place
-
This meant previously common-use land was fenced off and divided up for different purposes
-
Sheep farming and growing food
-
-
Fencing off land caused a detrimental effect
-
Common land used by labouring classes to support their families
-
Now it was fenced off and was only available to reasonably wealthy people
-
-
-
Jobs
-
People who’d worked on farmlands producing crops now lost their jobs
-
These people now had to move to other towns to look for work
-
-
Rent Prices
-
Rent began to increase
-
Those who’d previously owned land had to relocate
-
They were priced out by the rent in a process called ‘Rock Renting’
-
-
-
Economic Recession
-
There was an economic recession caused by the high taxation to fund a campaign against Ireland
-
And also because of several bad harvests in 1562, 1565, 1573 and 1586 also drove up food prices due to the limited supply
-
-
Henry VIII's Impact
-
Until the 1530s, Catholic Monestries would’ve aided the hungry people affected by the economic recession
-
It was when Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church, he destroyed these buildings or stripped them of their purpose
-
-
In the 1540s, he debased the coinage
-
He reduced the number of precious materials like gold and silver that made up the coins
-
He did this to cover his lavish expenditure and reduce costs
-
But this reduced the value of coins
-
Merchants and tradesmen didn’t trust its value and increased their prices to account for this
-
-
-
Whom Poverty Affected
-
The people it affected were those:
-
On low wages
-
Orphans
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The homeless
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The sick
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The elderly
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Widows
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Abandoned women
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Vagrants/Vagabonds
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People without a fixed address or job were treated with a lot of suspicions
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They were seen as dishonest and lazy
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They were often forced into crime which concerned the Elizabethan Government
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B4c4 | The Changing Attitudes and Policies Towards the Poor
The changing attitudes and policies towards the poor.
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The Four Types of Vagabonds
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Thomas Harman wrote a book which presented the concern of vagabonds and the different types of them
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Anglers
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They stole clothes from washing lines using a long stick with a hook
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Clapper dudgeon
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They used arsenic to make their skin bleed so people would pity them and give them money
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Doxy
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They carried a bag of stolen goods
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Counterfeit crank
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They created the appearance of a fit by swallowing soap
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The Differentiation of the Poor
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There was growing anxiety about the poor and Elizabeth’s Government stepped in by differentiating the poor
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The deserving poor - could be helped
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The idle poor - needed to be punished
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Punishments for Vagabonds
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Vagabonds who threatened public safety were treated harshly
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They were whipped, imprisoned or hanged
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The Poor Rate
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Elizabeth introduced the poor rate
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It was a tax organised by the Justices of the Peace
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It was money used to improve the life of the poor by providing food and shelter
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Wealthy people also funded charities to help the poor
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In 1563, the Statute of Artificers put punishments in place for anyone failing to pay or collect the poor rate
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They could be imprisoned or fined
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The Poor Relief Act
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Passed in 1576
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It gave poor people raw materials to make and sell items
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Towns had to take responsibility for finding work for the able-bodied
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Anyone who refused help was sent to a special prison known as a House of Correction
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The Vagabonds Act
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Passed in 1572
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Imposed punishments for anyone who was found guilty of being a vagabond
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Anyone above the age of 14 could be whipped and burned on their right ear
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Second offences would result in imprisonment
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Repeating offenders could even be executed
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Justices of the Peace
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They kept a register of the poor
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They ensured the collection of a national poor rate
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B4c5 | Exploration and the Voyages of Discovery
Factors prompting exploration, including the impact of new technology on ships and sailing and the drive to expand trade.
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Trade
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During the Elizabethan Era, many became interested in exploring the globe, mainly due to trade
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The war against Spain, the trouble in the Netherlands and the collapse of the woollen cloth trade led to merchants seeking new trade routes and locations for profit
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The Voyages of Discovery
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The Voyages of Discovery were financed by the Queen or wealthy Nobles and could result in lots of treasure or money being brought back
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And even though they were dangerous, they became very popular amongst the rich
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Ship Design
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It was improved
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Bigger sails were added which allowed ships to move faster
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Firepower was increased
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Stability was improved
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It allowed and encouraged people to travel further across the globe
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Adventure, exploration, and gaining wealth and status were very appealing to young men
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New Technology
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Quadrants were used for celestial navigation
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Astrolabes were used to calculate the latitude
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These made journeying to new places safer
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Standardised maps also helped with navigation
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The Triangular Slave Trade
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It involved goods being brought to Africa in exchange for people who’d work as slaves
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The slaves would be taken to America and the Caribbean to be sold
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The money generated from these sales would be used to purchase cargo like rum and sugar and was taken back to England
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It was pioneered by John Hawkins
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B4c6 | Drake’s Circumnavigation of the World
The reasons for, and significance of, Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe.
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Drake’s Circumnavigation
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The most famous Voyage of Discovery was led by Sir Francis Drake, a privateer who was an authorised mercenary who was armed and legally allowed to capture merchant shipping
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Between 1577-1580 he journeyed across the whole globe
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Why Drake Travelled
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The journey was motivated by the Spanish who killed most of his men in an earlier voyage
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He planned to sail to Spanish territory in the Pacific as the defence of these places were weaker
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Drake was a Puritan and saw this as a chance to weaken Catholic powers
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The capture of gold, treasures and land would increase England’s power and provide an opportunity to establish new trade routes
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The First Sail
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When Drake first set-sailed in December 1577, he left with five ships and 164 sailors
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They sailed towards and around Brazil
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They travelled to Port St Julian in Patagonia (modern-day Argentina)
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Here there was trouble amongst the crew on the mainland
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Dissatisfaction among the crew was so high that Drake tried his friend Thomas Doughty for mutiny and killed him
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Drake set fire to two of his own ships and proceeded with a reduced crew
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Into the Pacific
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In 1578, they reached the Pacific but one of the ships sank and the other was lost (although this ship made its way back to England)
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Drake was left with one ship and low supplies
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He decided to make a series of attacks on Spanish settlements and gained a lot of wealth
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To the Unknown
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Drake was faced with a decision; should he return back the way he came and be attacked by Spanish fleets or push forward into the unknown and travel around North America
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Drake opted to push forward
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Drake and his remaining 55 crewmen landed in California
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They named it Nova Albion (meaning New England)
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The natives thought that Drake was a God and gifted him with tobacco
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Nova Albion to England
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Drake went back to England from Nova Albion
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He made many lucrative deals on the way
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He made it back to England in 1580
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The Outcome
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Drake’s voyage increased England’s reputation at sea
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It gained new territory
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It also gained new trade agreements
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It created more agreements with China, India and West Africa
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England began to view the navy in a new light and tasked it with more defence responsibilities
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It further deteriorated England’s relationship with Spain
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The knighting of Drake on the deck of the Golden Hind, his last remaining ship, was seen as a direct challenge to Spain
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B4c7 | Raleigh and Virginia
The significance of Raleigh and the attempted colonisation of Virginia.
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Walter Raleigh
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He was an explorer
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In 1584, he was funded by Queen Elizabeth I to journey to North America and establish a new English colony
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Raleigh planned two voyages that attempted to establish a new colony but he didn’t go with the voyages at this stage
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He didn’t lead voyages until the end of Elizabeth’s reign
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But they’re still referred to as ‘Raleigh’s Voyages’
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North America
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It was a favourable place to colonise for several reasons:
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Its location would be advantageous for attacking the Spanish as England could raid their territories and prevent them from settling there
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It’d also raise England’s reputation
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It’d also allow England access to a range of new resources and provide a better life for the poor who could acquire land and find work in North America
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Investors
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Raleigh was able to convince a number of investors that the colony would be profitable
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A successful North American colony would pave the way for other colonies elsewhere
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Suitability
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Raleigh sent a team to Virginia to explore its suitability in 1584
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They returned claiming Virginia was full of fertile land, animals and friendly locals
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The Colonists go to Virginia
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In 1585, 107 colonists left England for Virginia
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They were mostly soldiers and sailors with a few craftsmen
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The colonists ran into trouble, they hit rocks allowing seawater to enter the ship
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It damaged the seeds they’d reserved for crops
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Explorer Sir Ralph Lane began to build a settlement on Roanoke Island (off the coast of modern-day North Carolina)
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Relations with the Locals
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The sailor, Sir Richard Grenville, returned to England to collect more colonists
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While Grenville was gone, relations with the locals began to sour
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In June 1586, the colony was abandoned
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The colonists had relied on the natives for food after the relations soured, the colonists began to starve
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The End of the First Voyage
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Sir Francis Drake picked up the last of the colonists on the return stretch of his circumnavigation of the globe
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On his return to England, Ralph Lane persuaded Elizabeth to explore another location, Chesapeake Bay
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The Chesapeake Bay was rumoured to have gold mines beneath it
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The Second Voyage
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In 1587, a second voyage left for North America
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It was heading to the Chesapeake Bay, north of Roanoke Island
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This expedition was led by John White
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They had to land on Roanoke Island due to a hurricane
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They talked about setting up a second colony on Roanoke Island but it was too late to plant seeds and relations with the locals and strained due to the previous failed colony attempt
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John White’s Return
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White returned to England to gather more supplies
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But all English ships were called upon to fight the Spanish Armada in 1588
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He wasn’t able to return to Roanoke colony until 1590
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When he arrived in Roanoke, there was no one to be found
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All they found was the word ‘Croatoan’ carved onto a fencepost and the letters ‘Cro’ carved into a nearby tree
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It’s suspected that the colonists had relocated to Croatoan Island
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But they couldn’t search for them due to the bad weather
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We don’t know what happened to the colony so it’s now referred to as the ‘Lost Colony’
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B4c8 | The Failure of Virginia
Reasons for the failure of Virginia.
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The Tiger and Inadequate Planning
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There was inadequate planning as only 107 colonists made the journey rather than the planned 300
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The number of colonists was insufficient and made it hard for the English to establish a new colony
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There were 5 ships, but they put all their supplies on 1 ship, The Tiger
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The Tiger became damaged when it hit rocks, this saw seawater to enter the ship which ruined the food it was carrying including the seeds for planting
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The dry peas and beans in the Tiger were rescued are were edible, however, they couldn't be planted and they had to rely on the locals for food
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The Colonists Themselves
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The colonists were all men, most being soldiers, sailors and craftsmen
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There weren't enough farmers
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The soldiers didn't have the skills to farm the land
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The colonists that were farmers weren't prepared to do the work for the upper-classes
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All though there were craftsmen and a mix of skills among the colonists, they didn't have the raw materials required to make the colony a success so the bakers, weavers and stonemasons found it very hard to make a contribution
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The hunters also couldn't do much as most of the gunpowder was spoiled due to the Tiger being damaged
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The Native Algonquians
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The Native Americans on Roanoke Island were the Algonquians
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They were led by the local chief, Wingina
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Wingina was welcoming at first, but he soon turned against the English settlers
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The Algonquians grew tired of the constant demands for food from the colonists which the English needed to survive
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There were also violent clashes between the English and the Natives during the Winter as the colonists wanted even more food
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Relations with the locals began to sour
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Wingina and some other chiefs attacked the settlers, and although Wingina was killed by Edward Nugent on June 1st, 1586, this caused the English to abandon the colony
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The Successes
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They did return a profit due to the capture of Spanish ships
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They introduced the potato to England
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They added to world knowledge
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It also paved the way for future colony attempts
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But the late 1600s, there were 13 successful colonies established in the New World
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