an alliance is a connection or friendship between different countries

a privateer is a person or armed ship allowed by a government to attack and steal from other ships at sea

a fleet is a group of ships sailing together

the navy is the branch of the armed forces which operates at sea

the Spanish Armada was a large group of warships

Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada

History

Elizabeth I and the succession: The Virgin Queen

Elizabeth I and the Church of England

Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots

Elizabeth I's later years

Popular depictions of Elizabeth I

In this unit, pupils saw that England suffered from tensions between Catholics, Puritans and other Protestants after the Reformation. In 'The English Civil War: what can pamphlets tell us about 17th century politics?', students will explain how these various religious divisions contributed to the political and social turbulence experienced in England during the Civil War and Interregnum.

In 'Henry VIII and the Reformation: how unusual was the English Reformation?', pupils studied how Protestantism was able to grow in England during the Reformation. In this unit, students will analyse how the growth of Protestantism generated tensions in England and isolated the country from Europe's great powers.

In this unit, pupils learn about Elizabeth I's reign before examining some popular depictions of her. They build knowledge about her religious, domestic, and foreign policies before considering why she has been represented so differently.

Elizabeth I: why has Elizabeth been represented so differently?

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

good - England was part of the Spanish Empire

good - Spain's king, Philip II, had been married to England's queen, Mary I

neutral - neither country knew a lot about the other one

bad - England had previously invaded and ruled parts of Spain

bad - England and Spain had been at war for years

What was England's relationship like with Spain when Elizabeth became queen in 1558?

he had mocked Philip II's appearance by saying his beard needed a trim

he had attacked Spanish ships and settlements in the Americas

he fought against the Spanish during the Dutch Rebellion

he had raided Spanish settlements on the north coast of Spain

Why did Philip II ask Elizabeth to arrest Francis Drake?

Fill in the missing word: the name given to Dutch ships that were allowed safe harbour in English ports during the Dutch Rebellion was Sea ..........

he had lost his leg fighting against the Dutch and was in constant pain

he got violently seasick whenever he was on a ship

he was hated by all of the other ships' captains

Which of the following was true about the Duke of Medina Sidonia, leader of the Spanish Armada?

massive warships for boarding enemy vessels

underwater battering rams to sink enemy ships

fast and manoeuvrable ships with long-range cannons 

What new tactics did the English navy use to fight the Spanish Armada?

Storms off the coasts of Scotland and Ireland

Which event sunk a large part of the Spanish Armada?

How old was Mary, Queen of Scots when she became queen of Scotland?

What religion did Mary, Queen of Scots follow?

unlike Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth was not Catholic

Elizabeth was illegitimate as she was born from an illegal marriage

Why did many Catholics think that Mary was legally the rightful ruler of England?

they encouraged her to claim her right to England's throne

they demanded that she be married in a Presbyterian ceremony

they forced her and Lord Bothwell to return to France

How did the Scottish lords react to Mary's marriage to Lord Bothwell?

What was the name of the plot to assassinate Elizabeth that definitely involved Mary, Queen of Scots?

She was the most religiously-minded person in England

Why was Mary considered a 'figurehead' for Catholic rebels in England?

Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada

Lesson outcome

Content guidance