CCEA A-Level History 4010
England 1509–58AS Unit 1
England 1603–49AS Unit 1
Britain in the Age of Reform 1830–80AS Unit 1
Italy and Germany 1815–71AS Unit 1
Germany 1919–45AS Unit 1
Spain and Europe 1556–98AS Unit 2
The Ascendancy of France in Europe 1660–1714AS Unit 2
Ireland 1823–67AS Unit 2
France 1815–70AS Unit 2
Russia 1914–41AS Unit 2
Italy's Quest for Great Power Status 1871–1943AS Unit 2
Crown and Parliament in England 1625–1714A2 Unit 1
Ireland Under the Union 1800–1900A2 Unit 1
The Causes and Consequences of Great Power Conflict 1848–1945A2 Unit 1
The American Presidency 1901–2000A2 Unit 1
Clash of Ideologies in Europe 1900–2000A2 Unit 1
England 1558–1603A2 Unit 2
Ireland 1685–1714A2 Unit 2
Ireland 1778–1803A2 Unit 2
Partition of Ireland 1900–25A2 Unit 2
England 1558–1603
The Catholic threat, the missionary priests and recusancy
- 3 things to know
- A2 Unit 2
Overview
Church papist and regnans in Excelsis.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
How did the government treat Catholics before 1570?
What did the Treasons Act of 1571 make punishable?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What was a recusant?
Model answer
A recusant was a Catholic who refused to attend the services of the Church of England and paid the statutory fine for absence.
- 2
What was a church papist?
Model answer
A church papist was a Catholic who attended the parish church often enough to satisfy the law while keeping the old faith privately. That is how most English Catholics survived the reign.
- 3
How did the government treat Catholics before 1570?
Model answer
Before 1570 enforcement was deliberately mild, the fine for absence was small and rarely pressed, and the Crown hoped that Catholicism would simply die out with the older generation.
- 4
What was Regnans in Excelsis?
Model answer
Regnans in Excelsis was the bull issued by Pope Pius V in 1570 excommunicating Elizabeth I, declaring her deposed and releasing her subjects from allegiance.
- 5
Why did the papal bull of 1570 harm English Catholics?
Model answer
The bull forced Catholics to choose between their queen and their Church, and it allowed the government to argue that every Catholic was a potential traitor by definition.
- 6
What did the Treasons Act of 1571 make punishable?
Model answer
The Treasons Act of 1571 made it treason to call the queen a heretic, schismatic or usurper, and a companion act made it treason to bring papal bulls into England.
Other ways to work this
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