New
New
Year 2

Elizabeth I - the queen who did not marry

I can explain why people remember Elizabeth and her reign.

New
New
Year 2

Elizabeth I - the queen who did not marry

I can explain why people remember Elizabeth and her reign.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. As queen, Elizabeth I had lots of problems.
  2. England had a powerful enemy, Spain, and arguments over religion had torn the country apart.
  3. Elizabeth's advisors wanted her to have children quickly so that if she died, her children could take over from her.
  4. However, Elizabeth was more concerned with solving England's problems, and never married or had children.
  5. This has led her to be remembered as a queen who put her country before herself.

Keywords

  • Government - a government is a group of leaders who make laws and decisions for a country

  • Debt - a debt is something, especially money, that is owed to someone else

  • Religion - a religion is a set of beliefs and practices

Common misconception

Pupils may think all kings and queens needed to be married.

Elizabeth decided she didn’t want to marry and she proved that she didn’t need to be to be a successful queen.

Look at the different portraits of Queen Elizabeth I and discuss her choice to rule as a woman alone.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Order these rulers of England starting with the first.
1 - Henry VIII
2 - Edward
3 - Mary
4 - Elizabeth I
Q2.
Match these keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:plotting,means to secretly make plans to carry out an illegal or harmful action

means to secretly make plans to carry out an illegal or harmful action

Correct Answer:executed,means someone being killed as a legal punishment

means someone being killed as a legal punishment

Q3.
Mary put Elizabeth in prison for to take her throne.
Correct Answer: plotting
Q4.
Elizabeth was kept in the Tower of London for...
one day.
Correct answer: two months.
one year.
Q5.
How did Elizabeth contact Mary?
She called her.
She spoke to her.
Correct answer: She wrote a letter to her.
Q6.
Elizabeth became the Queen of England when she was....
15
Correct answer: 25
55

6 Questions

Q1.
Elizabeth I faced many problems when she was the queen.
Correct answer: true
false
Q2.
What religion did Elizabeth I follow?
Catholic
Muslim
Correct answer: Protestant
Q3.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:government,a group of leaders who make laws and decisions for a country

a group of leaders who make laws and decisions for a country

Correct Answer:religion,a set of beliefs and practices

a set of beliefs and practices

Correct Answer:debt,something, especially money, that is owed to someone else

something, especially money, that is owed to someone else

Q4.
Elizabeth's government tried to convince her to marry someone.
Correct answer: true
false
Q5.
Elizabeth did not get married because she was focused on solving England's
Correct Answer: problems, issues
Q6.
Many people asked Queen Elizabeth I to marry them.
Correct answer: true
false

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