1. BTRCC HISTORY GCSE Knowledge organiser Unit 2: Life in Elizabethan England
Key terms and words
Privateers
Pirates licensed by the government to attack and steal from enemy ships.
Puritan
Extreme protestant
Colonisation
To take over other counties and make them part of your empire.
Architecture
The practice of designing and drawing buildings.
Theatre
A building or outdoor area where plays are performed
Portrait
Picture of a person. Often used to send messages about the power, wealth or influence of a person
The cult of Elizabeth
Carefully managed image of the queen controlled through image and carefully placed items in portraits. For example, the Armada portrait. She was sometimes called ‘Gloriana’ and became an object of worship.
Poverty
The extremely poor, a growing crisis. In Elizabethan England these people spent 80% of their wages on food and drink. North West was the poorest area.
Sturdy beggars/ Vagabonds
Homeless people who wander from place to place begging and stealing. Sturdy as fit and able to work.
Impotent poor
Those who were unable to work for a reason. For example, injury.
Gentry
Status and power was based purely on wealth. This class was not part of the nobility but they didn’t work the land either. This class grew as 1) Tudors distrusted the old nobility 2) They bought up land from the closure of the monasteries and 3) Trade 
Yeoman
A farmer who owned his own small piece of land, May have employed a couple of labourers.
Key terms and words
Privateers
Pirates licensed by the government to attack and steal from enemy ships.
Puritan
Extreme protestant
Colonisation
To take over other counties and make them part of your empire.
Architecture
The practice of designing and drawing buildings.
Theatre
A building or outdoor area where plays are performed
Portrait
Picture of a person. Often used to send messages about the power, wealth or influence of a person
The cult of Elizabeth
Carefully managed image of the queen controlled through image and carefully placed items in portraits. For example, the Armada portrait. She was sometimes called ‘Gloriana’ and became an object of worship.
Poverty
The extremely poor, a growing crisis. In Elizabethan England these people spent 80% of their wages on food and drink. North West was the poorest area.
Sturdy beggars/ Vagabonds
Homeless people who wander from place to place begging and stealing. Sturdy as fit and able to work.
Impotent poor
Those who were unable to work for a reason. For example, injury.
Gentry
Status and power was based purely on wealth. This class was not part of the nobility but they didn’t work the land either. This class grew as 1) Tudors distrusted the old nobility 2) They bought up land from the closure of the monasteries and 3) Trade 
Yeoman
A farmer who owned his own small piece of land, May have employed a couple of labourers.
Movers and Shakers
Christopher Marlowe
Famous playwright. Suspected government spy, arrested and questioned by the Privy Council in Died in mysterious circumstances in 1593.
Robert Smythson
Leading architect responsible for some of the most famous houses built at this time e.g. Hardwick Hall
Sir Francis Drake
Born to a yeoman farmer. Famous sailor. Took part in the defeat of the Armada, circumnavigated the globe and a successful privateer.
Sir Walter Raleigh
A favourite of Elizabeth. Given royal patent to establish colony of ‘Virginia’ in North America. His attempts failed.
William Shakespeare
Wrote at least 37 plays. Regarded as the greatest English playwright of all time. Part of a partnership that built the Globe Theatre.
Timeline
1570
The Pope excommunicates Elizabeth from the Catholic Church. ‘Regnans in Excelsis’
1580
Drake circumnavigates the globe
1590
First of several bad harvests lead to food shortages. People begin to move to towns.
1599
The Globe Theatre is opened in London
Movers and Shakers
Christopher Marlowe
Famous playwright. Suspected government spy, arrested and questioned by the Privy Council in Died in mysterious circumstances in 1593.
Robert Smythson
Leading architect responsible for some of the most famous houses built at this time e.g. Hardwick Hall
Sir Francis Drake
Born to a yeoman farmer. Famous sailor. Took part in the defeat of the Armada, circumnavigated the globe and a successful privateer.
Sir Walter Raleigh
A favourite of Elizabeth. Given royal patent to establish colony of ‘Virginia’ in North America. His attempts failed.
William Shakespeare
Wrote at least 37 plays. Regarded as the greatest English playwright of all time. Part of a partnership that built the Globe Theatre.
Timeline
1570
The Pope excommunicates Elizabeth from the Catholic Church. ‘Regnans in Excelsis’
1580
Drake circumnavigates the globe
1590
First of several bad harvests lead to food shortages. People begin to move to towns.
1599
The Globe Theatre is opened in London
BTRCC History Department…….. ‘in pursuit of excellence.’
BTRCC History Department…….. ‘in pursuit of excellence.’