Thomas Cromwell and the Reformation Parliament
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the power of the king changed due to the Reformation Parliament.
Key learning points
- Thomas Cromwell was an important minister who helped Henry VIII increase his power.
- Cranmer used theological ideas to argue for the annulment of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
- The Reformation Parliament (1529-1536) radically changed the powers of the monarchy.
- The 1534 Act of Supremacy made Henry the 'Supreme Head of the Church of England'.
- Henry had to rely on Parliament for the Break with Rome.
Keywords
Parliament - representatives from across the country who advise the king, approve taxes and make laws
Act - a written law passed by Parliament
Supreme - the highest in rank or authority
Common misconception
There has always been a large variety of names that people could be called.
In societies that do not experience a great deal of immigration, the pool of names that people can be called can be limited. This was the case for hundreds of years in England, causing many people to share the same names (e.g. Thomas!).
Teacher tip
Encourage students to create a list of key individuals that they can refer to if they get confused by too many people sharing the same name.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why was it surprising that Henry VIII became King of England in 1509?
Q2.Who did Henry VIII marry in 1509?
Q3.Who had the task of securing Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon?
Q4.Why was Thomas Wolsey described as the ‘alter rex’ (‘the other king’)?
Q5.Complete the sentence: Henry grew increasingly concerned during his marriage to Catherine of Aragon that his death would lead to a period of instability unless a male could be produced.
Q6.Put the following events in chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keyword with the correct definition.
a written law passed by Parliament
the highest in rank or authority
representatives who advise the king, approve taxes and make laws
Q2.Complete the sentence: Thomas used theological ideas to argue for the annulment of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
Q3.Complete the sentence: The 1534 Act of Supremacy made Henry the ' Head of the Church of England'.
Q4.Which Thomas retired from his position as Lord Chancellor in 1532 due to his loyalty to the Catholic Church?
Q5.Which Thomas was very good at manipulating Parliament into voting for acts that increased Henry’s power through emotive speeches and appointing candidates who were favourable to Henry's reforms?
Q6.How did the Submission of the Clergy (1532) effectively remove the power of the pope in England?
To help you plan your 8 history lesson on: Thomas Cromwell and the Reformation Parliament, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 history lesson on: Thomas Cromwell and the Reformation Parliament, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the Henry VIII and the Reformation: how unusual was the English Reformation? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.