Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The English Reformation (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
The Importance of the English Reformation - Summary
There were multiple reasons why England became Protestant in 1532. These are:
Henry VIII died in 1547. Elizabeth’s siblings reacted strongly to the English Reformation. Elizabeth’s half-brother Edward received a Protestant upbringing. Edward’s policies strengthened Protestantism in England. Elizabeth’s half-sister Mary changed England back to a Catholic country in 1553. She gained the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’ due to her execution of Protestants. Mary placed Elizabeth under house arrest for her Protestant beliefs. The English Reformation created opportunities and issues for Elizabeth in 1558. People were tired of the ‘religious rollercoaster’ - the official religion of England flitting between Protestantism and Catholicism. Elizabeth had to resolve this |
What is a Catholic?
Catholicism is a version of Christianity
Catholic Beliefs in Elizabethan Times
Religious issue | Catholic belief |
|---|---|
What should the hierarchy of the Church look like? | The Pope in Rome is the Head of the Church. There is a structure underneath of cardinals, archbishops and bishops to manage the Church |
What should the inside of churches look like? | Churches represent the glory of God. Churches should have stained-glass windows and expensive icons such as statues and pictures |
What are the roles and restrictions of the clergy? | Priests are not allowed to marry. They should wear special robes called vestments. Their vestments should be beautifully decorated with colour. During Confession, a priest can forgive a person’s sins |
What should the Bible and church services look like? | The Bible and church services should be in Latin. The service of Mass creates a miracle. The priest makes the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus |
AWAITING IMAGE
An illustration showing the beliefs of the Catholic Church
What is a Protestant?
Protestantism began in Germany in 1517
Martin Luther, a monk, nailed The Ninety-Five Theses on the door of his local church in Wittenberg
The Ninety-Five Theses contained his complaints about the Church’s practices, such as indulgences
Luther set up his own church. The Catholic Church called any Christians who joined Luther’s church a Protestant
Protestant Beliefs in Elizabethan Times
Religious issue | Protestant belief |
|---|---|
What should the hierarchy of the Church look like? | The King or Queen should be the Head of the Church. Archbishops and bishops help the monarch run the Church |
What should the inside of churches look like? | Spending lots of money on churches goes against the teachings of Christianity. Churches should have an altar and stained-glass windows but no icons |
What are the roles and restrictions of the clergy? | Priests have the choice to marry. They should wear special vestments but they should have limited decoration. Priests cannot forgive sins; this power belongs to God alone |
What should the Bible and church services look like? | The Bible and church services in England should be in English so everyone can access the word of God. The bread and wine in Communion represents the Last Supper. It does not become the body and blood of Jesus |
AWAITING IMAGE
An illustration showing the beliefs of the Protestant Church
Examiner Tips and Tricks
A great way to remember the connection between Protestants and Catholics is to break down the word ‘Protestant’. The root of the word is ‘protest’. The Protestants ‘protested’ against the Catholic Church. This should also help you spell ‘Protestant’, as many students struggle with this spelling.
How did the English Reformation Impact Elizabeth?
In 1558, Elizabeth experienced the impacts of the English Reformation
Elizabeth feared conflicts between Catholics and Protestants
Catholics were angry that Henry VIII had divorced Catherine of Aragon. They believed that Elizabeth was not legitimate
Catholics thought that Mary, Queen of Scots should be Queen of England. She was the legitimate Catholic heir
The majority of Elizabeth’s clergy was Catholic
Mary I had changed England’s official religion back to Catholicism
Elizabeth would have to pass an Act of Parliament to change the religion
Some of the clergy would fight against converting to Protestantism
Elizabeth’s government contained Catholics
The House of Lords contained a lot of Catholic bishops
Their influence could affect the advice Elizabeth received on policy
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the English Reformation
2 marks
Answers:
One feature of the English Reformation was Henry VIII’s break from Rome (1). In 1532, Henry created the Church of England to grant himself a divorce from Catherine of Aragon (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, two marks are given to you for:
Identifying - write a relevant point based on the question topic
Describing - 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.
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