GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.

9
Early Elizabethan Problems 1558-1559

Society and Government

• Society was HIERARCHAL. There was a clear idea of where everyone was. Nobility were at the top
and the poor at the bottom. Men had AUTHORITY over women.
• Believed in DIVINE RIGHT, giving her power to rule by God = she made the most important
decisions.
• She could issue ROYAL PREROGATIVES which had to be followed on things she wanted to keep
private.
• She could declare WAR, dismiss Parliament and REJECT their laws.
• Parliament were the only ones who could grant EXTRAORDINARY TAXATION (give the monarch
more money, especially in times of war).
• The PRIVY COUNCIL was made up of leading (around 19), nobles and senior government officials,
like Sir William Cecil. She appointed them and watched over meetings and they ADVISED her.

Early problems when becoming Queen 1558

• Henry VIII declared her as being illegitimate (not able to rule) in 1536 after Anne Boleyn was
arrested for treason (although he did reverse this decision). Some people questioned her
LEGITIMACY.
• In 1559 Elizabeth got rid of the Pope and became GOVERNOR (caretaker) of the English church.
She agreed to work with both Catholics and Protestants.
• Elizabeth sent money and arms to the Dutch who were fighting against Spain (Phillip II – who had
been married to her sister, Mary I), a powerful rival.
• Her chief advisor, Lord Burghley, wanted her to marry but she never did = no heir to the throne.
• Mary Queen of Scots, her cousin, was suspected to be involved in a plot to kill Elizabeth and
overthrow her – making England Catholic again.
• Had £300,000 debt but the crown only brought in £286,667 a year = need to raise taxes = unpopular

Foreign threats

• In 1559 Elizabeth had signed a treaty that saw the English give up control of the French port Calais
(which they held since 1347) and returned it to the French.
• In 1558, Mary Queen of Scots mother allowed French troops on the Scottish border. The two
countries had also formed a friendship called the Auld Alliance.
• Mary Queen of Scots also became Queen of France in 1559 when her husband took the throne.
• England had been supporting Spain in a war against France that ended in 1559. The two Catholic
rivals were now at peace.
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.9
Early Elizabethan Problems 1558-1559
Content Test

Answer the following using the information you have revised:

1) What did Elizabeth believe in that gave her
the power to rule from God?
2) Who could grant extraordinary taxation (raise
tax in time of war)?
3) What was made up of 19 nobles and advisors
to help run the country?
4) What did people question as a result of Henry
VIII’s accusations?
5) What did Elizabeth become in 1559 that
annoyed the Pope?
6) What did not listening to Lord Burghley’s
advice lead to her not having?
7) To the nearest thousand, how much money
was she in debt by?
8) Which port did Elizabeth give up in 1559
making her look weak
9) What did the Auld Alliance allow the French
to do?
10) What did Spain and France do in 1559 that
was a danger to Elizabeth?
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.10
Content focus: Religious Settlement 1559

The Reformation
• A new religious movement called Protestantism spread across Europe in the 1500s. Elizabeth
was a Protestant.
• It called for simpler churches (no stained glass), priests to wear ordinary clothes, services in
English and for heaven to be able to be reached by everyone, not needing priests or the Pope to
do so (e.g. confessing sins).
• In 1558, most bishops were Catholic. To change religion, Elizabeth needed to pass an Act of
Parliament. However, many people in the House of Lords were Catholics.
• Puritans who had been attacked by Mary wanted to manage their own churches in an even
simpler way (without altars) than even Elizabeth
• Places in the north of England (e.g. Lancashire) were far away from England and much more
likely to stay Catholic.

The Religious Settlement (1559)

• The Act of Supremacy made Elizabeth supreme governor of the church and everyone had to
swear an oath to her
• The Act of Uniformity was linked to the appearance of churches, including the Book of Common
prayer. People could be fined for not attending church.
• The Royal Injunctions included instructions on how people should worship God. Pilgrimages and
fake miracles were banned. This meant that real miracles (which Catholics believed in) could be
accepted, which would make the settlement more acceptable. Clergy could wear special
vestments (clothes).
• 8,000 priests swore the oath of loyalty but only one bishop agreed. Most ordinary people went
to church. She did not enforce the changes too strongly.
• The Church of England ran courts and controlled services. Visitations ensured the changes were
being made, with 400 clergy fired for not doing so.
 Answer the following using the information you have just revised:
11) What was the new religious movement
spreading in the 1500s?
12) Name ONE change they wanted to make in
churches?
13) What was the problem with bishops in
1558?
14) Who wanted churches to become even
simpler than Elizabeth?
15) Which places in the north of England were
more likely to stay Catholic?
16) What did the Act of Supremacy force
people to do?
17) What act brought in the Book of Common
Prayer?
18) What did the Royal Injunctions allow priests
to continue to wear?
19) How many priests swore the oath of
loyalty? How many bishops?
20) How many clergy were fired for not
following the new church?

GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.10

Religious Settlement 1559
Content Test
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.11
Challenges to the Religious Settlement

Catholic Challenges
• Elizabeth backed French Protestants in 1562 with the hope of getting Calais back backfired. She
ended up signing the Treaty of Troyes (stating Calais was French) and had annoyed Phillip of Spain.
• In 1563, Phillip of Spain banned English cloth being bought into the Netherlands as he thought
merchants were spreading Protestantism. This ‘trade embargo’ lasted a year.
• Counterreformation - the Pope in 1566 issued an instruction for Catholics in England not to attend
church services. Elizabeth fined did not punish Catholic who did this too severely.
• Following the crushing of the Dutch revolt in 1566, there was a strong threat that the Duke of Alba
would use his 10,000 strong army to invade. Some in the Privy Council urged Elizabeth to do more in
the Netherlands to defend Protestants but this could risk a wider foreign or even civil war!
• Elizabeth allowed ‘Sea Beggars’ (Dutch rebels) to use English ports to attack Spanish ships from
1567.
• In 1568 Elizabeth confiscated Spanish gold that had taken safety in English ports, saying it had been
an Italian loan anyway. This is sometimes known as the Genoese Loan
• In 1569 Earls in the north led a rebellion taking Durham Cathedral and celebrating a full Catholic
mass. They tried to spread the rebellion south but it failed and Elizabeth had the leaders executed
publically.

Puritan / Protestant challenges

• Vestment Controversy - Elizabeth wanted

the clergy to wear special vestments as set
out in the Royal Injunctions.
When it was clear many were ignoring this,
the Archbishop of Canterbury held a
special exhibition to show priests what
clothes they should be wearing. Of the 110
priests invited, 37 refused to attend and
were fired.
• Crucifix challenge: Elizabeth didn’t want to
anger her Catholic subjects by changing too
much too fast. So she demanded that each
church should display a crucifix.
Puritan bishops threatened to resign so
she backed down as she didn’t have
enough Protestant clergymen to replace
any bishops who were dismissed. However,
she did insist on keeping a crucifix in the
Royal Chapel.
Mary Queen of Scots
• Mary was Elizabeth's cousin and had a
legitimate claim to the throne.
• Elizabeth had supported Scottish nobles to get
rid of Mary’s French mother, Marie in 1560.
• The Treaty of Edinburgh in 1560 forced Mary
to give up her claim to the English throne. She
rejected it and wanted to be heir!
• In 1566, she gave birth to a baby boy – James –
a possible heir to the English throne.
• Mary tried to win back the Scottish crown in
1568 but was defeated and imprisoned. She
fled to England seeking Elizabeth's help against
the rebels.
• Mary put on trial for killing her husband,
Darnley. Guilty = she would be sent to Scotland
and Elizabeth had got rid of a monarch.
Innocent = she might raise an army to
threaten her.
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.11
Challenges to the Religious Settlement
Content Test

Answer the following using the information you have revised:

21) What did the Pope order Catholics to do in
the Counterreformation?
22) How many men were in the Duke of Alba’s
army?
23) Name the Dutch rebels who attacked the
Spanish from English ports?
24) The gold Elizabeth took from the Spanish
was known as what?
25) How many priests were fired in the
vestment controversy?
26) Who threatened to resign when ordered to
display a crucifix?
27) What was the relationship between
Elizabeth and Mary?
28) What forced Mary to give up her claim to
the throne?
29) What happened in 1566 that was a threat
to Elizabeth?
30) Who was Mary accused of killing, putting
Elizabeth in a tricky situation?
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.12
Elizabeth: Plots against her rule 1569-1587
Northern Earls Rebellion - 1569
• Northern Earls lost power since Elizabeth became queen. She favoured Protestants
like Robert Dudley
• A strong Protestant, James Pilkington, as Archbishop of Durham = unpopular
• Plot to marry the Duke of Norfolk + MQS to overthrow Elizabeth with Spanish help.
• 9th Nov Earl of Northumberland takes Durham Cathedral and celebrating mass. March south with
5,400 men. Mary moved to Coventry to stop her released.
• An army of 14,000 (under Duke of Sussex) raised to stop it and Spanish troops promised to help the
rebels doesn’t arrive.
• 450 rebels executed, including Northumberland. Norfolk forgiven and Mary remained in prison.
• The Pope calls for all loyal Catholics to get rid of Elizabeth. She is also excommunicated.

Ridofli Plot – 1571 Throckmorton Plot - 1583

• Italian Ridolfi = kill Elizabeth and replace her
with Mary Queen of Scots who would marry
the Duke of Norfolk. Phillip who would
invade with an army if needed
• Walsingham discovered = intercepting secret
letters.
• Norfolk was executed but Mary kept under
guard. Spain was a threat.
• New law meant Catholics fined £20 for not
going to church + converting people =
treason.
• Throckmorton = English Catholic who plotted
to get Mary back on the throne
• Her cousin, the French Duke of Guise =
invade with financial help from Phillip.
• Walsingham found suspicious letters from
Throckmorton with lists of Catholic
sympathisers. He was arrested, tortured and
then confessed.
• 11,000 Catholics imprisoned. 1585 law =
treason to hide or shelter Catholics

Babington Plot – 1586

• English Catholic (Babington) and Mary = kill Elizabeth and then put Mary on the throne following
an invasion by the French Duke of Guise with 60,000 men.
• Walsingham intercepted secret messages in the ‘barrel plot’ so Babington was hanged, drawn and
quartered. Mary was put on trial by the Privy Council and sentenced to death.
• Walsingham had spies in every town and paid well for information. He used double agents (Agent
Provocateurs) but was generally against torture in all but the most serious cases.
• A new 1585 law = if Elizabeth was murdered, Mary could not be queen. It also meant clear evidence
in a trial would be needed to prove Mary guilty. This would led to Mary’s execution in 1587.
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.12
Elizabeth: Plots against her rule 1569-1587
Content Test
Answer the following using the information you have just revised:
1) Who was unpopular when made Archbishop
of Durham?
2) After taking mass in Durham, how many men
marched south with the Duke of
Northumberland?
3) Who were they platting to marry Mary Queen
of Scots to after they had released her?
4) How many were executed alongside
Northumberland
5) Who had promised to send in an army to help
the Ridolfi plot if needed?
6) What was the new fine imposed on Catholics
not attending church after Ridolfi?
7) Who would invade to assist with the
Throckmorton Plot?
8) What did a new law following Throckmorton
make it illegal to do?
9) How many men would invade under the Duke
of Guise in the Babington Plot?
10) Who discovered the plot decoding the
messages in barrels?
11) What is the term for double agents used by
Babington
12) What did a new 1585 law mean if Elizabeth
was killed?
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.13
Elizabeth: Anglo-Spanish relations 1570-1588

Anglo Spanish 1570-1585

• Spain is at war against Dutch Protestants.
• Elizabeth send £100,000 in aid to Dutch and Spain sign Pacification of Ghent (they leave!) but short
lived as new army under Duke of Parma is soon sent to re-establish control.
• Elizabeth gets France to support the Dutch & sends 6,000 mercenaries (under Casimir) but he
attacks Dutch Catholics.
• Francis Drake – English hero & but Spain sees him as a pirate. Steals £40,000 from them in Panama
and sets up new colony America bringing in £400,000 a year.
• Duke of Alencon (French) and William of Orange is killed – no more allies for her in Netherlands.
• Spain forms alliance with France = Treaty of Joinville to rid heresy of Protestantism

Anglo-Spanish 1585-1587
• Treaty of Nonsuch (1585) – England to finance an army of 7,400 to help the
rebels = a declaration of war.
• Dudley’s 1st mission in Netherlands is a failure. Accepts the title Governor
General of the Netherlands for Elizabeth = implies she wants to depose (get
rid of) Phillip.
• Dudley’s 3rd mission in 1587 stops the Duke of Parma taking the deep water
port of Ostend – this was important in the failure of the Armada later.
• Singeing of the King’s Beard (1587) Drake attacks main Spanish port of
Cadiz, sinking 30 ships. He attacks treasure ships and delays Armada by a
year.

Spanish Armada 1588

• Armada = 130 ships, 7,000 sailors (more priests on board) and 20,000 soldiers to
collect an army of around 35,000 waiting in Flanders. They would then invade England
and restore Catholicism. This was against 55 ships of the Royal Navy.
• Poor communications – It took 1 week for messages to come saying the Armada was in
the channel. By this point, they were anchored off Calais and were waiting for the Duke
of Parma’s men to arrive. All the time being attacked by the English
• English ships – Galleons were easy to manoeuvre and fast. They could fire quickly and
easily even though they only had 24 of them. Elizabeth had listened to advice to build
them from the early 1570s.
• Luck – A heavy storm wrecked most of the Armada off the coast of Ireland.
• Medina Sidonia had no experience at sea whereas Drake was an experienced
commander. He prevented the Spanish harbouring in the Isle of Wight – forcing them
into the open sea and sent 8 fire ships to break up the Spanish crescent at the Battle of
Gravelines.
• Poor supplies – Drake Singeing had delayed the Armada by a year and forced them to
use sub-standard barrels. By the time they got to England (10 weeks) food was
rotting. Cannonballs were also poor quality.
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.13
Elizabeth: Anglo-Spanish relations 1570-1588
Content Test

Answer the following using the information you have revised:

13) Who do the Spanish see as a pirate for
stealing their gold?
14) Which two allies of Elizabeth are killed in
Europe leaving her vulnerable?
15) Who signs the Treaty of Joinville – a big
threat to her?
16) How many men are sent to the Netherlands
after the Treaty of Nonsuch?
17) What does Dudley declare Elizabeth to be
during his first mission in 1585?
18) How many ships does Drake sink in the
attack on Cadiz in 1587?
19) How many ships did the Spanish / English /
have?
20) Who were the Armada waiting for to
arrive?
21) At which battle do the English use fire ships
to scatter the Spanish?
22) What was the problem with Medina
Sidonia?
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.14
Elizabeth: Education, pastime and poverty
Education
• Poor had no education and were trained to
follow their family’s profession (e.g. farming).
• Grammar schools for the upper classes and
paid (poorer boys could be funded) but only
for boys. They taught Latin and classic
subjects like philosophy. There was a great
emphasis on memory, especially of texts like
the Bible. 10 hour days. punishments =
caning and expulsion.
• Noble families hired private tutors. Sexes
were taught skills needed for their upper
class status (needlework / archery).
• Two universities – Oxford and Cambridge.
They started from 14 and learned thing like
Astronomy, Medicine, Law and Divinity and
could get doctorates.
Why the increase in poverty?
• TWO types of poor – 1) Able bodied/idle
poor – fit enough to work who don’t; 2)
Impotent/deserving – sick / unwell
• Vagabonds were beggars who went around
from town to town. Elizabethans didn’t like
them as they upset the structure of society
• Population increases by 35%, meaning a
demand for work, food and land. Worker’s
wages went down as there would always be
someone willing to work for less with some
spending 80% of wages on bread.
• Changes to farming – enclosures cut off
common land from people meaning the poor
had nowhere to grow their own food and a
move to sheep farming meant a loss of jobs
as you needed less workers.
Pastimes
• Gambling on sports such as bear-baiting and
cock-fighting held out the promise of an easy
win, particularly among the poorer classes,
although all classes watched.
• Real tennis in Tudor times was played by
upper class men. Gentlemen also preferred
fencing and bowls.
• With none before her, purpose-built
theatres began to appear and many were
built in London, including the Red Lion in
1567.
• Queues of 2,000 people waited for a theatre
performance. Poor people could pay a penny
to stand in the pit, the rich would buy seats
in the galleries which were very expensive.
Poor Laws
• Vagabonds Act – JPs kept a register of the
poor with towns needed to find work for able
bodied poor. Vagrants could have holes
drilled in their ears, imprisoned for begging
a second time and hanged for a third
offence.
• Poor Relief Act – Helped separate able and
impotent poor. JPs provided wool so that
able bodied poor could work. Refusing work
or help = sent to a House of Correction.
• Success: Poor Relief Act gave people dignity
and towns only saw around 10% of vagrants
punished.
• Failure: War with Spain meant
unemployment always there and some wrote
pamphlets to stir up hatred of vagrants.
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.14
Elizabeth: Education, pastime and poverty
Content Test

Answer the following using the information you have revised:

1) Name TWO lessons taught to boys at
Grammar Schools
2) What did Noble families hire to teach their
children skills for life?
3) Name ONE pastime Elizabethan’s gambled on
4) Name ONE pastime the rich preferred
5) How much did the population increase by
leading to more vagabonds?
6) What change in farming cut off common land
to people leading to more unemployment?
7) What happened to a vagabond after being
caught three times under the Vagabond Act?
8) Where were vagabonds under the Poor Relief
Act?
9) What % of vagabonds were punished
suggesting success of the laws?
10) What event caused even more
unemployment to hit?
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.15
Elizabeth: Exploration and colonisation
Why explore
• Columbus’ discovery of America in 1492 Legends like El-Dorado
and the huge profits made by Spain from Gold and Silver (£1B)
from mines in Peru = do the same.
• Trade – In 1562, John Hawkins establish a trade for slaves between
Africa and America, bringing back exotic goods like sugar and
ginger = huge profits = copied.
• Ships – Galleons were smaller, lighter and faster than ever before
making them well suited to long voyages. Protection in terms of
cannons to fight off rivals at sea.
• In 1569, maps with latitude and longitude appeared and printed
maps replaced hand drawn ones = accurate and confident sailing.

Drake’s circumnavigation
• Drake set sail on The Pelican (renamed the Golden Hind) and
accompanied by four smaller ships. Along with 150 sailors.
• Drake loses the ships the Marigold, Swan and Christopher on
the journey.
• Off the coast of South America, the ship Elizabeth loses sight of
the Golden Hind and heads home. Drake now sails on alone.
• Drake famously captures the ship The Cacafuego, which has 80
pounds of gold and 26 tons of silver in Panama.
• Drake returns having made around £25m profit, is publically
knighted by the Queen on the deck of the Golden Hind.

Failure of Virginia
• Virginia would provide new markets to trade goods as trade through the Netherlands (due to the
conflict with Spain there) was now difficult. It also provided new luxury goods like tobacco and sugar.
• Could be used to attack Spanish land in the Caribbean without too much fear of reprisal. It would also
give them an advantage over their main rivals and establish a chance for later colonisation of America.
• The largest ship, the Tiger, got damaged on the journey. Seeds ruined and gunpowder to help hunting
got wet so the colonists had to rely on the locals for help.
• The colonists didn’t leave until April 1585 = too late to plant seeds. No stone meant the fort had to be
made of wood.
• Arguments between the colonists. The Commander (Grenville) and Governor (Lane) didn’t get on.
• Of the 300 planed, only 107 come. Farmers resented having to work for the upper classes who
weren’t prepared to do physical work. The soldiers (50% of those who went) were ill disciplined.
• Local chief, Wingina, didn’t like colonialists. He was tired of them asking for food and there were
violent clashes when food got short. Wingina planned an ambush which failed, but it made the first
colonists decide to leave in 1586.
• Second mission returned in 1587, Manteo led the mission. However, local
natives were still hostile so Manteo led an attack on them after one of the
colonists was killed. However, he killed friendly Indians by mistake. Lane
decided to leave.
 GCSE Revision: Worksheet 2.15
Elizabeth: Exploration and colonisation
Content Test

Answer the following using the information you have revised:

23) How much wealth was Spain getting from
Peru?
24) Who established a trade for slaves in 1562?
25) What appeared on maps in 1569?
26) What famous ship did Drake capture with
£40,000 of gold and silver?
27) What happened to Drake on the deck of
the Golden Hind?
28) What was the name of the supply ship that
got damaged?
29) Why was leaving in April 1585 a problem?
30) How many actually went on the mission,
despite Raleigh wanting 300?
31) Who wasn’t prepared to do physical work
and farming?
32) Which Native American chief ended up
attacking the colonists?