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History (Early Elizabethan England, 1558-88 (Challenges to Elizabeth at…

- - - - Virgin Queen: character and strengths
      - Challenges at home: financial weaknesses
      - Virgin Queen: legitimacy, gender and marriage
      - Challenges abroad: France, Scotland and Spain
      - Society on Elizabeth's accession
        
        Elizabethan society was very rigid, based on inequality and a social hierarchy or structure where everyone knew their place.
        
        The social hierarchy of the countryside
        
        homeless and vagrants - landless and laboring poor - tenant farmers - yeomen farmers - gentry - nobility
        
        90% of the population of Elizabethan England lived in the countryside.
        
        The social hierarchy of towns
        
        unemployed - craftsmen - business owners - professionals - merchants
        
        10% of the population of Elizabethan England lived in towns.
        
        Obedience and care - Wherever you were in Elizabethan society, you owed respect and obedience to those above you and had a duty of care to those below. Landowners ran their estates according to these ideas. Ideally they would take care of their tenants, especially during times of hardship. Households were run along similar lines to society. The husband was head of the household. His wife, children and any servants were expected to be obedient to him.
      - Government on Elizabeth's accession
        
        Elizabeth's government had many different features and involved the court, the privy council, parliament, lord lieutenants and justices of the peace.
        
        The court - made up of noblemen who acted as the monarch's advisers and friends. They advised the monarch and helped display her wealth and power. Members of the court could also be members of the privy council.
        
        The privy council - members of the nobility who helped govern the country. They monitored parliament, justices of the peace and oversaw law and order and the security of the country.
        
        Parliament - advised Elizabeth's government, made up of the house of lords and the house of commons. The house of lords was made up of noblemen and bishops. The house of commons was elected, though very few could vote. Parliament passed laws and approved taxes.
        
        Justices of the peace - Large landowners; appointed by government, who kept law and order locally and heard court cases.
        
        Lord Lieutenants - noblemen, appointed by government, who governed English counties and raised local militia.