OCR B GCSE History: The Elizabethans (catholics)

What was Elizabeth's religious aim (1558)?

Create a Protestant country with some tolerance (via media)

What was the Act of Supremacy (1559)?

Made Elizabeth head of the Church of England

What was the Act of Uniformity (1559)?

Forced use of the Protestant Prayer Book

What did Elizabeth mean by "I will not open windows into men's souls"?

Private beliefs didn't matter if people obeyed outwardly

What were recusants?

Catholics who refused to attend Church of England services

What were church papists?

Catholics who conformed outwardly but kept Catholic beliefs

When did Catholic resistance increase?

After 1580

What happened in 1570?

Pope excommunicated Elizabeth

Why was excommunication dangerous?

Encouraged Catholics to rebel against Elizabeth

What was the Act of Persuasions (1581)?

Increased fines and made converting Protestants treason

What did the 1585 Act against Priests do?

Made being a Catholic priest punishable by death

What did the 1587 Recusancy Act do?

Allowed seizure of 2/3 of recusants' land

What did the 1593 Act do?

Restricted Catholics to within 5 miles of home

How many Catholics were there by 1603?

About 1-2% of the population

What were seminary priests?

English priests trained abroad to support Catholics

What were Jesuits?

Missionaries aiming to convert people to Catholicism

Name two key Jesuits

Robert Parsons and Edmund Campion

How many priests returned by 1603?

About 438

How did priests operate in England?

Secretly using disguises and priest holes

Who was Walsingham?

Elizabeth's spymaster

How did Walsingham stop Catholic threats?

Network of spies and informers

Who betrayed Campion?

George Eliot

What happened to Edmund Campion?

Tortured, executed in 1581

Why did Campion claim loyalty?

Saw religion and politics as separate

Why did Catholic priests fail by 1603?

Government repression, poor organisation, focus on gentry

Who was Mary, Queen of Scots?

Elizabeth's Catholic cousin and rival

Why did Mary flee to England?

Overthrown by Protestant nobles in Scotland

Why was Mary a threat?

Claim to throne + focus for Catholic plots

What was the Throckmorton Plot (1583)?

Plan to invade England and replace Elizabeth with Mary

What was the Babington Plot (1586)?

Plan to assassinate Elizabeth

What was the Bond of Association?

Anyone involved in plots against Elizabeth would be executed

Why was Mary executed (1587)?

Linked to Babington Plot

Was Mary a serious threat?

Limited—many English Catholics remained loyal

Why were England and Spain enemies?

Religion, Netherlands, privateering, papal support

What was the Treaty of Nonsuch (1585)?

England supported Dutch rebels

What was Drake's Cadiz raid (1587)?

Destroyed Spanish ships, delayed Armada

What was Spain's plan in 1588?

Armada meet Parma → invade England

What was the key weakness of Spain's plan?

Relied on coordination with Parma

What advantage did English ships have?

Faster and more manoeuvrable

What were fire ships used for?

To break Spanish formation at Calais

What happened at the Battle of Gravelines?

English attack damaged the Armada

Why did the Armada fail?

Fire ships, English tactics, weather, poor coordination

What role did weather play?

Storms destroyed ships ("Protestant Wind")

Who led the Spanish Armada?

Duke of Medina Sidonia

Did England destroy Spain completely?

No—Spain remained powerful

What was the impact of the Armada?

Boosted Elizabeth's popularity and Protestantism

What happened after 1588?

War with Spain continued until 1604

What was the English Armada (1589)?

Failed attack on Spain

What happened in 1596?

Successful English raid on Cadiz

What happened in 1601?

Spain supported Irish rebellion (failed)

What is the overall judgement on Catholics?

Limited real threat but harshly treated due to fear and international context