Challenges to Elizabeth I at Home, 1569-1588 (Edexcel GCSE History)

Exam Questions

20 mins20 questions
11 mark

Why did the Northern Earls revolt in 1569?

  • They wanted to establish Protestantism in England.

  • They sought to decrease taxes.

  • They wanted to restore Catholicism and support Mary, Queen of Scots.

  • They aimed to support Elizabeth's rule.

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21 mark

Which year did the Ridolfi Plot occur?

  • 1569 

  • 1571 

  • 1583

  • 1586

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31 mark

Who was the Duke of Norfolk supposed to marry as part of the Ridolfi Plot? 

  • Elizabeth I.

  • Catherine of Aragon.

  • Anne Boleyn.

  • Mary, Queen of Scots.

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41 mark

Who uncovered the Babington Plot? 

  • Sir William Cecil.

  • Sir Francis Walsingham.

  • Robert Dudley.

  • Sir Francis Drake.

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51 mark

What did the Papal Bull of 1570 call for?

  • Elizabeth's excommunication.

  • Increased taxes for English Catholics.

  • Elizabeth's acceptance of Philip II as King of England.

  • The Pope to create plots to overthrow Elizabeth.

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61 mark

What role did government spies play in Elizabethan England?

  • They collected taxes from English Catholics.

  • They worked against Elizabeth to spread Catholicism.

  • They uncovered plots against Elizabeth.

  • They spoke with Spain to organise an invasion of England.

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71 mark

Who was appointed as the Bishop of Durham in 1561?

  • Thomas Cranmer.

  • James Pilkington.

  • Sir William Cecil.

  • Robert Dudley.

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81 mark

How many rebels did Elizabeth execute following the Northern Earls' revolt? 

  • 100.

  • 200.

  • 450.

  • 600.

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91 mark

Which country gave military support to the Throckmorton Plot?

  • France.

  • Spain.

  • Scotland.

  • The Netherlands.

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101 mark

When was Mary, Queen of Scots executed?

  • June 1572.

  • November 1583.

  • July 1586.

  • February 1587.

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11 mark

What was the consequence of the Revolt of the Northern Earls for the leaders?

  • Elizabeth pardoned the earls as they admitted that they were wrong for the rebellion.

  • Elizabeth respected the power of the earls. She restored their influence in the royal court.

  • Northumberland was executed and Westmorland fled.

  • Northumberland was exiled to France and Westmorland was executed.

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21 mark

What did Elizabeth do in 1571 to address the threat of Catholic plots?

  • She exiled all Catholics.

  • She passed an Act of Parliament to widen the definition of treason.

  • She executed Mary, Queen of Scots.

  • She married a Catholic prince.

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31 mark

What was a significant short-term consequence of the Northern Earls' revolt?

  • The Pope excommunicated Elizabeth.

  • Elizabeth married Philip II of Spain.

  • England adopted Catholicism.

  • Northumberland and Westmorland gained power.

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41 mark

What caused the 1581 laws against Catholics?

  • The Throckmorton Plot.

  • The increased risk of Catholicism.

  • The execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.

  • The Spanish Armada.

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51 mark

What was a long-term consequence of the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots?

  • English Catholics continued to rebel against Elizabeth’s reign.

  • Elizabeth imprisoned William Davidson for 18 months in the Tower of London.

  • The threat of Catholic plots ended after the death of Mary.

  • Mary bestowed her claim to the English throne onto Philip II of Spain. He has more motivation to invade England.

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11 mark

Why did Elizabeth decide to execute Mary, Queen of Scots by 1587?

  • Elizabeth had heard rumours that Scotland was helping Mary to escape imprisonment. She could not allow this to happen.

  • Elizabeth’s government had passed The Preservation of the Queen’s Safety in 1585. This meant that Elizabeth could legally put Mary on trial and punish her.

  • Mary had given birth to a son in 1587. Mary now had an heir who threatened Elizabeth’s legitimacy as queen.

  • Sir William Cecil had gathered a significant amount of evidence by 1587. He had proven to Elizabeth that Mary was actively planning to depose her.

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21 mark

How important was Sir Francis Walsingham to Elizabethan England?

  • Walsingham is not important to Elizabethan England. Walsingham became softer on Catholics than Elizabeth wanted which made her vulnerable to Catholic plots.

  • Walsingham had some importance to Elizabethan England. Walsingham created a small but efficient spy network that uncovered plots after they had been widely communicated.

  • Walsingham was vital to Elizabethan England. Walsingham’s circumnavigation of the globe and privateering increased England’s global reputation.

  • Walsingham was vital to Elizabethan England. Walsingham’s network provided the government with enough evidence to bring about Mary’s execution and the end of Catholic plots against Elizabeth.

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31 mark

How significant was the Babington Plot?

  • The Babington Plot was insignificant. Walsingham had easily uncovered the plan before it became a threat to Elizabeth. It did not impact how Elizabeth treated Mary, Queen of Scots.

  • The Babington Plot was significant. Walsingham recruited Babington into the spy network as a double agent. This allowed Walsingham to uncover and punish more Catholic plots against Elizabeth.

  • The Babington Plot was significant. In September 1586, Elizabeth moved Mary to Carlisle Castle so she was further away from London. This would make her less of a threat to Elizabeth’s safety.

  • The Babington Plot was significant. The Privy Council put Mary on trial and found her guilty of treason. There was enough evidence to convince Elizabeth to execute Mary.

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41 mark

What was similar between the Ridolfi Plot (1571) and the Throckmorton Plot (1583)?

  • Mary, Queen of Scots would overthrow Elizabeth and become Queen of England.

  • Spain would give financial support to the plotters.

  • The French Duke of Guise was asked to invade England.

  • Mary, Queen of Scots was to marry the Duke of Norfolk.

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51 mark

What was different between the The Revolt of the Northern Earls (1569) and the Babington Plot (1586)?

  • The Revolt of the Northern Earls had lower-class support whereas the Babington Plot only had the support of the aristocracy.

  • The main reason for the Babington Plot was the fact that Elizabeth had not named an heir whereas the Revolt of the Northern Earls wanted to restore the prestige of older, Catholic nobles.

  • The Revolt of the Northern Earls was discovered by Robert Dudley. The Babington Plot was discovered by Elizabeth’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham.

  • The Babington Plot succeeded in its aims whereas the Revolt of the Northern Earls failed.

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