A Protestant Nation: Politics, Religion and Society in England, 1558-1640
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| HIST2011 | History | 2 | 20 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- HIST2011
- School
- History
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
This module explores the causes of political and religious instability in England in the century before the Civil War, with a particular focus on the problematic creation of a national identity. We begin by looking at the troubled political and religious legacy inherited by Queen Elizabeth. We then examine some of the forces that united and divided English men and women during the period. How did monarchs and local elites seek to justify their authority in this period? To what extent were ideas of hierarchy and obedience queried or accepted, and what impact did such ideas have on daily life? Areas for consideration include government ideology; popular beliefs and literacy; the persecution and toleration of religious minorities; the politics of the parish; and attitudes towards birth, marriage and death.
Key topics include:
- the formation of English national identity
- perceptions of, and challenges to, royal authority
- the changing policies of Elizabeth, James I and Charles I
- popular beliefs and the spread of print culture
- festive culture and moral regulation
- anti-Catholicism and the Gunpowder Plot
- religion and the road to Civil War
Target Students
2nd-year BA History Single and Joint Honours only
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks
Assessment
- 50% Coursework 1: One essay (2,500 words, topic-based or synoptic)
- 50% Coursework 2: One source-based assessment (2,500 words)
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
The module aims to enable students to develop an informed and critical knowledge of the ways in which religious and political forces shaped England’s identity in the crucial period between the accession of Elizabeth I and the outbreak of the English Civil War. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the key historical debates over this process, and to engage critically with them. To facilitate this, they will study the subject matter intensively via secondary and some primary sources, thereby developing the intellectual and transferable skills outlined below.Learning Outcomes
a. Knowledge and understanding.
By the end of the module students should be able to:
• Explain and interpret the underlying forces that shaped the political, religious and cultural development of England in the period 1558-1640
• Identify the key debates within the historiography of English religious and political history in the period 1558-1640
• Reflect on the nature of History as a discipline
b. Intellectual skills.
By the end of this module students should be able to:
• Think critically and imaginatively about the subject matter
• Identify and address key problems relevant to it
• Interpret secondary sources upon it and be aware of differing historical interpretations of the subject matter
• Construct coherent and independent historical arguments of their own
c. Professional/practical skills.
This module will develop students' ability to:
• Select, sift and synthesize information from a range of secondary and some primary sources
• Identify and compare key arguments in those materials
• Plan, research and write a sustained piece of historical research
• Use IT to access historical sources and information and to complete historical assignments
d. Transferable skills:
This module will also develop students' ability to:
• Manage a large and disparate body of information
• Express themselves clearly, coherently and fluently in writing essays
• Communicate arguments and ideas effectively in speech and writing
• Work and learn actively with others
• Manage and take responsibility for their own learning
• Demonstrate IT capability in the presentation of coursework