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EnglandHistory

Elizabethan England 1568 to 1603

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How did Elizabeth I establish her court, government and authority?

Elizabeth's character and accession, the structure of her court and government, the role of patronage and key ministers, and the question of marriage and the succession.
A focused answer to the court and government section of AQA's Elizabethan England depth study, covering Elizabeth's character and accession, the structure of court and government, the role of patronage and ministers such as Cecil, and the problems of marriage and the succession.
12 min answer →

What was daily life like for rich and poor in Elizabethan England?

The Elizabethan social hierarchy, the problem of poverty and the Poor Laws, the golden age of culture and theatre, and the voyages of exploration and the New World.
A focused answer to the daily life section of AQA's Elizabethan England depth study, covering the social hierarchy, the rise of poverty and the 1601 Poor Law, the golden age of theatre and culture, and the voyages of exploration including Drake and Raleigh.
12 min answer →

How do you answer the Elizabethan historic environment question?

The nature of the historic environment study, how the named site links to wider Elizabethan themes, and how to answer the 16-mark site-based essay.
A focused answer to the AQA Elizabethan England historic environment question, covering what the historic environment study is, how the named site (which changes each year) links to wider Elizabethan themes, and how to plan and write the 16-mark site-based essay.
10 min answer →

What threats did Elizabeth face at home and abroad, and how did she survive them?

The religious settlement and the Catholic threat, the problem of Mary Queen of Scots and the plots, the deterioration with Spain and the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
A focused answer to the threats section of AQA's Elizabethan England depth study, covering the religious settlement and the Catholic threat, Mary Queen of Scots and the plots against Elizabeth, the worsening relations with Spain, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
13 min answer →