Depth studies · Both
The Elizabethan Age – Key Issues
Elizabeth I’s reign is a popular depth study. Focus on problems and policies, not only famous events.
Central issues
• **Religion** – Middle Way settlement; Catholic and Puritan challenges
• **Mary Queen of Scots** and plots
• **Spanish Armada** (1588) – causes and consequences
• **Poverty and vagrancy** – Poor Laws, attitudes to the ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ poor
• Culture and exploration vs hardship for many
Golden Age?
Judgement question: for whom?
Prosperity and culture for some; poverty, persecution and war pressures for others. Use evidence on both sides.
Practice questions
1. What was Elizabeth’s religious approach often called?
2. Why is ‘Golden Age’ debated?