Puritan Threat

What were Puritans?

Puritans were very extreme Protestants. They were unwilling to compromise over how they practised their faith and wanted to purify England of any Catholicism.

How did Puritans differ to moderate Protestants?

They wore simple, ordinary clothing and studied the Bible in detail. They rejected ceremony and held very simple services.

How did Elizabeth treat Puritans?

In the 1580s, Elizabeth took the same tough stance against Puritans as she did against Catholics. She appointed the anti-Puritan John Whitgift as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Were there any powerful Puritans?

Parliament included a number of Puritans, including Robert Dudley and Sir Francis Walsingham.

Why were the Puritans a threat?

There are two reasons why Elizabeth saw Puritans as a threat.

• ❖ In the 1570s, Puritan prophesyings became popular. These meetings included members of the clergy and Elizabeth saw them as very dangerous.
• ❖ Puritans began to separate completely from the mainstream church. In 1580 they set up a new separatist church in Norwich. A second church was set up in London in 1592. However, the leaders of these churches were either arrested or hanged.