Paper 2
Elizabethan England, 1568-1603
Both
Use named laws, dates, and individuals for higher marks.
Key Facts
- Elizabeth became Supreme Governor, not Supreme Head (compromise).
- Mary, Queen of Scots executed 1587 after Babington Plot.
- Spanish Armada defeated 1588 through tactics and weather.
- 1601 Poor Law created organized parish-based poor relief system.
- Great Chain of Being reinforced social hierarchy and obedience.
Topics Covered
What Elizabeth Inherited (1558)
What you need to know
- •Religious division after Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I.
- •Financial problems from war and debt.
- •Foreign threats from France and Scotland.
- •Questions over legitimacy (Anne Boleyn marriage).
Exam Tips
- Link inheritance problems to Elizabeth's careful approach.
- Mention legitimacy challenged by Catholics.
Government: How Elizabeth Ruled
What you need to know
- •Elizabeth kept final control using royal authority.
- •Used rewards (patronage) to maintain loyalty.
- •Privy Council: small group of key advisers (e.g., William Cecil, Lord Burghley).
- •Parliament mainly used to raise money, Elizabeth managed conflict.
Exam Tips
- Name William Cecil (Lord Burghley) for higher marks.
- Explain balance between control and consultation.
Religious Settlement (1559)
What you need to know
- •Act of Supremacy (1559): Elizabeth became Supreme Governor of Church.
- •Act of Uniformity (1559): set rules for worship and services.
- •The "Middle Way": Protestant direction but kept some traditional features.
- •Catholic challenges: loyal to Pope, linked to foreign threats.
- •Puritan challenges: wanted more reform and simpler church.
Exam Tips
- Use both Act names with dates for full marks.
- Explain "Middle Way" balanced opposing groups.
Mary, Queen of Scots and Catholic Plots
What you need to know
- •Mary was Catholic with claim to English throne.
- •Became figurehead for plots after fleeing Scotland (1568).
- •Ridolfi Plot (1571): Spanish invasion plan.
- •Throckmorton Plot (1583): French invasion plan.
- •Babington Plot (1586): led to Mary's execution (1587).
Exam Tips
- Know chronological order of plots for timeline questions.
- Link each plot to foreign powers (Spain/France).
Spain and the Armada
What you need to know
- •Reasons for tension: religion (Catholic vs Protestant), trade rivalry, support for Dutch rebels, privateering (Drake).
- •Spanish Armada (1588): invasion attempt by Philip II.
- •English tactics: fire ships broke formation, smaller faster ships.
- •Weather: storms ("Protestant Wind") damaged Spanish fleet.
- •Consequence: boosted Elizabeth's image but war continued.
Exam Tips
- Mention fire ships and the role of storms.
- Explain both tactics AND weather caused defeat.
Society and the Economy
What you need to know
- •Great Chain of Being: society ordered by God, monarch at top.
- •Population growth → higher prices and unemployment.
- •Vagrancy increased; fear of disorder.
- •Poor Laws timeline: 1563 Statute of Apprentices, 1572 punishment for vagabonds, 1598 relief expanded, 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law organized parish system.
Exam Tips
- Use 1601 Poor Law as key example.
- Link poverty to threat of rebellion.
Exploration and the "Sea Dogs"
What you need to know
- •Motives: wealth and trade, power and prestige, challenge Spain.
- •Francis Drake: raids on Spanish, circumnavigation (1577-1580).
- •Walter Raleigh: colonization attempts (Roanoke).
- •Privateering boosted economy but angered Spain.
Exam Tips
- Name Drake and Raleigh for specific examples.
- Link exploration to Spanish tensions.
Key Terms
Patronage
Rewards and positions given to maintain loyalty.
Privy Council
Small group of key advisers to the monarch.
Supreme Governor
Elizabeth's title as head of Church of England.
Middle Way
Religious settlement balancing Protestant and Catholic elements.
Recusant
A Catholic refusing to attend Protestant services.
Privateering
Licensed piracy against enemy ships, especially Spanish.
Great Chain of Being
Belief that society was ordered by God with monarch at top.
Loading practice drills...
Common Exam Questions
Describe two features of the Religious Settlement.
Model Answer
Feature 1: Act of Supremacy made Elizabeth Supreme Governor. Feature 2: Act of Uniformity set a single prayer book for all churches.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Two distinct features.
- ✓Name the Acts.
Explain two reasons for Catholic plots against Elizabeth.
Model Answer
Reason 1: Elizabeth was Protestant and Catholics saw her as illegitimate, wanting Catholic Mary as queen. Reason 2: Foreign Catholic powers (Spain, France) supported plots to restore Catholicism in England.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Two reasons with explanation.
- ✓Link to foreign powers.
Explain two ways the Spanish Armada was defeated.
Model Answer
Way 1: English fire ships broke Spanish formation at Calais, forcing them to scatter. Way 2: Bad weather and storms damaged Spanish ships on their route around Scotland and Ireland.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Two ways with explanation.
- ✓Tactics AND weather.
How far do you agree that the main reason for the Spanish Armada was religion?
Model Answer
Religion was important (Catholic vs Protestant, Mary's execution), but also trade rivalry, English support for Dutch rebels, and privateering attacks. Balanced judgment: religion was a key driver but combined with political and economic factors.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Balanced argument with multiple factors.
- ✓Clear judgment supported by evidence.
Related Topics
Other topics you might find useful
Germany, 1890-1945
Treaty of Versailles (1919): war guilt, £6.6bn reparations, army limited to 100,000.
Conflict and Tension, 1918-1939
Treaty of Versailles (1919): £6.6bn reparations, army limited to 100,000, war guilt.
Britain: Health and the People, c.1250-present
Four Humours theory dominated medieval medicine for over 1000 years.