History MythBusters:

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I• How she came to power • Elizabeth was born in

1533, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

• After her mother was beheaded she was declared illegitimate.

• Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London for much of Bloody Mary's five year reign.

• This was overturned by the government following Mary's death.

• Elizabeth was crowned in Westminster Abbey on 15th January 1559.

Queen Elizabeth I• The state of the nation • Elizabeth inherited a

tattered realm– Extreme tension

between Catholics and Protestants

– Little money thanks to Mary and her advisors

– no colonies • many doubted her

claim to the throne • Spain posed a major

threat

It was a wide held belief during the 16th century that woman could not

effectively run a nation

How will Elizabeth do?

Myth #1: Woman aren’t smart enough to make important decisions

Queen Elizabeth I• Myth: Lack of Intelligence? • Between 1559 and 1563

returned England to the Protestant faith.

• An uneasy compromise between Catholics and Protestants was reached and maintained throughout her reign (Anglican Church).– public worship and religious

books would be in English.– Did not erase all traces of

Catholic worship, • candlesticks, • Crucifixes, • clerical robes.

Myth #2: All women need a strong man to survive.

Queen Elizabeth I• Myth: All women need a

strong man to survive.• Her reluctance to marry

was to become one of her biggest headaches:

• Advisors: Marriage was a political necessity and a way of forming a useful alliances with other European powers.

• Parliament: Children would secure the line of succession. This was considered Elizabeth's duty.

• Elizabeth: The welfare of the country was her priority, not marriage.

Myth #3: women cannot be military leaders

Queen Elizabeth I• Myth : women cannot be

military leaders• Spanish Armada, under

Phillip II, was to defeat Elizabeth and make England Catholic again. 

• It was planned that the Spanish fleet, consisting of over 100 ships, would overwhelm the English. 

• Queen Elizabeth traveled to the coast to "live or die" with her soldiers.

• The weather was dreadful, with the wind and rain against them, the Spanish were not able to compete with the superior English ships and war tactics and suffered a humiliating loss.

Myth #4: A women’s beauty is only skin deep.

Queen Elizabeth I• Myth: A women’s beauty is

only skin deep. • One of the best ways for a

monarch to win support was by making a tour of the country.

• However, it was not safe for her to travel around the country.

• She chose, instead, to use portraits to show herself to her people.

• It was essential that the portraits showed an image of Elizabeth that would impress her subjects.

• No other portraits of the Queen were allowed.

• Considered one of the first modern public relation campaigns.

Queen Elizabeth I

• Legacy • She put England on the road to becoming a true world power

• She restored the country's lost sense of national pride

• She is considered by many England’s greatest ruler EVER

Myth : Women can’t lead nations

Quick-Write #28

• Queen Elizabeth proved that women can be effective leaders. Provide examples to explain what she did to prove this, and describe in what capacities women have leading roles today in our society.