Queen, Government & Religion Flashcards
All 34 cards in this deck
What was the role of Justices of the Peace in Elizabethan England?
They were appointed by the Queen to manage law and order in their local areas.
Who was William Cecil?
Elizabeth's chief minister (Secretary of State), an example of her appointing ministers with political experience.
Why did some English Catholics regard Elizabeth as illegitimate in 1558?
They did not recognise Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn as legal.
Give one problem Elizabeth faced in 1558 because of her gender and marital status.
As an unmarried woman, many people felt she was not capable of ruling the country.
What financial situation did Elizabeth inherit in 1558?
A large crown debt, making it hard to raise an army or manage state affairs, so she needed Parliament to vote taxes.
Which French town had England recently lost when Elizabeth became queen?
Calais, lost in 1558 as the war with France went badly.
Which marriage of 1558 increased the French threat to Elizabeth?
Mary, Queen of Scots married the Dauphin, heir to the French throne, strengthening ties between France and Scotland.
Give one reason for religious divisions in England in 1558.
The official religion had switched between Protestant and Catholic under Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I, leaving people divided.
What did the Act of Supremacy (1559) do?
It made Elizabeth supreme governor (not 'supreme head') of the Church of England, a title more acceptable to Catholics.
What did the Act of Uniformity (1559) do?
It required all church services to follow the format laid out in the Book of Common Prayer.
What is meant by Elizabeth's 'middle way' in religion?
A compromise between Catholics and Protestants intended to appease followers of both.
Give one way the Book of Common Prayer was deliberately vague.
Its wording on transubstantiation was left vague so both Catholics and Protestants could accept it.
Give one piece of evidence that the religious settlement was successful.
There were no widespread religious revolts: Catholic rebellions failed to gain much support from the population.
Give one way the Church of England promoted loyalty to the Queen.
Services repeated prayers of obedience and thanks for her reign.
Give two religious services the parish church provided at the centre of people's lives.
Baptisms, marriages and funerals.
What festivals did churches organise for their parishioners?
Festivals such as May Day and Easter celebrations.
Why did Puritans object to vestments?
They believed the special vestments priests had to wear were too close to Catholic vestments.
What was the outcome of the Puritan campaign against crucifixes in churches?
Elizabeth was forced to remove the stipulation that crucifixes be displayed.
Why did Puritans object to bishops?
Bishops were not mentioned in the Bible, and some Puritans saw them as part of a Catholic-style Church hierarchy.
What is recusancy?
Refusing to attend Church of England services; many Catholic nobles and gentry paid recusancy fines instead.
True or false? In the 1560s, Elizabeth strictly enforced recusancy fines on Catholic nobles and gentry.
False. Fearing a Catholic uprising, she made concessions and did not enforce them strictly.
In which region of England did devotion to Catholicism remain particularly strong?
The north of England, where many continued to hear the Latin mass in private.
How did Mary I's Catholic bishops respond to the Oath of Supremacy (1559)?
All but one refused to take it and were removed from their posts.
What was the Douai seminary?
An English seminary in the Netherlands that trained Catholic priests and sent them to England, strengthening English Catholicism.
Who was Mary, Queen of Scots, in relation to Henry VIII?
His great-niece, giving her a direct claim to the English throne.
True or false? Mary, Queen of Scots, publicly accepted Elizabeth as the legitimate monarch of England.
False. She was vocal in her own claim and did not recognise Elizabeth as legitimate.
Why did Elizabeth being unmarried and childless make Mary, Queen of Scots, a threat?
Mary was next in line to the throne, so if Elizabeth died without an heir, a Catholic queen would inherit.
What happened to Mary, Queen of Scots, when she fled to England in 1568?
Elizabeth had her imprisoned, as Mary could otherwise raise an army to depose her.
Why did Mary's presence in England after 1568 increase Catholic opposition to Elizabeth?
Mary provided a Catholic alternative to Elizabeth and became a focus of Catholic plotting.
Why did Mary's earlier alliance with France worry Elizabeth in 1568–69?
It increased the threat of a French invasion in support of Mary's claim.
What was the debasement of the coinage, and why was it a problem in 1558?
In the 1540s and early 1550s the Crown had cut the gold and silver content of coins to raise money for wars. Coins lost value, prices rose and trust in English money fell.
What were the Royal Injunctions (1559)?
Instructions to the clergy backing up the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity: for example, they had to teach the royal supremacy, wear vestments and hold a licence to preach.
What happened in the vestments controversy of 1566?
Archbishop Matthew Parker's Book of Advertisements laid down the vestments clergy must wear. 37 Puritan-minded clergy who refused lost their posts.
What was the outcome of the conference held at York and Westminster (October 1568 – January 1569) to examine Mary, Queen of Scots?
Scottish lords produced the 'Casket Letters', said to show Mary had plotted Lord Darnley's murder, but no verdict was reached. Mary was neither convicted nor freed, and stayed in custody in England.