Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Elizabethan Society & Government-1558 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
What was England like in 1558? - Summary
Elizabeth Tudor became Queen of England in November 1558. Her coronation occurred in January 1559. When Elizabeth became queen, life in England was turbulent. Religion remained a key issue in England. England's official religion had changed constantly since Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII. The people feared that the monarch would burn them to death for their religious beliefs. It also caused a significant divide within England about what was the 'true' religion of the country.
Tudor England was a violent place to live. There was no national police or army in the 16th century. When Elizabeth became queen, a clear hierarchy of rich to poor structured England's population. This hierarchical structure of society is called the feudal system. This helped to maintain law and order within the countryside and towns.
A monarch in the 16th century held more power than monarchs in the 21st century. An organised system of government existed in England. Similar to modern times, parliament contained the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Elizabeth held the right to open and close parliament whenever she wished. Her government could advise but Elizabeth held the ultimate decision-making power in England.
What did Society Look Like in 1558?
People in Elizabethan England had a very clear understanding of their place within society
The hierarchy of Elizabethan England
Why was the hierarchy of society important?
The system depended on giving and receiving
Those at the bottom of the hierarchy respected those at the top
The richer people in society needed the workers' services. They paid the workers
It enforced law and order
There were many more people at the bottom of the hierarchy than at the top
The people at the top needed to use their power and influence to maintain law and order
Over 90% of the population lived in the countryside
This was furthest away from the monarch's influence. The monarch depended upon the hierarchy in the countryside to maintain control over the masses
Elizabethans worried about the people at the bottom of society
Vagrants had no employer, which meant they were not a worker
They did not own land or a business, which meant they were not a yeoman or a craftsman
The hierarchy affected Elizabethan beliefs
People in the 16th century did not believe in social mobility or equality
Elizabethans ran their households in the same hierarchical model to ensure authority and obedience
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, two marks are given to you for:
Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic
Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the structure of Elizabethan society in 1558
2 marks
Answers:
One feature of the structure of Elizabethan society in 1558 was the gentry (1). The gentry were large landowners and included members of the clergy. They were just under the nobility in the Elizabethan hierarchy (1).
Elizabethan Government
The government in Elizabethan times had some similarities to our modern government
Each section of government had responsibility over certain areas of running the country
The table below explains the structure of Elizabeth's government:
Roles and responsibilities in Elizabeth's government
Area of government | Who worked here? | What role did they have? | Where were they based? |
|---|---|---|---|
Privy Council | Elizabeth chose roughly 19 members. They were her closest nobles, courtiers and members of parliament | They met with the monarch three times a week to:
| The Privy Council lived and worked in the royal court |
Parliament | The House of Lords contained nobles and bishops chosen by the monarch. The House of Commons were nobility and gentry chosen by election. Very few people in Elizabethan England could vote | Parliament held some important powers:
| Parliament met in either the House of Lords or the House of Commons in London. Elizabeth could open and close parliament as she wished. Elizabeth opened parliament ten times over the course of her reign |
Court | Members of nobility who the monarch invited. People who attended the court were called courtiers. The court also included the monarch's closest friends and servants | The roles of courtiers were:
| Members of the court lived and worked inside or near the royal palace |
Lord Lieutenant | The queen chose members of the nobility to become Lord Lieutenants. They usually also worked in the Privy Council | Lord Lieutenants held essential powers in protecting the monarchy:
| Lord Lieutenants lived in the county they worked in |
Justices of the Peace | Large landowners chosen by Lord Lieutenants. It was an unpaid, voluntary position. Justices of the Peace held a lot of status and power | Justices of the Peace played a vital role in keeping law and order:
| Justices of the Peace lived in the county they worked in |
The Role of the Monarch
The queen had the power to:
Declare war and sign treaties
Open and close parliament
Pass or reject laws
Become a judge in particularly important or challenging legal cases
Bestow land, titles, positions of authority and money to people she considered worthy
People in Elizabethan times believed in the Divine Rights of Kings
This is the belief that God chose the monarch to rule
Divine Rights gave the monarch ultimate power
The Privy Council and parliament could advise the monarch. The monarch reserved the right to ignore their subjects' advice and make their own decisions
Her government could not disagree with Elizabeth's decision-making. The queen would believe that questioning her would be the same as questioning God
The monarch used their ultimate power to choose who should hold the most important positions in Elizabethan England
This system is called patronage
Patronage meant the queen had the right to give land or titles to those she trusted
In response, the person pledged their loyalty to the queen
If Elizabeth disagreed with a person's actions, she could take away the title or land she gave
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Students struggle to understand the concept of patronage. Patronage was an important system in 16th-century England. Wealthy people could offer patronage to less fortunate people. This could include giving responsibilities or money to people they deem worthy. Due to the hierarchy of England, all power and wealth ultimately stemmed from Elizabeth. As a result, Elizabeth was the most powerful patron in England.
The Role of the Secretary of State
The Secretary of State was the most important position in Elizabeth's government
Elizabeth chose her Secretary of State from the Privy Council
The Secretary of State had responsibilities for:
Advising the queen on all key decisions
Ensuring the queen was safe from plots against her life
Monitoring Elizabeth's government
From 1558 to 1588, Elizabeth had two secretaries of state
Sir William Cecil was Secretary of State from 1558 to 1573. Elizabeth gave Cecil the title of Lord Burghley
Elizabeth chose Sir Francis Walsingham as Secretary of State from 1573 to 1590
The Relationship Between the Monarch and Parliament
The monarch needed to maintain a good relationship with parliament
The diagram below explains the responsibilities of parliament and the monarch in 16th-century England:
The powers of the monarch and parliament in Elizabethan England
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