The Tudor Age
1485 - 1603
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 hour
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday December 13th t 9.30am EST/ NZ
This program uses the houses of the Tudor Age as the means by which an overview of the
dynasty and its achievements is presented.
The Tudor Age effectively transformed Great Britain during its transition from the Middle
Ages through the Reformation and Renaissance. This ‘Golden Age’ is nicely captured in this
program.
This program could serve as an interesting overview of, and an introduction to, the Tudor Age
and its kings and queens for students of any age.
Denis Mootz
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note what we are told of the Tudors.
Note the comments on Henry V111.
Note the comment on Mary Queen of Scots.
Note the comments on Elizabeth 1.
Note what happened at Bosworth field on 22 August 1485? Result?
Note the comments on the Tudor Age.
Act 1.
Why did Henry V11 have enemies? Result?
How did Henry V11 ensure his family would retain power?
Why was the castle replaced by the country ‘house’ in the reign of Henry V111?
Note details of the country house built by William Compton.
Note details of the house at Melford Hall.
Note the hygiene beliefs of the age.
What do the country houses of this period indicate?
Note details of Cardinal Wolsey.
How did he become rich?
Why did Hampton Court anger Henry V111?
How did Henry V111 gain possession of Hampton Court?
Note the details of Ann Boleyn.
Who organised the marriage between Henry V111 and Ann Boleyn? Result?
Note how Ann Boleyn fell from favour. Result?
Why are the abbeys and monasteries of Britain in ruins?
Note details of ‘hanged, drawing and quartering’.
What were the ruined church buildings used for?
Act 2.
Note the impact of the Renaissance on Tudor England.
Why are some Tudor country houses called ‘prodigy’ houses?
How did Henry V111 deal with Catholic rebels?
Why did Mary 1 give the castles back to their original owners?
How did other Catholic countries react to Henry V111’s break with Rome?
How did Henry V111 respond to possible threats from Catholic enemies?
Why did castles change in this period? Result?
Note how the new castles were armed and defended.
Note details of Henry V111’s defenses.
Note the details of the reign of Elizabeth 1.
Why was Scotland a threat to England? Result?
Why were the border areas dangerous in this period?
What problem came from Edinburgh?
What was Mary Queen of Scots’ claim to the throne of England?
Why did Mary flee to England? Result?
Act 3.
Why did Elizabeth 1 encouraged exploration and discovery?
Why did the navy grow in importance?
Note details of the Spanish Armada.
What was the aim of the Armada?
Note details of Sir Francis Drake.
Note how the invasion alarm was sent to London.
How did Elizabeth 1 respond to this threat of invasion?
Note the fate of the Armada.
Note details of William Shakespeare.
Note details of the Globe theatre.
How had England changed during Shakespeare’s life?
What indicates how wealthy Tudor England was in this period?
Where was Elizabeth 1’s main palace? Why?
Why are some of the great houses now in ruins?
Act 4.
What was a ‘royal’ forest?
Note details of the houses of ‘ordinary’ people from this period.
Why were disease and death ‘constant companions’?
Note details of the Tudor ‘beamed’ houses.
Note details of the Tudor ‘knot’ gardens.
How were England and Scotland finally united?
What was the religious situation in Great Britain at the end of the Tudor Age?
Note details of Sir Thomas Trescham’s house.
Note details of William Cecil’s house.
What was Elizabeth 1’s legacy?
Note her ‘Golden Speech’.
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Tudor Age:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tudor_period
http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/England/Tudor/index.html
Henry V11: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VII_of_England
http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/tudor.htm
http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/aboutHenryVII.htm
Henry V111: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England
http://www.tudorhistory.org/henry8/
http://www.tudorhistory.org/wives/
http://www.brims.co.uk/tudors/
Mary 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_I_of_England
http://www.tudorhistory.org/mary/
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/mary-tudor-bloody-mary.htm
Elizabeth 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_I_of_England
http://www.tudorhistory.org/elizabeth/
http://www.elizabethi.org/us/
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/eliz1.html
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/
http://www.elizabethfiles.com/category/elizabeth-myths/
Mary Queen of Scots: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Queen_of_Scots
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/relative/maryqos.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09764a.htm
Reformation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12700b.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Church_of_England
Renaissance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Renaissance
Tudor Castles: http://www.the-tudors.org.uk/tudor-castles.htm
http://www.squillo.co.uk/westover/secure/documents/essays/defences.htm
Spanish Armada: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada
http://www.elizabethi.org/us/armada/
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01727c.htm
Sir Francis Drake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Drake
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/drake.shtml
http://ageofpirates.com/article.php?English_Privateers
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this
program.
2. Note details of the Tudor Age.
3. Note details of the life and reign of Henry V11.
4. Note details of the life and reign of Henry V111.
5. Note details of the life and reign of Mary 1.
6. Note details of the life and reign of Elizabeth 1.
7. Note details of Tudor houses and castles.
8. Note details of international relations in this period.
9. Note details of the Spanish Armada.
10. Note details of Sir Francis Drake and the ‘sea dogs’.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1. How did Henry Tudor become King Henry V11 of England?
2. Why was there such conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Tudor England?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. What claim did the Tudors have to rule England?
2. Why was there so much foreign opposition to the Tudors?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on the Tudors.
2. DEBATE the proposition that
The English Reformation was a Tudor grab for church money.
3. How did the English defeat the Spanish?