What you'll learn
The challenges Elizabeth I faced and how she dealt with them.
Court and government
- Elizabeth's court, key advisers and the problem of the succession.
Religion and plots
- The religious settlement and the Catholic threat.
- Mary, Queen of Scots and the plots (e.g. Babington); her execution (1587).
Foreign affairs
- War with Spain and the defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588).
- Exploration and voyages (Drake, Raleigh) and early colonisation.
Society
- The problem of poverty and the Poor Laws; the 'Golden Age' of theatre.
Exam tips
- For the site study, link features to the historic environment question.
- Give balanced reasons for the Armada's defeat.
Common mistakes
- Crediting the Armada's defeat only to the weather.
- Ignoring the religious threats to Elizabeth.