The English Renaissance! YAY!Oh yeah,

1485-1625

The English Renaissance! YAY!Oh yeah,

1485-1625

Names and Terms to Know

✦ Renaissance Mary Stewart

✦ Martin Luther Puritans

✦ War of the Roses Elizabethan Age

✦ Henry VIII

✦ Elizabeth I

✦ James I

The English Renaissance

✦ During the Renaissance, scholars reacted against the “dark ages” of medieval Europe, reviving the learning of ancient Greece and Rome. They thought they were bringing about a rebirth of civilization.

Age of Exploration✦ This thirst for knowledge prompted exploration

by sea. (They were helped by the invention of the compass and telescope. Thank you, Galileo!) Their high point came when Columbus reached the Western Hemisphere in 1492.

Religion✦ During this time, the

people began to question the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. (Some felt they were corrupt, others questioned the teachings and hierarchy.)

✦ Let’s stop here and look at the last paragraph on page 228, shall we?

The Tudors✦ After the War of the Roses (a family feud that ended the reign of the Plantegenets), the Tudor dynasty was formed. Monarchs assured stability by increasing their own power and undercutting the strength of the nobles. This may not sound so super, but...

✦ This dramatically changed England’s religious practices and helped transform the country from a small island nation to one of the world’s greatest powers.

Numero Uno✦ Our first Tudor ruler

was Henry VII. He was succeeded by his son, Henry VIII. They were both Catholic, and Henry VIII even wrote a book against Martin Luther, for which the Pope granted him the title, “Defender of the Faith.”

A Little about our boy Henry...

✦ Relationship with Pope went sour

✦ His first wife, Catherine, didn’t have a son, so old Henry wanted an annulment in order to marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope said no, but Henry did it anyway. This defiance led to a break with the Catholic Church.

✦ Henry seized the properties of the Church and dissolved the monasteries!

Henry loses it...✦ Henry has his friend and leading

advisor, Thomas More, executed because More refused to renounce his Catholic faith.

✦ Henry ended up marrying a total of six times. His first two marriages produced two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. His third wife had a son named Edward.

Edward VI✦ Edward became king at the age of nine.

Although he died at the age of 15, there were many parliamentary acts that dramatically changed the nations religious practices during his reign. For instance:

✦ English replaced Latin in church rituals.

✦ The Book of Common Prayer became required in public worship

✦ Because of this, the nation was well on its way to becoming a Protestant nation. Until...

BLOODY MARY!✦ Mary initiated the return of Catholicism

✦ She restored the authority of the Pope over the English Church

✦ She ordered the execution of about 300 Protestants, which earned her the nickname, you guessed it, “Bloody Mary”.

✦ This served to only strengthen anti-Catholic feelings in England

Elizabeth I✦ When Mary died after a five-year stint,

her half sister, Elizabeth, took over.

✦ She had received a Renaissance education, and was a great patron of the arts.

✦ She put an end to religious turmoil by reestablishing the monarch’s control over the Church of England.

More…✦ She encouraged Catholics and

Protestants to compromise.

✦ Her one problem was her Catholic cousin, Mary, who was Queen of Scotland by birth, and next in line to the throne of England.

✦ Long story short, after Mary plots against Elizabeth several times, Parliament eventually orders her beheaded! Yikes!