GCSEHistoryEdexcelBritish Depth Study (Paper 2, Booklet B)Exam QuestionsEarly Elizabethan England, 1558–88Elizabethan Society, 1558-1588

Elizabethan Society, 1558-1588 (Edexcel GCSE History: British Depth Study (Paper 2, Booklet B)): Exam Questions

Exam code: 1HI0

20 mins20 questions
Easy
Medium
Hard
1
1 mark

What was the main aim of the Elizabethan Poor Laws passed in 1563-1576?

  • To fund public education.

  • To enforce religious conformity.

  • To improve better aid for unemployed Elizabethans.

  • To promote exploration.

Choose your answer

2
1 mark

In which years did Sir Francis Drake circumnavigate the globe, bringing new ideas to England?

  • 1560-1563.

  • 1577-1580.

  • 1585-1588.

  • 1600-1603.

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3
1 mark

How many new grammar schools were opened in the 1560s during Elizabeth's reign?

  • 20.

  • 42.

  • 50.

  • 60.

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4
1 mark

Which of the following was not a subject taught to boys at grammar schools in Elizabethan England?

  • Latin.

  • Greek.

  • Philosophy.

  • Cooking.

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5
1 mark

Which of these sports was exclusive to the Elizabethan nobility?

  • Wrestling.

  • Football.

  • Real Tennis.

  • Swimming.

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6
1 mark

What is enclosure?

  • The practice of placing fences around all the fields in the village.

  • A person who wanders from place to place without a home or job.

  • The fleet that Spain sent to invade England.

  • The name for Catholics who refused to attend Church of England services.

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7
1 mark

What was a subject taught in Petty Schools?

  • Latin.

  • Greek.

  • Horse riding.

  •  Basic Arithmetic.

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8
1 mark

Which social class was most impacted by the limitations of the Elizabethan education system?

  • The nobility.

  • The ‘Middling Sorts’.

  • Merchants and Craftsmen.

  • Poor and Working Class.

Choose your answer

9
1 mark

What year was the Vagabonds Act created?

  • 1563 

  • 1572

  • 1576 

  • 1588

Choose your answer

10
1 mark

Which of the following leisure activities was enjoyed by both the upper and working classes in Elizabethan England?

  • Hunting.

  • Fencing.

  • Real Tennis.

  • Chess.

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1
1 mark

Why were girls generally excluded from attending grammar schools in Elizabethan England?

  • They were expected to become scholars.

  • They were educated at home for domestic roles.

  • They were only allowed to be educated in Petty Schools.

  • They were too expensive for their families.

Choose your answer

2
1 mark

What was the main cause of increasing poverty during Elizabeth’s reign?

  •  The Spanish Armada.

  • Food shortages and land demand.

  • The Reformation.

  • Exploration in the Americas.

Choose your answer

3
1 mark

What was Elizabethan society’s attitude towards the poor?

  • Many Elizabethans were experiencing poverty. They understood that poverty was not the fault of the person. They provided charity for the poor.

  • People had no respect for anyone poor. They did not believe that it was their responsibility to help people out of poverty.

  • Whilst many Elizabethans did not like the poor, they did not believe in punishing them through whipping and imprisonment.

  • Elizabethans classified the poor into ‘Deserving Poor’ and ‘Idle Poor.’ The public thought that there were too many ‘Idle Poor’ in towns and villages.

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4
1 mark

What caused attempts during Elizabethan times to colonise Virginia?

  • Privateers began to claim land in the Americas without Elizabeth’s knowledge or permission.

  • England wanted to rival Spain's supremacy in the Americas. An English colony in the Americas would increase England's trade and influence with the Indigenous people.

  • Due to enclosure, Elizabethans wanted land in the Americas to grow similar crops that they could grow in England. This would allow them to trade with people back in England.

  • Elizabethans wanted colonies in the Americas so they could attack Spain from there. This would allow them to have more power over Spain.

Choose your answer

5
1 mark

What was similar between Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake?

  • Raleigh and Drake helped to uncover and prevent Catholic plots.

  • Raleigh and Drake implemented the Religious Settlement.

  • Raleigh and Drake created the Poor Laws.

  • Raleigh and Drake were privateers and explorers.

Choose your answer

1
1 mark

What was significant about Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the world?

  • Drake claimed New Albion as territory for Elizabeth. This encouraged more exploration as Elizabeth wanted her explorers to claim land not owned by another Christian leader.

  • Drake’s journey was incredibly dangerous as he arrived back with only the Golden Hind. This discouraged other explorers from undertaking any more expeditions.

  • Drake’s achievements impressed Philip II of Spain. This eased Anglo-Spanish tensions as Philip respected and feared England’s power.

  • Drake’s achievements damaged his reputation. He had lost lots of money from his sponsors because he only returned with his ship, the Golden Hind.

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2
1 mark

What changed about ship design in Elizabethan times?

  • Galleons were smaller than previous trading ships. This made them faster on their longer voyages to the Americas.

  • 16th-century galleons had a higher bow and stern than in previous designs. This improved the galleon's stability in stormy conditions.

  • Elizabethans started to use square and triangular (or Lateen) sails. Square sails improved speed and triangular sails improved the ability to manoeuvre the ship.

  • Designers placed cannons in the centre of the galleon. This allowed sailors to protect themselves better from pirates or Spanish privateers.

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3
1 mark

How much had education changed during Elizabeth’s reign?

  • Education changed a lot. In particular, education for women improved dramatically in Elizabethan England.

  • Education changed a lot. In particular, more and more of the lower classes received formal education.

  • Education experienced some change. 30% of all men were literate by 1603. This had increased from 20% in the 1530s.

  • Education experienced no change. There were no improvements in the education of men and women during this period.

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4
1 mark

How did the Poor Laws affect poverty in Elizabethan England?

  • The Poor Laws had a significant impact on poverty. The laws dealt with the causes of poverty which reduced the number of unemployed people in Elizabethan England.

  • The Poor Laws had some impact on the attitudes towards the poor. The Poor Laws provided the unemployed with a way to work out of poverty with independence and pride.

  • The Poor Laws had some impact on the attitudes towards the poor. People were less scared of vagrants which improved how they were treated in society.

  • The Poor Laws had no impact on the issue of poverty. More vagrants received punishment than before, pushing the unemployed further out of society

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5
1 mark

Why did the Virginia Colony fail in 1585-1586?

  • The colonists did not have the right balance of skills and experience. They had too many farmers and not enough craftsmen. They could not make the items needed to survive.

  • The English arrived too late to plant crafts. They relied on the Algonquians for food. This created resentment between the colonists and the Indigenous people.

  • Different classes of colonists worked well together. However, there were just not enough resources to make the colony in Virginia work.

  • The Golden Hind became damaged on their voyage to America. Seawater ruined the colonists’ food supplies and crops.

Choose your answer