Instructions
Read the information carefully and complete the activities below. Think about the challenges Queen Elizabeth I faced and how she tried to solve them. Good luck!
The Religious Rollercoaster
When Elizabeth I became queen in 1558, England was deeply divided over religion. Her father, Henry VIII, had broken away from the Catholic Church to create the Church of England. Her half-brother, Edward VI, made the church very Protestant. Then, her half-sister, Mary I, tried to force everyone to be Catholic again, even burning Protestants for their beliefs. Elizabeth knew she had to find a way to stop the fighting. Her solution was a compromise called the Religious Settlement of 1559, which aimed to create a "middle way" that most people could accept.
Activity 1: Key Terms Match-Up
Draw a line to match the key term on the left with its correct definition on the right.
| 1. Act of Supremacy | A. A very strict Protestant who wanted to remove all Catholic elements from the church. |
| 2. Act of Uniformity | B. A Christian who follows the authority of the Pope in Rome. |
| 3. Protestant | C. This law made Elizabeth the 'Supreme Governor' of the Church of England, not the Pope. |
| 4. Catholic | D. A person, usually a Catholic, who refused to attend the new Church of England services. |
| 5. Puritan | E. A Christian who 'protested' against the practices of the Catholic Church. |
| 6. Recusant | F. This law established a single Book of Common Prayer and set the rules for how all church services should be conducted. |
Activity 2: The 'Middle Way'
Elizabeth's new Church of England included things to please both Protestants and Catholics. Read the features below and place them in the correct column in the table. Which group would have been pleased by each feature?
- • The Bible was written in English.
- • Priests could get married.
- • Churches could have some decorations and ornaments.
- • The monarch was the head of the church, not the Pope.
- • Priests had to wear special robes (vestments).
- • Bishops were kept to help run the church.
| Features to Please Protestants | Features to Please Catholics |
|---|---|
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|
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Activity 3: Who Was Unhappy?
Despite Elizabeth's efforts, some people were still very unhappy. Read the two fictional quotes below, written from the perspective of people living in Elizabethan England.
Quote A - From a Puritan: "The Queen calls this a settlement? It is a compromise with evil! The churches still have stained glass windows, priests wear fancy robes like Catholic actors, and the prayer book is just the old Catholic service in English! We must purify this church of all its popish remnants!"
Quote B - From a Recusant Catholic: "To accept the Queen as head of the Church is to deny God. The Pope in Rome is Christ's chosen leader on Earth. I will not attend this false service, even if they fine me every week. My family and I will hear the true Mass in secret, led by a brave priest loyal to Rome."
- Based on Quote A, list two things that angered the Puritans about the Religious Settlement.
- Based on Quote B, what was the main reason Catholics refused to accept the Religious Settlement?
Activity 4: Think Like a Historian
Elizabeth I famously said that she had no desire to "make windows into men's souls."
What do you think she meant by this statement? Why was this a clever way to rule a country with such strong religious disagreements?
Answer Key
Activity 1: Key Terms Match-Up
- 1. Act of Supremacy → C. This law made Elizabeth the 'Supreme Governor' of the Church of England, not the Pope.
- 2. Act of Uniformity → F. This law established a single Book of Common Prayer and set the rules for how all church services should be conducted.
- 3. Protestant → E. A Christian who 'protested' against the practices of the Catholic Church.
- 4. Catholic → B. A Christian who follows the authority of the Pope in Rome.
- 5. Puritan → A. A very strict Protestant who wanted to remove all Catholic elements from the church.
- 6. Recusant → D. A person, usually a Catholic, who refused to attend the new Church of England services.
Activity 2: The 'Middle Way'
| Features to Please Protestants | Features to Please Catholics |
|---|---|
|
|
Activity 3: Who Was Unhappy?
- Two things that angered Puritans were: churches still had decorations (like stained glass windows), priests wore special robes (vestments), and the prayer book felt too Catholic. (Any two of these are correct).
- The main reason Catholics refused to accept the settlement was that they believed the Pope, not the monarch, was the rightful head of the Church.
Activity 4: Think Like a Historian
Example Answer: When Elizabeth said she did not want to "make windows into men's souls," she meant that she didn't want to punish people for their private, personal beliefs. She was more concerned with their outward actions. As long as people attended the Church of England services and appeared loyal to her, she was not going to investigate what they truly believed in their hearts and minds.
This was a clever approach because it avoided creating martyrs (like Mary I had done by burning Protestants). It allowed people to feel they had some religious freedom, even if it was limited. This made them less likely to rebel and helped bring peace and stability to England after years of religious conflict.