Queen Elizabeth I Dbq

In 1558, John Knox declared, “To promote a Woman to bear rule, superiority, dominion, or empire above any Realm, Nation, or City, is against all Nature…” (document 1). Knox’s statement was no different than most English men’s opinions during the 1500s. The majority of the population was opposed to having a women hold any type of political power, as they believed it was a job for solely a man to possess. Leading up to the time period of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, females had a specific purpose in life: to serve their husbands and provide them with children. All women lacked freedom and liberty, Elizabeth Tudor sought to change this matter. When Queen Elizabeth was coronated in 1559, men were superior in all economic and social aspects; however,

People believed that Queen Elizabeth would restore the protestant faith after her sister, Mary destroyed it by persecuting all protestant people. The queen wished to follow this request, as she had grown up protestant and was raised to stay true to the lord. Although, she was dedicated to reestablishing her own beliefs, Elizabeth decided it was best to let Catholicism die out naturally rather than getting involved with the head of the church. Eventually, she succeeded, the majority of England’s population turned to Protestantism leaving very few Catholics. Despite the fact that Elizabeth wanted all of England to become followers of the protestant religion, she was extremely tolerant of all faiths and thought nobody deserved to be persecuted unless they were disturbing England’s peace. Queen Elizabeth I proclaimed the following, "There is only one Christ, Jesus, one faith" she exclaimed later in her reign, "all else is a dispute over trifles." She believed that as long as her fellow citizens followed the laws of the lord, they were allowed to practice whatever belief felt right to them. Elizabeth did not want the church to become a place of violence and disagreement, instead she ensured the church was welcoming to both Catholics and Protestants. People were willing to agree with the queen’s beliefs because she recognized that she was not a perfect protestant; however, Elizabeth prayed everyday hoping she would become a better follower of God. She shared her personal experiences with others, proving to them that she too was a normal person and made mistakes often. Overall, Queen Elizabeth I shaped the face of religion for England by allowing the people to follow the faith of their choosing and reestablishing Protestant