Elizabethan Parliament
A mindmap about Elizabethan Parliament. Information mostly sourced from revision guide.
- Created by: RLou03
- Created on: 02-09-18 18:38
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- Elizabethan Parliament
- Why was Parliament important?
- Parliament had to be consulted if Elizabeth wanted to raise taxes.
- Henry VIII established the principle of the King in Parliament.
- This meant that legislation approved by Parliament had more authority.
- MPs and HOL members could use Parliament to criticise the Queen and her government.
- They could act as a pressure group.
- During the 1560s and 1570s, they demanded that Elizabeth would take a husband
- The need to manage Parliament.
- It was the Privy Councillors' job to persuade MPs to pass the Queen's laws.
- By 1569, it was easy to persuade bishops and courtiers in the HOL
- In the HOC, MPs were persuaded using threats and bribes.
- Privy councillors sat on parliamentary committees to speed up the introduction of new laws. Elizabeth sometimes attended these meetings.
- The Crown could bribe voters into voting for certain MPs. This ensured that MPs were sympathetic to the Government.
- It was the Privy Councillors' job to persuade MPs to pass the Queen's laws.
- Issues discussed by Elizabeth's Parliaments
- Succession: Many MPs wanted Elizabeth to find a husband so that she would have a legitimate heir.
- This would reduce the chances of a foreign invasion or Civil War.
- Taxes: How much to raise taxes by at the Monarch's request.
- Parliamentary rights: e.g. the right of MPs to criticise the Government.
- Religion: 1559 religious settlement, where England became Protestant. It was debated in 1571 and 1587.
- The poor: Vagrants were seen to increase threat in society.
- Succession: Many MPs wanted Elizabeth to find a husband so that she would have a legitimate heir.
- Limits on Parliament's power
- Parliament was not called often
- Between 1558 and 1603, Elizabeth only summoned 10 Parliaments.
- Most MPs were men of business so were too busy to confont the Government.
- MPs saw confronting the Government as risky
- For example: Peter Wentworth campaigned for freedom of speech and was locked in the tower twice.
- Parliament was not called often
- Why was Parliament important?
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