Celebrating HumanityThe English Renaissance

1485-1625Mrs. Cumberland

The Age of Exploration

Thirst for knowledge prompted a great burst of exploration by sea.

Navigators ventured far and wide, aided by the compass

1407: Italian-born explorer John Cabot reached Newfoundland (an island off the east coast of what is now Canada)

1492: Columbus’s arrival in the Western Hemisphere

John Cabot

Columbus

Religion

A growing sense of nationalism led many Europeans to question the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

Many people had grievances against the Church.

Some felt the Church officials were corrupt; others questioned Church teachings and hierarchy

Religion

The edition of the New Testament by scholar Desiderius Erasmus raised serious questions about standard interpretations of the Bible.

Because of his friendship with English writers as Thomas More, Erasmus focused attention on issues of morality and religion that continued to be central concerns

Religion

Although Erasmus remained a Catholic, he helped pave the way for a split in the Church that began in 1517, when a German monk named Martin Luther nailed a list of dissenting beliefs to the door of a church.

Deep Roots

16th century desire to reform Christian institutions had deep roots.1300s, power struggle and corruption in the

church and the anxieties of the plague encourages people to look for new inspiration

John Wycliffe argued that the Bible, not the Pope, was the true authority in religious matters

Later, Martin Luther attacked the Church’s practice of promising salvation for donations. Only faith, he argued, not works, could save souls

In Henry VIII’s England, such radical ideas had won favor even among the respectable.

When the Pope, afraid to offend Henry VIII’s wife’s powerful relatives (Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of Spanish monarchs), denied Henry’s request for an annulment, the stage had been set. Henry took control of the Church of England

Modern

Modern people believe that the sun, not the Earth, is at the center of the solar system

The whole notion of a “Center” of the universe has become problematic.

Ptolemy’s universe is limited. Modern scientist hypothesize that the universe is infinite

Ptolemy: Earth centered model of the universe

The Tudors

1485 Tudor dynastyMonarchs assured stability by

increasing their own power and undercutting the strength of nobles. At the same time, they dramatically changed England’s religious practices and helped transform the country from a small island nation into one of the world’s great powers.

The first Tudor monarch

Henry VII, inherited England that had been depleted and exhausted by years of civil war. By the time he died in 1509, he had rebuilt the nation’s treasury and established law and order.

He restored the prestige of the monarchy and set the stage for his successors.

Henry VIII

Practicing CatholicWrote a book against Martin

LutherPope granted him the title “Defender

of the Faith”This good rapport with the Pope did not

last long

The losing relationship with the Pope and Henry

VIIIHenry VIII married Catherine of Aragon,

but she did not produce a son.Henry tried to obtain an annulment so

that he could marry Anne Boleyn.Pope refusedHe remarried anywayThe defiance of the papal authority led to an

open break with the Roman Catholic Church

The seizing

Henry VIII seized the Catholic Church’s English property and dissolved the powerful monasteries.

He even had his former friend and leading advisor, Thomas More, executed because More had refused to renounce his Catholic faith

Henry married 6 timesHis first 2 marriages: two daughters: Mary and

ElizabethHis third wife, Jane Seymour: son: Edward

Edward was still a child when Henry died in 1547

Religious Turmoil

Henry VIII’s son became King Edward VI at the age of 9 and died at 15

During this time, a series of parliamentary acts dramatically changed the nation’s religious practices

Change

English replaced Latin in church ritual

The Anglican prayer Book, the Book of Common Prayers, became required in public worship

By the time of Edward’s death in 1553, England was well on its way to becoming a Protestant nation

The Comeback

When Edward’s half sister Mary took the throne:She restored Roman practices to the

Church of England.She restored the authority of the

Pope over the English ChurchOrdering the execution of about 300

Protestants, Queen Mary earned the nickname “Bloody Mary”

The Book of Common Prayer

Published in 1549, was a radical departure from the past and would influence English literature in times to come.

The new church of England needed standard texts for prayer and servicesThomas Cranmer prepared these texts in

EnglishThe solemn Latin of Catholic Church services

had been replaced by the plain, everyday speech of England.

The Spanish Armada

During this period, England supported Protestant Dutch rebels against Catholic Spain, the superpower of the day

Spanish ships returning from the New World loaded with treasure were attacked by English raiders like Sir Francis Drake.Spain finally sent a fleet of 130 battle ships,

called the Armada, to invade England in 1588Many ships surviving were wrecked by storms

when they fled

Elizabeth I

Half sister to Mary IShe received a Renaissance

education and had read widely in the Greek and Latin classics.

A great patron of the artsShe gathered around the best

writers of her day.

Elizabeth I

Put an end to religious turmoilReestablished the monarch’s

supremacy over the Church of England

Restored the Book of Common PrayerInstituted a policy of religious

compromise, enforcing reforms that she felt both moderate Catholics and Protestants could accept

Outstanding Problem

Mary Stuart ( cousin to Elizabeth I) queen of Scotland by birth and next in line for the throne of England.Catholics did not recognize Henry

VIII’s marriage to Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn, they considered Mary Staurt the queen of England.

Imprisonment

Mary was imprisoned by Elizabeth I for 18 years.

Mary instigated numerous Catholic plots against her.

Following the recommendations of her advisors, Elizabeth stepped up up punishment of the Catholics but let her royal cousin live. Finally, Parliament insisted on Mary’s executionShe was beheaded in 1587, a Catholic martyr

Fashion

Noblemen were arrayed like peacocks in close-fitting jackets and wide collars that seemed to serve up their heads on plates of lace.

Noblewomen looked like dolls on displayTightly laced into dresses that

resembled giant bells

Clothing

Masques

The life of the court was marked by elaborate courtesy, wit, and finery.

The culture of display reached its height in the masques, courtly entertainment in which masked, costumed actors used verse, dance, and music to present characters such as Greek gods or shepherds

Elizabeth I helped settle questions about the fitness of women to rule by cultivating an image as the Virgin Queen. The masques presented at her court confirmed and celebrated this imageGive examples of semi- theatrical events in

modern American politicsThe President lights the White House Christmas

tree

The Protestant Reformation

Fueled by political discontent, the Reformation swept through much of Europe.

Led to frequent wars between European nations whose rulers had opposing religious beliefs.

Protestants were divided, and in Germany the followers of Luther ( called Lutherans) persecuted the followers of John Calvin (Calvanists)

Stuarts and Puritans

A new dynasty- Stuarts- came to the throne after Elizabeth died in 1603

Determined to avoid a dispute over the throne and a return of civil strife, Elizabeth named King James VI of Scotland as her successor, making him James I of England.His claim to the throne rested on his descent

from King Henry VII of England through his mother, Mary Stuart, Elizabeth’ sold antagonist

James was a Protestant

Jacobean Era

The Jacobean Era is described through James I reign.

He took measures to expand England’s position as a world power, sponsoring the establishment of its first successful American colony- Jamestown, Virginia

James I

James and Parliament struggled for power, a conflict that would later erupt into war.

Guided by “divine right of kings” James I treated Parliament with contempt, and they fought over taxes and foreign wars.

James I also persecuted the Puritans, who were strongly represented in the House of Commons.

Prompted by the king’s religious intolerance, a group of Puritans migrated to America and established the Plymouth Colony in 1620.