Elizabethan England in 1558: Society and Government

Key points on Elizabeth’s background

.Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

.When she was very young, her mother was executed

.She was well educated and was very intelligent; spoke multiple languages

.Raised as a Protestant

.Was made illegitimate when Henry VIII executed his second wife but this reversed before he died

.Her half siblings are Edward VI - who was a Protestant and Mary I, who was a Catholic. Elizabeth reigned after Mary I who reigned after Edward VI

.Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

.When she was very young, her mother was executed

.She was well educated and was very intelligent; spoke multiple languages

.Raised as a Protestant

.Was made illegitimate when Henry VIII executed his second wife but this reversed before he died

.Her half siblings are Edward VI - who was a Protestant and Mary I, who was a Catholic. Elizabeth reigned after Mary I who reigned after Edward VI

Key points on Elizabeth’s background

Social Hierarchy of Elizabethan England

Social Hierarchy of towns in Elizabethan England

Who had the most power in society?

The Monarch

The Monarch…

Had the most power in society

Social Mobility

To be able to move between classes

To be able to move between classes

Social Mobility

What did power and influence depend on in society?

How much land you owned and where you were in the hierarchy

How much land you owned and where you were in the hierarchy…

Depended on power and influence

Who ran the local government?

The Gentry

The Gentry..

Ran the local government

Who owned a small amount of land or estate?

The Yeomen

The Yeomen

Owned a small amount of land or estate

Who farmed rented land that usually was owned by the Yeomen or Gentry?

The Tenant Farmers

The Tenant Farmers..

Farmed rented land that was usually owned by the Yeomen or the Gentry

How many families were there in the Monarch, Nobility, Gentry, Tenant Farmers and every other class

.Monarch: 1 family

.Nobility: About 50 families

.Gentry: About 10,000 families

.Tenant Farmers: About 100,000 families

.Landless or Labouring Poor, Unskilled workers (and) the unemployed and Skilled craftsmen (pretty much everyone else): About 500,000 families

What classes had respect and obedience to?

They had respect and obedience to the class above them

A class above another..

Would receive respect from the class below them

What classes had a duty of of care to

They had a duty of care to the class below them

A class below another..

Would receive care from the class above them

Key features of the Monarch

.Can declare war and make peace

.Call and dismiss Parliament, and agree and disagree on any laws they had voted for

.Are able to grant titles, land, money and jobs

Key features of which group of people?

.Can declare war and make peace

.Call and dismiss Parliament, and agree and disagree on any laws they had voted for

.Are able to grant titles, land, money and jobs

The Monarch

Key features of the Court (Courtiers)

.Lived in or around the same palace or house as the Monarch

.Made up of members in the Nobility (key servants, advisers or friends of the Monarch)

.Needed the Monarch’s permission to attend court

Key features of which group of people?

.Lived in or around the same palace or house as the Monarch

.Made up of members in the Nobility (key servants, advisers or friends of the Monarch)

.Needed the Monarch’s permission to attend court

The Court (Courtiers)

Role(s) of the Court (Courtiers)

.To entertain and advise the monarch

.Display their wealth and power by influence

Role(s) for which group of people?

.To entertain and advise the monarch

.Display their wealth and power by influence

The Court (Courtiers)

Key features of the Secretary of State

.Advise the monarch on matters important to the Crown

Key features of which group of people?

.Advise the monarch on matters important to the Crown

The Secretary of State

Key features of the Privy Council

.Made up of the leading courtiers and advisers

.Approximately 19 people in the council were chosen by the monarch

.Members meet up three times a week in meetings that were usually held by the Monarch

Key Features of which group of people?

.Made up of the leading courtiers and advisers

.Approximately 19 people in the council were chosen by the monarch

.Members met up three times a week in meetings that were usually held by the Monarch

The Privy Council

Role(s) of the Privy Council

.To debate current issues

.To carry out the Monarch’s final decision

.Oversee law and order

Role(s) for which group of people?

.To debate current issues

.To carry out the Monarch’s final decision

.Oversee law and order

The Privy Council

Key features of Parliament

.Made up with the House of Commons and the House of Lords

.Can be called and dismissed by the Monarch

.Few people could vote in elections that were held before each new government

Key Features of which group of people?

.Made up with the House of Commons and the House of Lords

.Can be called and dismissed by the Monarch

.Few people could vote in elections that were held before each new government

Parliament

Role(s) of Parliament

.To grant extraordinary taxation (e.g. for war)

.To pass laws

.Offer advice to the Monarch

Role(s) for which group of people?

.To grant extraordinary taxation (e.g. for war)

.To pass laws

.Offer advice to the Monarch

Parliament

Key features of the Lord Lieutenant

.Had members of the Nobility and often were also in the Privy Council

.Maintains the Monarch’s power and England’s defences

Key Features of which group of people?

.Had members of the Nobility and often were also in the Privy Council

.Maintains the Monarch’s power and England’s defences

Lord Lieutenant

Role(s) of the Lord Lieutenant

.To take charge and train the local militia

.Overseas the country’s defences

Role(s) for which group of people?

.To take charge and train the local militia

.Overseas the country’s defences

Lord Lieutenant

Key features of the Justice of Peace (JPs)

.Were large landowners who kept law and order in local areas

.Were unpaid

.Reported to the Privy Council

.Was a position of status- so was a popular job

Key Features of which group of people?

.Were large landowners who kept law and order in local areas

.Were not paid

.Reported to the Privy Council

.Was a position of status- so was a popular job

Justice of the Peace (JP’s)

Role(s) of the Justice of the Peace

.To make sure that all social and economic policies were carried out

.Heard county court cases every three months for more serious crimes

Role(s) for which group of people?

.To make sure that all social and economic policies were carried out

.Heard county court cases every three months for more serious crimes

Justice of the Peace (JP’s)