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A Level History

Unit 1:

The Tudors: England 1485-1603

Topic List

PART ONE: CONSOLIDATION OF THE TUDOR DYNASTY 1485-1547

1485-1509 Section One: Henry VII, 1485-1509 RAG Rate

The consolidation of power Henry VII’s character and aims

Establishment of the Tudor dynasty

Henry VII’s government Councils and the court

Parliament

Domestic policy: justice and the maintenance of order

Domestic policy: improving royal finances

England’s relations with Scotland and other powers, 1485-1509

Henry VII’s relations with foreign powers

Securing the succession and marriage alliances

English society at the end of the fifteenth century

The structure of society

Regional divisions

Social discontent and rebellions

Economic development: trade, exploration, prosperity and depression

The economy: agriculture and trade

Early English exploration

Prosperity and depression

Religion, humanism, arts and learning

Religion in the reign of Henry VII

Humanism, arts and learning

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1509-1547 Section 2: Henry VIII, 1509-47 RAG Rate

The character and aims of Henry VIII

The character of Henry VIII

The legacy of Henry VIIThe aims of Henry VIII’s government

Henry VIII, government and Parliament

Government in Henry VIII’s early and middle years (1509-29)

Domestic policies under Wolsey (1514-29)The establishment of royal supremacyDomestic policies under Cromwell (1532-40)Government in Henry VIII’s last years (1540-47)Henry VIII’s government: a summary

Foreign relations and securing the succession

Foreign policy, 1509-14

Foreign policy, 1514-26Foreign policy, 1527-40Foreign policy, 1540-47Securing the succession

English society in the reign of Henry VIII

Elites and commoners

Regional issuesThe social impact of religious upheavalRebellions

Economic development in the reign of Henry VIII

Trade

ExplorationProsperity and depression

Religion, ideas and reform Renaissance ideasReform of the ChurchContinuity and change in religion and culture by 1547

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PART 2: ENGLAND: TURMOIL AND TRIUMPH, 1547-1603

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1547-1603 Section three: Instability and consolidation: ‘the mid-Tudor crisis,’ 1547-1603

RAG Rate

Edward VI, Somerset and Northumberland

Royal authority under Edward VI

Problems of successionRelations with foreign powers

The social impact of religious and economic change under Edward VI

The social impact of religious and economic change

RebellionIntellectual developments, including humanist and religious thought

Mary I and her ministers Royal authority under Mary IProblems of successionRelations with foreign powers

The social impact of religious and economic changes under Mary I

Religious change under Mary and its social impact

Economic change and its social impactWyatt’s RebellionIntellectual developments, including humanist and religious thought

Elizabeth I: character and aims The character and aims of Elizabeth IElizabeth I’s consolidation of powerThe Elizabethan religious settlementEngland’s relations with foreign powers, 1558-64

The impact of economic, social and religious developments in the early years of Elizabeth’s rule

The impact of economic and social developments, 1558-63

The impact of religious developments, 1558-63

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1563-1603 Section four: The triumph of Elizabeth RAG Rate

Elizabethan government, 1563-1603

The royal court

The role of ministersFactional rivalryParliament

Foreign affairs Issues of successionMary, Queen of ScotsEngland’s relations with Spain

Society in Elizabethan England Society: continuity and changeProblems in the regionsSocial discontent and rebellions

Economic development in Elizabethan England

Trade

Exploration and colonisationProsperity and depression

Religious developments and the ‘Golden Age’ of Elizabethan culture

Religious developments

The culmination of the English Renaissance and the ‘Golden Age’ of art, literature and music

The last years of Elizabeth The political condition of England by 1603The economic condition of England by 1603The state of society in England by 1603The state of religion in England by 1603

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Exam Format

(AQA A LEVEL History, The Tudors: England 1485-1603, Paper 1)

The exam itself is 2 hours 30 minutes.There are 2 sections:

Section A: 3 sources with a compulsory 30-mark question (advised to spend about 60 mins)

Section B: Two essays from a choice of three questions (advised to spend about 45 mins)

Remember, the TWO question types are very different.

Section A requires careful reading of the sources given to produce an answer that focuses on how convincing each interpretation is.

Approach each extract in turn, read through it and then write your answer before moving on to the next. Three mini-essays.

You should identify:

The overall interpretation of the extract Any arguments within the extract Use lots of historical context (your own knowledge) to support/challenge the

interpretation/argument Use own knowledge to assess how convincing each one is.

You are NOT required to reach a conclusion about which might be the most convincing.

Section B: this is a breadth topic paper. Questions may overlap the reigns of different Tudor monarchs. Stems may include – ‘How successful…’ ‘To what extent’ – ‘How far is ‘- or a quotation and ‘assess the validity’.

Read the question carefully to identify the key words and dates Spend around 5 mins planning – consider both your argument and evidence (facts) to

support your comments Introduction: 4 criteria (1. Make a judgement, 2. Give a summary of your key

evidence, 3. Analyse any counter-argument. 4. Reassert your own view. Use the opening sentences of your paragraphs as stepping stones to take an

argument forward. Support your comment or analysis with precise detail Use POINT – EVIDENCE – EXPLAIN - LINK to help produce tightly structured, well-

evidenced paragraphs. Write a conclusion which matches the view in the introduction and flows from what

has gone before, don’t include any new arguments in the conclusion.

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A LEVEL Practice Essay Questions

Use these titles to assist your revision. Plan or complete a timed essay

Section 1: Henry VII, 1485-1509 Essay/Plan

Mark /25

‘Henry VII increased the power of the monarchy during his reign.’ Assess the validity of this view.‘Rebellions in the years 1489 and 1497 stemmed from the weakness of central government.’ Assess the validity of this view.Henry VII’s reforms in government were limited in scope and in success.’ Assess the validity of this view.Henry VII’s financial policies were the most important reason for the success of his rule.’ Assess the validity of this view. *How successful was Henry VII in fulfilling his foreign policy objectives?

How significant was the position of agriculture in the English economy in the years 1485-1509?To what extent, by 1509 was the Church of England in need of reform?

Section 2: Henry VIII, 1509-47 Essay/Plan

Mark/25

‘Henry VIII’s actions as king destroyed Henry VII’s legacy.’ Assess the validity of this view of the years 1485-1515To what extent was Henry VIII himself responsible for the failures of English foreign policy during his reign?How far can the foreign policy of Henry VIII be described as a success? *

The people of northern England, Cornwall and Wales had little reason to be grateful for the rule of Henry VII and Henry VIII.’ Assess the validity of this view.‘English society in the reign of Henry VIII was characterised more by disorder than by order.’ Assess the validity of this view.‘The performance of the English economy remained weak throughout the reigns of the first two Tudors’. Assess the validity of this view.‘Henry VIII might have made himself supreme head of the Church of England, but he did little else to change the Church.’ Assess the validity of this view.How far can Henry VIII’s decision to dissolve the monasteries be explained by the Crown’s financial problems that had developed since Henry VIII became king in 1509? *‘Changes in religion in the reign of Henry VIII up to 1540 occurred because of Cromwell.’ Assess the validity of this view. *

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‘Anticlericalism was responsible for the development of the English Reformation in the years 1529-1547’. Assess the validity of this view.To what extent was the reform of the Privy Council the most important development in government and administration in the reign of Henry VIII up to 1540? *‘Administrative reform was the most significant development in government during Henry VIII’s reign until 1547’. Assess the validity of this view.‘The Catholic Church in England in the period 1485-1529 was criticised primarily because of the failings of its clergy.’ Assess the validity of this view.

Section 3: Instability and consolidation: ‘the mid-Tudor crisis’, 1547-63

Essay/Plan

Mark/25

To what extent did English government respond effectively to the domestic problems which it faced in the years 1529-1553To what extent was the English church in 1553 different from what it had been in 1532?How successful was English foreign policy in the years 1529-1558?

Religious changes in the years 1532-1558 enjoyed little popular support.’ Assess the validity of this view.The main causes of rebellions in the years 1536-1558 was religious disagreements.’ Assess the validity of this view. *

Section 4: The triumph of Elizabeth, 1563-1603 Essay/Plan

Mark/25

Is it fair to describe English government in the years 1540-1562 as ‘consistently weak’?Elizabethan government had more weaknesses than strengths in the years 1558 to 1588.’ Assess the validity of this view.Elizabeth I’s foreign policy towards Spain was always weak and unconvincing.’ Assess the validity of this view with reference to the years 1568-1603.To what extent did the plots and rebellions faced by the Crown during the reign of Elizabeth pose a real threat to the stability of the Elizabethan state?Is it true to say that by 1603 England was economically and socially more diverse than it had been at the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign in 1558?‘The crisis faced by the Tudors in the years 1540-63 was primarily caused by economic factors.’ Assess the validity of this view. *‘The challenge posed to the Elizabethan Crown by Catholicism was never as strong as Elizabeth I and her ministers believed.’ Assess the validity of this view.‘By 1603 it was clear that the English people had benefitted little in social and economic terms from the rule of Elizabeth I’. Assess the validity of this view.‘Elizabeth failed to control her ministers effectively throughout her reign.’ Assess the validity of this view.

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‘Elizabeth’s failure to secure the succession question provided her with the greatest threat to her reign.’ Assess the validity of this view.‘Elizabeth presided over a ‘Golden Age’ for the people of England’. Assess the validity of this view.‘It was Elizabeth’s influence that was the most important for the development of the arts in her reign.’ Assess the validity of this view. *Elizabeth’s foreign policy was mostly a series of disasters.’ Assess the validity of this view. *

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