1. Government and Politics
Tudors and Stuarts
Government and Politics
Parliament

2. Parliament
This was a trinity consisting of the monarch and the House of Lords and the House of Commons

3. Parliament-House of Lords
This House included:
titled peers
two archbishops
24 bishops
law lords – to give legal advice only

4. Parliament- Commons Elected house
Two members were elected from each county except Yorkshire (6) and Rutland (1)
These members were elected by forty shilling freeholders
These members were sometimes called ‘knights of the shire’

5. Parliament-Elections
If elections were held it was under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff
Often the gentry agreed on the candidates and no election was held.
When elections were held the vote was often by acclamation (noise)
Voters were sometimes counted
Elections could be very noisy and violent

6. Parliament- Boroughs
Parliamentary boroughs could elect either one or two members
Closed boroughs only allowed the mayor and councillors to vote
Westminster allowed all adult men to vote

7. Parliament- Boroughs
‘Scot and lot’ boroughs allowed certain taxpayers to vote
‘Burgage’ boroughs voting was reserved for owners of certain property
‘Potwalloper’ boroughs allowed voting by all men who could boil their own pot on their own fire
Often though the preferred candidate of the wealthy were preferentially chosen

8. Parliament-Meetings
Parliament had extensive powers and was a very important arm of government
But in the 45 years of Elizabeth’s reign there were 10 parliaments meeting for 13 sessions
Sessions lasted for an average of 10 weeks
There was an average of 3 ½ years between sessions

9. Parliament and the Queen
The monarch needed parliament:
To vote taxes
To pass laws

10. Parliament-taxes
In all but two sessions Parliament granted Elizabeth more taxes
Elizabethan Parliaments always voted the amount requested

11. Parliament-Legislation
In 1559 the Parliament was required to settle the question of religion
1563 Act of Apprentices
1571 the Treason’s Act
In 1572 the Parliament had to make decisions about Mary Queen of Scots
1581 and 1584 penal laws against Catholics

12. Parliament-and Monarch
Parliament was an important place for the Crown to meet with the ruling class and discuss many issues

13. Parliament-’Pork Barrel Politics’
MPs attended Parliament to serve the Queen and to pass laws which may have brought them personal benefits

14. Parliament-Personal Bills
These were about individual citizens:
granting citizenship
sorting out ownership of property
restoring rights to those accused of treason

15. Parliament-Private Bills
The laws were intended to benefit a locality or industry:
imposing quality standards
allowing buildings to be built

16. Parliament-Impediments
Private bills could hold up the workings of government unnecessarily
Sessions usually debated between 110 and 120 bills

17. Parliament-Procedure
A bill could be introduced by either House
A bill passed three readings in each House
First reading-entire bill was read aloud
Second reading- debate and possible referral to a committee for further work
Third reading-wording finalised and final vote
If passed the bill was sent to the other House and the same thing happened
Finally royal assent

18. Parliament-Financing
The Elizabethan government was always short of money

19. Parliament-Financing
Its methods of raising and collecting money were very ineffectual and old fashioned
The Queen did not receive money from Parliament and was expected to support herself ‘to live on her own’.
She received:
first fruits (first fees clergy received)
custom duties
rent from Crown Land
feudal dues
fees and fines from law courts
tenths paid by clergy

20. Parliament- Extra funds
Parliament voted extra funds in the form of ‘fifteenths’ a fee on moveable goods in rural areas
And ‘tenths’ a fee on moveable goods in town
These fees took no account of inflation

21. Parliament-War Chest
During times of peace Elizabeth and her ministers saved cash reserves
Extra taxes were levied in times of war
The money was always less than expected
Government finance remained a problem

22. Bibliography
History volume 2, Britain , by Robin Silcock, Longman Paul, Auckland, 1990

23. Revision
When you have completed the PowerPoints and related worksheets get students to mind-map the ‘Government and Politics’ topics covered:
The Crown
The Privy Council
Courts of Law
Local Government
Parliament’
If you are unfamiliar with the basic concepts of mind-mapping then check the ‘Mind mapping with Tony Buzan’ video found on the site and show