EDEXCEL GCSE HISTORY: EARLY ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND, 1558-88 (EXAMS FROM 2026) | ANSWERS

These answers have been updated for exams from 2026 onwards.

1 Elizabeth’s accession

1a Describe one feature of the nobility in Elizabethan England. (2)

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The most important members of Elizabethan society below the Queen were the nobility. (1) They held titles such as Duke or Lord, which were usually passed on from father to son. (1)

1b Describe one feature of Elizabeth’s early life. (2)

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Elizabeth was well-educated, intelligent and religious. (1) She studied languages, history, literature, and philosophy. (1)

2 Explain why Elizabeth did not have complete control over the way in which England was governed. (12)

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Elizabeth had most control because she was the Queen, and the Privy Council had to do what she told them. Elizabeth decided who was on the Privy Council so probably chose people who would do what she wanted. They probably didn’t like having a female tell them what to do, and they could fight a bit among themselves, which caused problems.

The Lord Lieutenants were spread out all over the country and did things Elizabeth wanted, such as collect taxes and raise armies. Communications were very slow back then, so it would have been hard for Elizabeth to know what the Lord Lieutenants were doing at any one time. She would have had to rely on their loyalty, so she didn’t have complete control over them.

Elizabeth really didn’t like Parliament. She could have used it more to run the country but preferred to make her own laws. She only allowed Parliament to meet a few times during her reign. She also only allowed Parliament to talk about things she was interested in.

An example of a Level 2 answer

Ultimately, Elizabeth had control because she was the Queen, and the Privy Council had to do what she ordered. The Privy Council was made up of 19 men who ran the country. However, they could challenge Elizabeth if they didn’t like her decisions and could even rebel against her. This threat of rebellion was one reason why Elizabeth struggled to control how England was governed.

The Lord Lieutenants were a bit like a royal police force that took orders from the Queen. They were spread out all over the country and did things such as collect taxes and raise armies. It would have been hard for Elizabeth to know what the Lord Lieutenants were doing at any one time. She would have had to rely on them to do what she told them. So, in this sense, she didn’t have complete control over them.

Parliament met a few times during Elizabeth’s reign to pass laws, but it didn’t have such a big role in running the country as Parliament does today. Elizabeth decided when Parliament met and what it talked about, and she could go behind its back and pass laws of her own without parliamentary involvement. So, Elizabeth was very much in control of Parliament, but she rarely used it to run the country.

An example of a Level 3 answer

Elizabeth was answerable to some extent to the Privy Council, which was made up of 19 powerful men. They had considerable influence over how England was governed and were meant to advise her on the day-to-day running of the country. For example, William Cecil told Elizabeth how to deal with the Catholic threat. Her reliance on these powerful men meant that she did not have complete control because, if she upset them too much, they could rebel against her. So, Elizabeth needed to listen to the Privy Councillors to keep their support.

Elizabeth also gave key roles to people who were loyal to her through patronage. This included Lord Lieutenants, who Elizabeth appointed to raise taxes, settle local disputes, and raise armies. So, Lord Lieutenants had an important role in the day-to-day running of the country. Since they were spread out across the whole of England, their work and loyalty were hard to monitor on a daily basis. This meant that it was hard for Elizabeth to control the way they governed locally.

Finally, Parliament had some control in the governance of England, because Elizabeth needed their approval to enact new laws. Elizabeth disliked working with Parliament and therefore tried to call it as little as possible. She could decide what MPs were to discuss, and she could even bypass Parliament by creating new laws without their consent. So, while Elizabeth did not have complete control of Parliament, she had more control of it than she did of the Privy Council or the Lord Lieutenants.

An example of a Level 4 answer

The most important reason why Elizabeth did not have complete control over the way England was governed was due to the role of the Privy Council. Although Elizabeth appointed these 19 advisers, they held considerable influence over the governance of the country. As members of the Privy Council, they were responsible for the day-to-day running of the country, advising Elizabeth on matters such as war and religion. For example, William Cecil, who was Elizabeth’s most trusted adviser since she came to the throne in 1558, influenced Elizabeth on how to deal with the Catholic threat. Elizabeth had to appoint the most powerful landowners in England to her Privy Council to appease them and avoid possible rebellions. Therefore, she didn’t have complete control because she needed to accept the advice of the Privy Councillors to keep their support.

Elizabeth also gave key roles to people who were loyal to her. This support was called patronage. She appointed Lord Lieutenants, who then had a reasonable amount of control in the local governance of England. It was the job of a Lord Lieutenant to raise taxes, settle local disputes, and to raise an army for Elizabeth if she required one. When England went to war with Spain in 1585, military preparations became more important. As a result, there was a higher demand for Lord Lieutenants in the counties to help train and prepare the militia. These Lord Lieutenants had a significant role in the day-to-day running of England at a local county level, something that Elizabeth did not have complete control of on a daily basis.

Finally, Parliament had some control in the governance of England. The role of the Elizabethan Parliament was to pass laws and set taxes, which meant that Elizabeth needed their approval to enact new laws. However, Elizabeth disliked working with Parliament and, because she had the power to decide when to call Parliament, she tried to call it as little as possible (in her 44-year reign, she called Parliament into session only 13 times). When Parliament did meet, Elizabeth still had considerable power over what was discussed. She could also bypass Parliament by creating new laws with a royal proclamation, meaning that she did not need their consent. This ability resulted in Parliament’s power being far less important than the control that the Privy Council held at a national level and the Lord Lieutenants held at a local level.

3 ‘Financial issues were the main problem that Elizabeth faced when she became queen in 1558.’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

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An example of a Level 1 answer

Elizabeth struggled because of debt when she came to the throne. But this wasn’t a big problem because Elizabeth didn’t need to raise money for foreign wars. So, Elizabeth probably wasn’t worrying that much about not having enough money.

Elizabeth was probably more worried about people thinking she shouldn’t be queen, especially because her own mother was executed when she was married to Elizabeth’s father, King Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn was accused of having affairs, so some people may have thought that Elizabeth wasn’t even the daughter of Henry VIII – though she did have his red hair.

But rather than her legitimacy to rule, Elizabeth probably worried a lot that people would not take her seriously as a female monarch, and how to control all the men on her Privy Council and in Parliament. Women were seen as much weaker than men in Elizabethan England and didn’t have the same rights, so she was in a weak position here. For example, Phillip II of Spain probably thought she would be a pushover when he offered to marry her and then decided to send the Spanish Armada to Britain to take away her throne.

An example of a Level 2 answer

Elizabeth struggled because of debt when she came to the throne, since her father Henry VIII had been a big spender, especially on foreign wars and entertaining the French king. Unfortunately, there was a lot of poverty in Elizabethan England, which didn’t help the situation. But this poverty mostly affected the people who had lost their jobs and were struggling to afford food, rather than Elizabeth. As a queen, Elizabeth lived in luxury and never went hungry. So, Elizabeth probably wasn’t worrying that much about debt.

Some people questioned whether Elizabeth had been born in wedlock, because the Pope had refused to agree to Henry VIII marrying Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth’s mother. This made Elizabeth illegitimate in some people’s eyes, though these were mostly Catholics. Mary, Queen of Scots, had been married to a French king, and was Elizabeth’s cousin, so some people may have thought she was a better choice of queen, especially since she was Catholic. It’s hard to tell how much this worried Elizabeth, because she was generally popular with the English public due to her religious settlement, and Catholics probably just gossiped about the issue in private.

England had lots of social problems in the early years of Elizabeth’s reign due to a massive rise in poverty. This happened for lots of reasons, including famine, epidemics, poor harvests, rising inflation, the collapse of the wool trade, and enclosures. It meant that people were generally struggling and unhappy. This made it more likely that people would rebel against the government, so Elizabeth probably worried more about this happening, because the problems people faced were complex and difficult to control. If they blamed Elizabeth for their problems, they would probably want to replace her with another monarch, such as Mary, Queen of Scots.

An example of a Level 3 answer

When Elizabeth became queen in 1558, she inherited a lot of debt – indeed, it was more than her income. This was the result of her father Henry VIII’s expensive wars with France and lavish lifestyle. The debt took a long time to pay off and was expensive due to the high interest charged. Elizabeth also struggled to find the money to pay off the debt more quickly. She thought about selling off crown lands and asking Parliament to agree to additional taxation, but she decided these solutions would only create more problems and were unlikely to succeed.

One thing that Elizabeth worried about early on in her reign was rebellion if she increased taxes. This concern was because many people had fallen into poverty. There had been epidemics that had killed many thousands of people, famine in 1557, a rise in the number of vagabonds, a series of bad harvests, and rising inflation. Many people in England were struggling to afford to eat and put a roof over their heads. The collapse of the wool trade also had a very negative impact on the English economy, causing many to become unemployed. So, there was widespread poverty in England, which meant Elizabeth had to be careful not to upset people by increasing taxes.

The question of Elizabeth’s legitimacy also caused her some concern, though it’s hard to say just how much she worried about that, because mostly it was Catholics who saw her as illegitimate. This was because the Pope had not given Henry VIII permission to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. To marry Anne Boleyn, Henry had to break with the Catholic Church. So, Catholics generally saw Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth’s mother (Anne Boleyn) as having no basis in law – and in their eyes, Elizabeth had therefore been born out of wedlock. Many Catholics may have thought that Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, would make a more suitable heir, because she was Catholic, there were no questions over her legitimacy, and she was a great-granddaughter of Henry VII. But I think religion was the key factor here, rather than legitimacy.

Overall, I agree with the statement because many people in England were struggling with poverty when Elizabeth came to the throne, and this meant there was no easy solution to paying off Elizabeth’s debt. Furthermore, Elizabeth risked making herself very unpopular and so risked rebellion if she raised taxes – indeed, more people might begin to question her legitimacy to rule if she did raise taxes.

An example of a Level 4 answer

I agree that financial issues were the main problem that Elizabeth faced when she became queen in 1558 – in particular, due to the debt she inherited. When Elizabeth came to the throne, the crown was £300,000 in debt, and she had an income of £286,667. The debt had come from her father Henry VIII’s expensive wars with France. This debt was a pressing issue, because much of this money was owed to the Antwerp Exchange, which charged a high interest rate of 14%. This meant that the longer it took Elizabeth to repay the debt, the more she would need to pay. These financial problems were compounded by the difficulty Elizabeth faced in getting more money. She could sell crown lands to create some immediate cash. However, selling lands would reduce her income in the long term. Furthermore, her position was precarious when she became queen; it was too soon, and would be problematic, to ask Parliament to agree to extraordinary taxation, since many members of Parliament were Catholic.

England’s social problems also meant that Elizabeth risked rebellion if she increased taxation early on in her reign. Poverty was on the rise in England, following epidemics and famine in 1557, which killed around 200,000. This led to a rise in the number of vagabonds. Taxes had increased during the Tudor period to fund foreign wars and pay debts, but many people struggled to pay these costs. There was also pressure on food resources due to a series of bad harvests, which in turn led to price inflation. Consequently, many people in England could not afford to feed their families and faced starvation. This situation was made worse during the sixteenth century by the collapse of the wool trade, which had dominated the English economy, causing many to lose their jobs and adding to the numbers facing considerable hardship. This situation caused widespread discontent in England, adding to the financial pressures that Elizabeth faced.

Elizabeth’s legitimacy was also a major problem she faced when she came to the throne. Some Catholics had never recognised her mother Anne Boleyn’s marriage to her father Henry VIII, because the Pope had not given Henry VIII permission to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. This meant that some people viewed Elizabeth as illegitimate. Furthermore, in 1536, Henry had executed Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth was officially declared illegitimate (although this decision was later reversed). This view of Elizabeth’s illegitimacy was problematic because some people believed it meant Elizabeth should not become Queen of England. Some argued that Mary, Queen of Scots, had a more legitimate claim to the English throne, because she was the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor (Henry VIII’s sister) and a devout Catholic. Therefore, Catholics might plot to put Mary on the throne instead of Elizabeth. However, while questions over Elizabeth’s legitimacy were an important issue, most people did not think she was illegitimate. Thus, the question of Elizabeth’s legitimacy was a less significant problem than the financial issues she faced in 1558.

Overall, I agree with the statement because the financial problems that England and the crown faced on Elizabeth’s accession to the throne were significant. Furthermore, there was no quick way of resolving these financial problems without potentially alienating Elizabeth’s subjects early in her reign and risking rebellion. This potential was something Elizabeth really needed to avoid, given that many people also questioned her legitimacy to rule.

2 The religious settlement

1a Describe one feature of the Catholic response to the religious settlement. (2)

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Most Catholics supported the religious settlement of 1559. (1) They appreciated Elizabeth’s attempts to compromise in allowing some Catholic practices to remain, such as certain parts of church services. (1)

1b Describe one feature of the Puritan response to the religious settlement. (2)

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Most Puritans were unhappy with four key elements of Elizabeth’s changes to the Church of England. (1) For example, they believed that church services should be solemn, without music and without the Catholic aspects of the Common Prayer. (1)

2 Explain why Elizabeth had personal problems when she came to the throne in 1558. (12)

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• There were calls for Elizabeth to marry. One reason for this was the need to secure the continuation of the Tudor line by producing an heir to the throne.
• Some argued that Elizabeth had a weak claim to the throne, since the Pope had not approved Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon and his marriage to Anne Boleyn (Elizabeth’s mother). According to this view, Henry was still married to Catherine of Aragon when Anne Boleyn gave birth to Elizabeth, meaning Elizabeth was illegitimate.
• As a woman, Elizabeth needed to prove herself a suitable ruler. Many people at the time did not believe that women were suited to being a monarch and were weak rulers.

3 ‘Missionaries were the greatest Catholic threat from abroad to stability and peace in early Elizabethan England.’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

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• Catholic missionaries were a threat to peace in Elizabethan England. The College of Douai was set up by Cardinal William Allen to train missionary priests who would travel to England to convert people back to the Catholic faith.
• The papal bull of 1570 was regarded by many as a call to Catholics from across Europe to remove Elizabeth from power. This provided a direct threat to the relative peace and stability of early Elizabethan England.
• King Philip II of Spain’s hostility towards Elizabeth culminated in the Spanish Armada in 1588.

3 The problem of Mary, Queen of Scots

1a Describe one feature of Mary, Queen of Scots’ life before 1568. (2)

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In 1548, Mary was betrothed to the heir of the French throne, Francis. (1) They married in 1558 when she was 15 years old. However, Francis died not long after and she returned to Scotland. (1)

1b Describe one feature of the ‘Casket letters’, found in Mary, Queen of Scots’ belongings in 1568. (2)

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The Scottish lords who opposed Mary’s rule in Scotland claimed the ‘Casket letters’ were written by Mary to the Earl of Bothwell in 1567. (1) The Scottish lords argued the letters showed that Mary and Bothwell had planned the murder of Mary’s second husband, Lord Darnley. (1)

2 Explain why Elizabeth introduced the religious settlement of 1559. (12)

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• Catholicism remained widespread in the north of England, where the Protestant Reformation had not spread as quickly.
• The Protestant Reformation in England meant that the Protestant Church of England was established in the place of the Catholic Church. Many people in England remained committed Catholics despite this change.
• Elizabeth wanted to try to heal religious divisions between Catholics and Protestants in England so that there would be more peace and stability in the country.

3 ‘The main cause of tension between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I was the support Mary had from the Catholic nobility in England.’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

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• When Mary, Queen of Scots, fled to England in 1568, this flight caused tension because Elizabeth had the dilemma of what she should do with Mary that would not anger Mary’s Catholic supporters.
• The casket letters caused tension between Mary and Elizabeth because they appeared to show that Mary had planned to kill her husband, Lord Darnley, and then marry the Earl of Bothwell. Elizabeth was reluctant to accuse Mary of murder because this accusation could cause Mary’s supporters to rise up against Elizabeth.
• Mary had a strong claim to the English throne as the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor (Henry VIII’s sister). Many powerful English Catholic nobles thought that a way to remove Elizabeth would be to revolt against her and support Mary’s claim to the English throne.

4 Plots and revolts at home

1a Describe one feature of the Throckmorton Plot (1583). (2)

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The plan was for the Duke of Guise to lead a French invasion, and English Catholics would join in the uprising. (1) Elizabeth would be killed and Mary, Queen of Scots, would be put on the throne in her place. (1)

1b Describe one feature of the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. (2)

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Mary was found guilty of treason at her trial in October 1586. (1) However, Mary was an anointed monarch, and Elizabeth delayed signing her death warrant until February 1587. (1)

2 Explain why Mary, Queen of Scots, was a threat to Elizabeth’s rule. (12)

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Relevant points that could be included

• Mary, Queen of Scots, was the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor (Henry VIII’s sister), which meant Mary had a strong claim to the English throne. She was the next in line to the throne after Elizabeth.
• Anthony Babington planned to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots, by murdering Elizabeth. Mary supported Babington’s plan. However, the plot (1586) was discovered, and both Babington and Mary were arrested and executed.
• Catholics in England opposed Elizabeth’s religious settlement of 1558, which made England a Protestant country. Many Catholics also saw Elizabeth as an illegitimate monarch. Therefore, many powerful Catholic nobles in England might have supported Mary’s claim to the English throne and tried to overthrow Elizabeth.

3 ‘Catholic plots against Elizabeth were unsuccessful due to the harsh punishments handed down to plotters.’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

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Relevant points that could be included

• The religious settlement appeased most Protestants and Catholics, and it was opposed only by the most extreme groups of people. Therefore, there was little popular support for the plots against Elizabeth.
• Sir Francis Walsingham’s role as Secretary of State and spymaster enabled plots to be uncovered by his spy network.
• Traitors who plotted against Elizabeth were tortured and usually executed – for example, Francis Throckmorton and Anthony Babington suffered this fate. This deterred others from plotting against Elizabeth.
• Most English people, including Catholics, preferred an English queen rather than a foreign ruler. Also, Mary, Queen of Scots, was seen as untrustworthy due to her involvement in her second husband’s murder. This meant there was little popular support for the plots against Elizabeth.

5 Relations with Spain

1a Describe one feature of the religious rivalry between England and Spain during the early Elizabethan period. (2)

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Spain was Catholic and saw the Elizabethan religious settlement as an abandonment of the Catholic faith. (1) The Spanish were involved in both the Ridolfi Plot and the Throckmorton Plot, which aimed to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots who was Catholic. (1)

1b Describe one feature of England’s involvement in the Netherlands during the early Elizabethan period. (2)

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Elizabeth agreed to support Dutch Protestant rebels against Spanish actions in the Netherlands. (1) In 1585, the Treaty of Nonsuch was signed which gave military aid to the Dutch and increased England’s involvement in the Netherlands. (1)

2 Explain why the Spanish Armada failed. (12)

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• One reason the Spanish Armada failed was due to Sir Francis Drake, who was one of England’s most successful privateers. As a commander, Drake was a very good tactician and strong leader compared to the Spanish commander, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia.
• The cannons the Spanish brought with them were designed for land battles, which they planned to use in the invasion of England. However, the cannons were not very effective for sea battles, and their cannon balls did not fit the cannons on their ships.
• The Armada also failed due to the English tactic of using fireships to bring chaos and break up the Spanish crescent formation. Once this shape was broken up, it was easier for the English to attack.

3 ‘The main reason why Catholic opposition to Elizabeth grew in the years 1558–88 was the papal bull (1570).’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

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• Many Catholics welcomed Elizabeth’s religious settlement (Act of Supremacy and Act of Uniformity), because they were worried that she would have wanted revenge for the persecution of Protestants under Mary I. They liked how many Catholic traditions remained in church services. This meant that, to begin with, many Catholics were positive about Elizabeth’s rule rather than opposed to her.
• Mary, Queen of Scots, was Catholic. She had a strong claim to the English throne as the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor (Henry VIII’s sister). After Mary’s arrival in England in 1568, some Catholics started to speak out about Mary being Queen of England instead of Elizabeth. In 1569, a group of powerful nobles from the north of England launched a rebellion against Elizabeth. They were led by the Earl of Northumberland and the Earl of Westmorland. Their aim was to replace Elizabeth with Mary and restore Catholicism as the official religion in England. The rebellion failed, in part due to many Catholics remaining loyal to Elizabeth, and the lack of support from the Pope, France, and Spain.
• After the papal bull of 1570, Elizabeth faced threats from Catholic missionaries, who travelled to England to convert people back to Catholicism. These included Jesuit priests, who first arrived in England in 1580, led by Edmund Campion and Robert Parsons, two exiled English Catholics. The College of Douai was created in 1568, and trained missionary priests, the first of whom arrived in England in 1574. The college had the backing of the Pope and Philip II of Spain.
• After the papal bull of 1570, French and Spanish monarchs began to support efforts to remove Elizabeth or at least restore England to Catholicism. France and Spain promised support for Catholic rebellions and plots against Elizabeth. They supported Catholic missionaries in England. Philip II of Spain launched a full-scale attempt to invade England with the Spanish Armada in 1588.

6 Education and leisure

1a Describe one feature of the leisure activities of wealthy families in Elizabethan England. (2)

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A leisure activity enjoyed by wealthy families was hunting for fun. (1) Hunting deer in parks was popular, as was hawking, where they would use a bird of prey to hunt smaller creatures. (1)

1b Describe one feature of the leisure activities of lower-class families in Elizabethan England. (2)

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Lower-class families enjoyed betting on the outcome of bloodsports. (1) Bloodsports include dog fighting, bear baiting, and cock fighting. (1)

2 Explain why England and Spain were rivals during the sixteenth century. (12)

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Relevant points that could be included

• From 1550, the English wool trade declined. This meant England needed to look elsewhere for profitable places to trade. Spain already dominated ‘New World’ trade, being in control of large parts of the Americas. England therefore resorted to piracy to gain wealth from the Americas. They attacked Spanish ships and stole precious goods. This theft humiliated and angered Spain.
• England was Protestant and Spain was Catholic. Spain saw the Elizabethan religious settlement as an abandonment of the Catholic faith, and the papal bull of 1570 made clear to all Catholics their duty to oppose Protestant Queen Elizabeth. Spain supported Catholic priests sent to England as missionaries. Spain was also involved in the Ridolfi (1571) and Throckmorton (1583) plots, which aimed to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots, as a Catholic queen. Tensions increased in the 1580s when Elizabeth’s tolerance of Catholics declined, and any Catholic priest was automatically treated as a traitor.
• There was political rivalry between Spain and England. Spain was the most powerful and wealthy country in sixteenth-century Europe, with a growing empire in the Americas and control of the Spanish Netherlands. Elizabeth encouraged privateering against the Spanish in the Americas and supported Protestant rebels in the Spanish-controlled Netherlands.
• Philip II of Spain had married Mary Tudor, which had given him power in England. When Elizabeth became queen, Philip proposed marriage. However, she rejected his proposal, which he took as an insult.

3 ‘Your experience of education in early Elizabethan England depended on your family’s wealth and status in society.’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

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• Education was not compulsory, so lower-class children’s experiences of education varied considerably, often depending on individual circumstances. In rural areas in particular, children from lower-class families were vital in supporting the family income, so offspring would be put to work at a young age. However, there were increasing opportunities for early education for some lower-class families in the Elizabethan period. Some children from lower-class families went to petty and dame schools for a few years. At these schools, there was a focus on understanding Bible teachings, such as the Lord’s Prayer.
• Boys from wealthy families went to grammar school from the age of seven. Entry was based on wealth, not ability. The curriculum focused on Latin, English, and religion. Pupils were taught by older pupils until the age of ten, when they would then be taught by ‘masters’.
• Experiences in education also varied based on your gender. Girls could not study at university or be taken on for apprenticeships. Some girls went to dame schools but only for a few years. These schools taught a similar curriculum to petty schools. Space for girls to attend petty schools was limited. Women were not able to access further education in early Elizabethan England.

7 The problem of the poor

1a Describe one feature of education for girls in early Elizabethan England. (2)

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Some girls from lower-class families went to dame schools for a few years. (1) There were only limited spaces at the dame schools, so not all girls could attend. (1)

1b Describe one feature of early Elizabethan theatres. (2)

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The first purpose-built theatre, the Red Lion, opened in London in 1567. (1) The nobility and gentry sat high up in the galleries, while lower-class people stood in the pit directly in front of the stage. (1)

2 Explain why Elizabeth’s government was concerned about poverty in the early Elizabethan period. (12)

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Relevant points that could be included

• England’s population rose from 2.8 million to 4 million during Elizabeth’s reign. The population increase worried Elizabeth’s government. While the rise was in part due to people raising large families during a time of stability and peace, the increase meant that there was growing competition for jobs and housing. A series of poor harvests from 1556, as well as in 1562, 1565, 1573, and 1586, led to food shortages and higher prices for food.
• Elizabeth’s government was concerned that people who lived in poverty might decide to revolt against the Queen, as had happened before under previous monarchs. Travelling beggars challenged the traditional structure of society, because they were not under a lord and did not follow rules. The government worried that others might start to do the same.
• Elizabethan people had lots of concerns about the rise in poverty. It was linked to a rise in crime during Elizabeth’s reign, such that wealthy people were concerned about being robbed in the street. Also, many people believed that vagabonds and other travelling beggars spread diseases (there were outbreaks of plague in 1563, 1583, and 1586).

3 ‘The attitude towards the poor in early Elizabethan England meant that the poor were always dealt with harshly.’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

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• The Vagabonds Act (1572) meant that Justices of the Peace took charge of ensuring food and shelter were provided to the ‘deserving poor’. This was funded by the local poor rate, which was a special tax on the rich. However, the ‘undeserving poor’ faced harsh punishments, such as being burned through the right ear for begging. A third begging offence could result in the death penalty.
• Some Elizabethans thought it was their duty to help the ‘deserving poor’, which included the elderly, the young, and disabled people. Charities for the poor grew and almshouses were set up as places for the poor to stay.
• The Act for the Relief of the Poor (1576) stated that there was a third class of poor. These were people who were able bodied and genuinely could not find work. Local authorities in towns and cities were responsible for finding work for the poor in their area. However, any paupers who refused offers of work would be sent to a ‘house of correction’.

8 Exploration and voyages of discovery

1a Describe one feature of the development in shipping technology and navigation during the early Elizabethan period. (2)

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Mapping techniques that developed during the fourteenth century in Italy spread across Europe. (1) Gerardus Mercator’s 1569 map helped explorers to use lines of latitude and longitude with more accuracy. (1)

1b Describe one feature of attempts to colonise Virginia during the early Elizabeth an period. (2)

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Walter Raleigh made two attempts to establish a colony in Virginia, on Roanoke Island. (1) Both the first attempt in 1584 and the second attempt in 1587 failed. (1)

2 Explain why attempts by the English to establish a colony on Roanoke Island between 1584 and 1590 were unsuccessful. (12)

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Relevant points that could be included

• In June 1585, the ship Tiger was damaged as it neared America. Many of the food supplies on board were spoiled, depleting the amount of supplies the fleet brought to the island. When the English colonists’ food supplies began to run out, the Secotan tribe refused to supply them with food. This created bad feeling between the colonists and the Indigenous people.
• John White, the governor of the Roanoke Island colony, met with some local Croatan people who said that people from the Secotan, Aquascogoc, and Dasamonquepeuc communities had killed the first colonists. In revenge, White attacked the village of Dasamonquepeuc. However, this community was not responsible for the deaths of the first English colonists and had previously shown no hostility towards English settlers. John White’s decision made relations between the colonists and the Indigenous peoples deteriorate.
• In August 1587, White left Roanoke with one ship to travel to England to bring back more supplies and colonists. However, by this time Spain was preparing to invade England, so Elizabeth banned all ships from leaving England in case they were needed to fight the Spanish. This meant White was unable to return to Roanoke Island until August 1590, by which time there was no sign of the colonists who had previously lived there.

3 ‘The most important reason for the rise in poverty in England in the years 1558–88 was the increase in population.’
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16)

Mark scheme

Relevant points that could be included

• Farmers began to keep their sheep in enclosed areas (‘enclosures’) instead of letting them roam freely. This was more profitable for farmers, but meant fewer people were needed to look after the sheep and less land was available for crops. Consequently, many farm workers lost their jobs and moved to towns to find work.
• The government increased taxes to help pay for England’s war against its rival, Spain. When people gave more of their income to the government, they had less money left on which to live. This led to a rise in poverty.
• A further reason for the rise in poverty in Elizabethan England was the significant growth in the country’s population. The population increased from 2.8 million to 4 million during Elizabeth’s reign, because more people raised large families during a time of peace and stability. This increase put a strain on available housing, jobs, and resources.