Chapter 3: Religious Conflicts in England

Understanding Religious Conflicts in England

Background

After the Wars of the Roses, which were battles for the English throne, King Henry VII wanted to keep England peaceful. He did this by making sure his power as king was strong.

Key Actions by Henry VII:

• Strengthened Central Administration: Henry VII made the government stronger and more organised. This meant that the king had more control over the country.
• Reduced Noble Power: He took away some power from the nobles, the wealthy landowners, to ensure they could not challenge him.
• Thriftiness: He was careful with money and saved a lot for the monarchy. This helped him build a strong financial base.

When Henry VII died, his son, Henry VIII, took over and continued these policies.

Henry VIII’s Changes

Henry VIII is known for two major actions:

1. Breaking Away from the Church of Rome: He wanted to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, but the Pope would not allow it. So, Henry broke away from the Catholic Church and created the Church of England, where he had the power to make decisions about marriage.
2. Marrying Six Times: To have a male heir, Henry married six times. Some of his marriages ended in divorce, and two of his wives were executed. This led to significant religious changes in England.

Summary of Key Points:

• Henry VII aimed for a stable England by centralising power and managing finances.
• Henry VIII’s break from the Catholic Church led to major religious conflicts and changes in English society.

Questions for Students

Easy Level Questions

1. Who was the king after the Wars of the Roses?
   • A) Henry VIII
   • B) Henry VII
   • C) Edward IV
   • D) Richard III
2. What did Henry VII want for England?
   • A) War
   • B) Peace
   • C) Division
   • D) Confusion
3. What did Henry VII do to the power of nobles?
   • A) Increased it
   • B) Kept it the same
   • C) Reduced it
   • D) Gave it away
4. What was Henry VII known for being?
   • A) Generous
   • B) Careless
   • C) Thrifty
   • D) Lazy
5. Who was Henry VIII’s first wife?
   • A) Anne Boleyn
   • B) Jane Seymour
   • C) Catherine of Aragon
   • D) Anne of Cleves
6. What did Henry VIII create?
   • A) The Church of Rome
   • B) The Church of England
   • C) The Anglican Church
   • D) The Catholic Church
7. How many times did Henry VIII marry?
   • A) Four
   • B) Five
   • C) Six
   • D) Seven
8. Why did Henry VIII break from the Catholic Church?
   • A) He wanted more money.
   • B) He wanted a divorce.
   • C) He disliked the Pope.
   • D) He wanted to travel.
9. What was a major consequence of Henry VIII’s actions?
   • A) More peace
   • B) Religious conflicts
   • C) A stronger monarchy
   • D) More nobles
10. Who was executed among Henry VIII’s wives?
    • A) Catherine of Aragon
    • B) Anne Boleyn
    • C) Jane Seymour
    • D) Anne of Cleves

Medium Level Questions

11. What was the aim of Henry VII’s policies?
    • A) To strengthen the monarchy
    • B) To weaken the monarchy
    • C) To create more wars
    • D) To give power to the Pope
12. Which of these was a result of Henry VIII’s break from Rome?
    • A) The Church of England gained more followers.
    • B) All churches became the same.
    • C) The Pope became more powerful.
    • D) The monarchy lost power.
13. What did Henry VIII do after breaking from Rome?
    • A) He became a monk.
    • B) He married Catherine of Aragon.
    • C) He became the head of the Church of England.
    • D) He resigned from the throne.
14. Who succeeded Henry VII as king?
    • A) Edward IV
    • B) Henry VIII
    • C) Richard III
    • D) Charles I
15. What effect did Henry VIII’s marriages have on England?
    • A) Peace
    • B) Confusion
    • C) Religious change
    • D) Financial stability
16. What was one of the key features of Henry VII’s rule?
    • A) War with France
    • B) Expansion of territory
    • C) Centralised government
    • D) Power to the nobles
17. How did Henry VIII’s actions affect the common people?
    • A) They became richer.
    • B) They faced instability.
    • C) They ignored the Church.
    • D) They moved to France.
18. Who was the last wife of Henry VIII?
    • A) Anne Boleyn
    • B) Catherine Howard
    • C) Jane Seymour
    • D) Catherine Parr
19. The Church of England was created in response to which event?
    • A) The War of the Roses
    • B) The Black Death
    • C) Henry VIII’s need for a divorce
    • D) The English Civil War
20. What financial approach did Henry VII take as king?
    • A) Wasteful spending
    • B) Thriftiness
    • C) Borrowing money
    • D) Taxing the poor

Hard Level Questions

21. What was the significance of the Act of Supremacy in 1534?
    • A) It declared Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England.
    • B) It restored Catholicism in England.
    • C) It allowed the Pope to rule in England.
    • D) It ended the Wars of the Roses.
22. How did the break from the Catholic Church affect the nobility?
    • A) They lost all their power.
    • B) They gained more power.
    • C) They had no change.
    • D) They became Catholic again.
23. What was one reason Henry VIII wanted to marry Anne Boleyn?
    • A) To gain land
    • B) To have a son
    • C) To increase wealth
    • D) To make peace with France
24. Which English monarch was executed as a result of the religious conflicts?
    • A) Charles I
    • B) Henry VIII
    • C) Edward VI
    • D) James I
25. What was the outcome of the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536?
    • A) It strengthened Henry VIII’s rule.
    • B) It led to Henry’s abdication.
    • C) It was a protest against the Reformation.
    • D) It resulted in peace.
26. What role did Thomas More play during Henry VIII’s reign?
    • A) He supported the Church of England.
    • B) He was executed for refusing to accept Henry as the head of the Church.
    • C) He became king.
    • D) He fled to France.
27. What major change occurred in England after Henry VIII’s death?
    • A) The monarchy lost power.
    • B) The Protestant Reformation continued.
    • C) England returned to Catholicism.
    • D) England became a republic.
28. Henry VIII’s reign is often described as which type of monarchy?
    • A) Absolute monarchy
    • B) Constitutional monarchy
    • C) Theocratic monarchy
    • D) Limited monarchy
29. The dissolution of the monasteries led to what?
    • A) More land for the Church
    • B) Wealth for the crown and nobility
    • C) Increased power for the Pope
    • D) An end to Christianity in England
30. How did Henry VIII’s marriages influence succession?
    • A) They created clear heirs.
    • B) They caused confusion about the throne.
    • C) They had no impact.
    • D) They led to a civil war.

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level Answers

1. B) Henry VII
2. B) Peace
3. C) Reduced it
4. C) Thrifty
5. C) Catherine of Aragon
6. B) The Church of England
7. C) Six
8. B) He wanted a divorce.
9. B) Religious conflicts
10. B) Anne Boleyn

Medium Level Answers

11. A) To strengthen the monarchy
12. A) The Church of England gained more followers.
13. C) He became the head of the Church of England.
14. B) Henry VIII
15. C) Religious change
16. C) Centralised government
17. B) They faced instability.
18. D) Catherine Parr
19. C) Henry VIII’s need for a divorce
20. B) Thriftiness

Hard Level Answers

21. A) It declared Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England.
22. B) They gained more power.
23. B) To have a son
24. A) Charles I
25. C) It was a protest against the Reformation.
26. B) He was executed for refusing to accept Henry as the head of the Church.
27. B) The Protestant Reformation continued.
28. A) Absolute monarchy
29. B) Wealth for the crown and nobility
30. B) They caused confusion about the throne.