OCR A-Level History A H505
Y101: Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016Unit group 1
Y102: Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 1035–1107Unit group 1
Y103: England 1199–1272Unit group 1
Y104: England 1377–1455Unit group 1
Y105: England 1445–1509: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VIIUnit group 1
Y106: England 1485–1558: The Early TudorsUnit group 1
Y107: England 1547–1603: The Later TudorsUnit group 1
Y108: The Early Stuarts and the Origins of the Civil War 1603–1660Unit group 1
Y109: The Making of Georgian Britain 1678–c.1760Unit group 1
Y110: From Pitt to Peel 1783–1853Unit group 1
Y111: Liberals, Conservatives and the Rise of Labour 1846–1918Unit group 1
Y112: Britain 1900–1951Unit group 1
Y113: Britain 1930–1997Unit group 1
Y201: The Rise of Islam c.550–750Unit group 2
Y202: Charlemagne 768–814Unit group 2
Y203: The Crusades and the Crusader States 1095–1192Unit group 2
Y204: Genghis Khan and the Explosion From the Steppes c.1167–1405Unit group 2
Y205: Exploration, Encounters and Empire 1445–1570Unit group 2
Y206: Spain 1469–1556Unit group 2
Y207: The German Reformation and the Rule of Charles v 1500–1559Unit group 2
Y208: Philip II 1556–1598Unit group 2
Y209: African Kingdoms c.1400–c.1800: Four Case StudiesUnit group 2
Y210: Russia 1645–1741Unit group 2
Y211: The Rise and Decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526–1739Unit group 2
Y212: The American Revolution 1740–1796Unit group 2
Y213: The French Revolution and the Rule of Napoleon 1774–1815Unit group 2
Y214: France 1814–1870Unit group 2
Y215: Italy and Unification 1789–1896Unit group 2
Y216: The USA in the 19th Century: Westward Expansion and Civil War 1803–c.1890Unit group 2
Y217: Japan 1853–1937Unit group 2
Y218: International Relations 1890–1941Unit group 2
Y219: Russia 1894–1941Unit group 2
Y220: Italy 1896–1943Unit group 2
Y221: Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919–1963Unit group 2
Y222: The Cold War in Asia 1945–1993Unit group 2
Y223: The Cold War in Europe 1941–1995Unit group 2
Y224: Apartheid and Reconciliation: South African Politics 1948–1999Unit group 2
Y301: The Early Anglo-Saxons c.400–800Unit group 3
Y302: The Viking Age c.790–1066Unit group 3
Y303: English Government and the Church 1066–1216Unit group 3
Y304: The Church and Medieval Heresy c.1100–1437Unit group 3
Y305: The Renaissance c.1400–c.1600Unit group 3
Y306: Rebellion and Disorder Under the Tudors 1485–1603Unit group 3
Y307: Tudor Foreign Policy 1485–1603Unit group 3
Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610Unit group 3
Y309: The Ascendancy of the Ottoman Empire 1453–1606Unit group 3
Y310: The Development of the Nation State: France 1498–1610Unit group 3
Y311: The Origins and Growth of the British Empire 1558–1783Unit group 3
Y312: Popular Culture and the Witchcraze of the 16th and 17th CenturiesUnit group 3
Y313: The Ascendancy of France 1610–1715Unit group 3
Y314: The Challenge of German Nationalism 1789–1919Unit group 3
Y315: The Changing Nature of Warfare 1792–1945Unit group 3
Y316: Britain and Ireland 1791–1921Unit group 3
Y317: China and Its Rulers 1839–1989Unit group 3
Y318: Russia and Its Rulers 1855–1964Unit group 3
Y319: Civil Rights in the USA 1865–1992Unit group 3
Y320: From Colonialism to Independence: The British Empire 1857–1965Unit group 3
Y321: The Middle East 1908–2011: Ottomans to Arab SpringUnit group 3
Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610
- 12 subtopics
- 36 things to know
- Unit group 3
- Thematic study and interpretations, one unit of twenty-one
What Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610 covers
The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610 is unit Y308 of OCR History A, one of the twenty-one options in unit group 3, the thematic study and historical interpretations; a student sits one of them. Its four key topics and three depth studies are the nature of the Catholic Reformation, Institutional reforms, role of individuals, impact of the Catholic Reformation, council of Trent, Philip II of Spain and St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. 429 recall questions across 12 subtopics.
Where it is assessed
Unit group 3
Thematic study and historical interpretations, one unit of twenty-one.
Check the OCR specification ↗The 12 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- The nature of the Catholic Reformation: condition of the Catholic Church in the 1490sRecall questions on the condition of the Catholic Church in the 1490s, the Church’s reaction to humanism and Protestantism.Open →
- The nature of the Catholic Reformation: early reform and the Catholic or Counter Reformation debateRecall questions on Loyola’s conversion, the Fifth Lateran Council, the reform report of 1537, the Catholic and Counter Reformation interpretations, methods of revival, regional variety and the responses of monarchs and laity.Open →
- Institutional reforms: role of the Papacy, Inquisition and CouncilsRecall questions on the role of the Papacy, inquisition, Index and councils.Open →
- Institutional reforms: Society of Jesus, new and traditional orders, Ursulines and TheatinesRecall questions on the Society of Jesus, new and traditional orders, including the capuchins, the oratory of Divine Love, the Ursulines and Theatines.Open →
- Role of individuals: Erasmus, the popes, Loyola and the saintsRecall questions on Erasmus, Cisneros, Paul III, Loyola, Charles V and Philip II, the popes from Paul IV to Clement VIII, Borromeo, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila and Vincent de Paul.Open →
- Impact of the Catholic Reformation: Comparative extent of reform and revivalRecall questions on comparative extent of reform and revival in Spain.Open →
- Impact of the Catholic Reformation: obstacles, popular religion, art and achievementRecall questions on the check to the Japanese mission, obstacles and opponents of reform, change in lay religion and its debate, Trent on art, Catholic art, music and literature, and an assessment of the Catholic Reformation by 1610.Open →
- Depth study: Council of Trent — the call for a council, its sessions and decreesRecall questions on demands for a council, papal reluctance, Regensburg, Paul III, scripture and tradition, justification, the move to Bologna, the second and third periods, the final decrees, seminaries and interpretations of Trent.Open →
- Depth study: Philip II of Spain — the Inquisition, conversos, Moriscos and the Protestant scareRecall questions on the traditions Philip II inherited, the founding of the Spanish Inquisition, the conversos and limpieza de sangre, the Moriscos and the decree of 1567, and the Protestant scare of the late 1550s.Open →
- Depth study: Philip II of Spain — humanism, illuminism and Philip’s religious policyRecall questions on Carranza, illuminism, the climate for humanists, Philip’s motives and support for the Inquisition, executions, the Escorial, the most Catholic monarch, the Black Legend and interpretations of Philip.Open →
- Depth study: St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre — the Huguenots and the road to the massacreRecall questions on the Huguenots, the wars before 1572, the Peace of Saint-Germain, Coligny’s rise and plan, the Navarre marriage, Paris as a setting and the trigger and decisions of August 1572.Open →
- Depth study: St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre — motives, the killing and its consequencesRecall questions on Coligny’s death, the spread of the killing, the motives of the parties, Catherine de’ Medici’s role, the death toll, the effects on the Huguenots and political thought, European reaction and interpretations.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
How would you characterise the pontificate of Paul IV?
How should the achievement of the Catholic Reformation by 1610 be assessed?
How do interpretations of Trent differ?
Explain the difference between calling the movement a Catholic Reformation and a Counter Reformation.
Why did the revival vary so much from region to region?
Why was the impact in France delayed?
What determined Catholic recovery in the Holy Roman Empire?
Summarise the decree on justification.
Who were the Conversos?
What was the Protestant scare of the late 1550s?
What was the effect on the Huguenot movement?
How did the rest of Europe react?
Give evidence that lay piety remained strong despite clerical abuses.
Which pope best symbolised the worldliness of the Renaissance papacy in the 1490s?
What was the Roman Inquisition?
What was the Index?
What was the impact of the Tridentine decrees at parish level?
What made the Society of Jesus distinctive among religious orders?
Give the main obstacles to reform within Catholic Europe.
How did the climate in Spain change for humanists?
Give Philip's motives for religious reform.
Who were the Huguenots?
Outline the pattern of the wars before 1572.
What does Savonarola's fate suggest about reform before Luther?
Give evidence for the Catholic Reformation interpretation.
Contrast the Fifth Lateran Council with the Council of Trent.
In which fields did the Jesuits have most impact?
What was Loyola's greatest legacy?
What was the impact in the Netherlands?
Who opposed the reform programme?
What circumstances made the first session possible?
What inquisitorial and reforming traditions did Philip II inherit?
What do modern estimates suggest about the scale of executions by the Spanish Inquisition?
Why was Coligny's plan alarming?
How did the killing spread beyond its intended targets?
Take Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610 further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Roman Inquisition vs Index
Roman Inquisition: the tribunal established in 1542 to try heresy across Catholic Europe. Index: the list of prohibited books maintained by the papacy.
Oratory of Divine Love vs Ursulines
Oratory of Divine Love: the confraternity of clergy and laymen devoted to prayer and charitable work. Ursulines: the order founded to teach girls and instruct them in the faith.
Black Legend vs Illuminism
Black Legend: the hostile Protestant account of Spanish cruelty and fanaticism. Illuminism: the belief in direct inner enlightenment, feared as a path to heresy.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Describe the condition of the Catholic Church in the 1490s.
Model answer
It suffered from pluralism, absenteeism, simony and a poorly educated parish clergy, while the papacy behaved like an Italian princely court, yet popular devotion remained vigorous.
- 2
Give evidence that lay piety remained strong despite clerical abuses.
Model answer
Confraternities, pilgrimage, endowments for masses, the cults of the saints and a large market for printed devotional books all flourished.
- 3
Which pope best symbolised the worldliness of the Renaissance papacy in the 1490s?
Model answer
Alexander VI, whose nepotism, wealth and dynastic ambitions for his children were notorious.
- 4
What was pluralism, and why did it damage the Church?
Model answer
It was the holding of several benefices at once; it enriched senior clergy while leaving parishes served by poorly paid and often untrained substitutes.
- 5
How did Savonarola attempt reform in Florence?
Model answer
He preached apocalyptic sermons against corruption and luxury, dominated the city after 1494 and staged public burnings of worldly goods, before being excommunicated in 1497 and executed in 1498.
- 6
What does Savonarola's fate suggest about reform before Luther?
Model answer
The appetite for reform existed within the Church, but a reformer who defied the papacy was more likely to be crushed than harnessed.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610 revision questions
- What does Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610 cover in OCR A-Level History A?
- 12 subtopics: the nature of the catholic reformation: condition of the catholic church in the 1490s, the nature of the catholic reformation: early reform and the catholic or counter reformation debate, institutional reforms: role of the papacy, inquisition and councils, institutional reforms: society of jesus, new and traditional orders, ursulines and theatines, role of individuals: erasmus, the popes, loyola and the saints, impact of the catholic reformation: comparative extent of reform and revival, impact of the catholic reformation: obstacles, popular religion, art and achievement, depth study: council of trent — the call for a council, its sessions and decrees, depth study: philip ii of spain — the inquisition, conversos, moriscos and the protestant scare, depth study: philip ii of spain — humanism, illuminism and philip’s religious policy, depth study: st bartholomew’s day massacre — the huguenots and the road to the massacre and depth study: st bartholomew’s day massacre — motives, the killing and its consequences. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610 organised?
- By the OCR H505 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Y308: The Catholic Reformation 1492–1610, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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