Elizabethan England 1558-1588 investigates how England was ruled under Queen Elizabeth I. The course focuses on the first 30 years of Elizabeth's reign. You will focus on crucial events during this period, and study the different social, cultural, political, economic and religious changes that occurred.

This study guide will help you to understand the complexities and challenges that Elizabeth I faced during her rule. You will investigate themes such as power, law and order, government, religion, and economy and society. This guide will enable you to develop the historical thinking skills of causation and consequence, similarity and difference, and change and continuity.

This study guide is split into three key topic areas.

• ❖ Topic 1: Queen, government and religion, 1558-69. This looks at the situation on Elizabeth's accession, the settlement of religion, challenges to the Religious Settlement and the role of Mary, Queen of Scots.
• ❖ Topic 2: Challenges to Elizabeth at home and abroad, 1569-88. This topic explores the challenges to Elizabeth from abroad and at home. You will study the domestic plots made against Elizabeth, war with Spain and the launch of the Spanish Armada.
• ❖ Topic 3: Elizabethan society in the Age of Exploration, 1558-88. You will investigate Elizabethan society by looking at the key themes of leisure, poverty and education. You will also explore the age of exploration and discoveries, including the roles of Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh.

Some of the key individuals studied in this guide include:

• ❖ Queen Elizabeth I.
• ❖ King Philip II.
• ❖ Mary, Queen of Scots.
• ❖ Pope Pius V.
• ❖ Robert Dudley.
• ❖ Sir Francis Walsingham.
• ❖ William Cecil.
• ❖ Sir Francis Drake.
• ❖ Sir Walter Raleigh.

Some of the key events you will study on this course include:

• ❖ The Religious Settlement.
• ❖ The Northern Rebellion.
• ❖ The Ridolfi Plot.
• ❖ The Throckmorton Plot.
• ❖ The Babington Plot.
• ❖ The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.
• ❖ The Spanish Armada.

Elizabethan England 1558-1588 forms part of paper 2, you will have a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the paper. You should spend 45 minutes on the Elizabeth section of the paper. There will be 3 exam questions which will assess what you have learnt on the Elizabethan England 1558-1588 course.

• ❖ Question 1 is worth 4 marks. This question will require you to describe TWO key features of a certain aspect of Elizabeth England. For example, you could be asked to describe two key features of the Religious Settlement.
• ❖ Question 2 is worth 12 marks. This question will require you to explain the causes to an event, topic or theme. It requires you to use your contextual knowledge and analyse how the event, topic or theme was caused. You should aim to include at least 3 causes and remember, the answer will always give you two stimulus points to work with. For example, 'Explain why there was an increase in poverty in early Elizabethan England'.
• ❖ Question 3 is worth 16 marks. This question will give you two options and you only need to answer ONE. Both questions will give you a historical statement and you will then need to argue how far you agree or disagree with the statement on your chosen question. The focus of the question will always be different, focusing on one of the 2nd order concepts such as causation, consequence, change, continuity, similarity and difference. For example, 'The main reason Mary, Queen of Scots was executed was because she was involved in the Babington Plot. How far do you agree? Explain your answer'.