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Questions and Answers
What was the role of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, in Elizabeth's government?
What was the role of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, in Elizabeth's government?
He was the Queen's most trusted adviser and led the Privy Council.
In Elizabethan society, what was the concept that represented how people ordered the world?
In Elizabethan society, what was the concept that represented how people ordered the world?
The Great Chain of Being
What did Elizabeth use to give power to people who were loyal to her?
What did Elizabeth use to give power to people who were loyal to her?
Patronage
What was the average annual income of the nobility in Elizabethan England?
What was the average annual income of the nobility in Elizabethan England?
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What were the two houses of Parliament responsible for?
What were the two houses of Parliament responsible for?
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What role did members of the Privy Council play in the Elizabethan government?
What role did members of the Privy Council play in the Elizabethan government?
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What was the role of Lord Lieutenants in Elizabeth's government?
What was the role of Lord Lieutenants in Elizabeth's government?
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Who made up the poorest members of Elizabethan society?
Who made up the poorest members of Elizabethan society?
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What was the primary responsibility of Justices of the Peace?
What was the primary responsibility of Justices of the Peace?
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What title might a member of the gentry hold?
What title might a member of the gentry hold?
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What were the main industries that the gentry and peasants depended on in early Elizabethan England?
What were the main industries that the gentry and peasants depended on in early Elizabethan England?
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Why did Elizabeth have to appoint the most powerful landowners to the Privy Council?
Why did Elizabeth have to appoint the most powerful landowners to the Privy Council?
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How many members were appointed to the Privy Council by the Queen?
How many members were appointed to the Privy Council by the Queen?
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How did Elizabeth's education and personality influence her reign?
How did Elizabeth's education and personality influence her reign?
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What was the role of religion in everyday life in early Elizabethan England?
What was the role of religion in everyday life in early Elizabethan England?
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What was the main source of income for the nobility?
What was the main source of income for the nobility?
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Study Notes
Social Structure
- The monarch (Queen) was at the top of the social hierarchy, with non-living things at the bottom
- The structure of Elizabethan society was based on the 'Great Chain of Being', which represented the ordering of the world
Nobility
- Held titles like Duke or Lord, usually passed from father to son
- Owned large amounts of land, providing income through rent
- Were the richest people in England, with an average annual income of £6000 (approximately £1 million today)
- Could hold a role in government
Gentry
- Landlords of the countryside, renting out land and involved in business
- Annual income of up to £200 per year
- Might hold titles like knight or esquire
- Held positions of power, such as Justice of the Peace
Peasants
- Poorest members of society
- Made up of:
- Yeomanry, who owned land or worked as servants to the nobility
- Tenant farmers, who rented land and paid rent to their landlord
- Life was challenging, often without enough food
Government
The Privy Council
- At the centre of the Elizabethan Royal Court
- Consisted of the Queen and 19 influential men appointed by her
- Responsible for the day-to-day running of the country
- Members acted as the Queen's main advisers on important matters
- Members were chosen from the nobility, gentry, and Church
Other Key Government Roles
- Secretary of State led the Privy Council
- Lord Lieutenants: appointed by the Queen to take responsibility for an area of the country
- Settled disputes, raised taxes, and raised an army if asked to do so by the Queen
- Justices of the Peace: selected from the local gentry and appointed to keep law and order
- Had to swear an oath to treat everyone equally
- Could send someone to prison
Life in Early Elizabethan England
- Most people lived in towns or the countryside
- A handful of cities, including London and Norwich, were growing
- Economy was based on the wool, cloth, and wheat trades
- Religion was embedded into people's daily lives
- People of African descent were part of everyday life, working in a range of occupations across England
Elizabeth I
- Well-educated and intelligent
- Studied languages, history, literature, and philosophy
- Self-confident and deeply religious
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Description
Learn about the rigid social hierarchy of Elizabethan England, based on the 'Great Chain of Being', dividing people into nobility, gentry, and peasants.
