Edward VI Revision Questions
1. What were Edward VI’s interests?
Sources of revenue for his religious campaign, different troops, how they were paid and final treaty
articles (100 year war)
2. When were Somerset’s religious reforms?
1547-49
3. What was Somerset’s approach to Protestantism?
Somerset had personal sympathy for Protestant ideas but he recognised the sensitivity in making
religious changes, trying to adopt a moderate and cautious approach
4. What came out of the parliament session November 1547?
It was suppose to enact religious change, but legislation did little and only underlined what
changes were already happening
5. What did the Treason Act do?
Repeal the Six Articles Act and heresy
6. Why did Somerset impose the Chantries Act?
To abolish chantries which were central to Catholic practice- it banned prayers for the dead which
was something that gave comfort to all the people. It is argued that he did it to raise money for his
war with Scotland rather than for religious reasons
7. Why did it take two years to pass the Act of Uniformity (1549)?
Somerset felt the position of the Crown was not secure enough until the Scottish war was over to
sort out the confusion of religious policy
8. What was the Act of Uniformity?
It was designed to impose a single standard of worship across England in order to end religious
confusion
9. What were the terms of the Act of Uniformity?
English was the language of worship, not Latin. Congregations should be offered bread and wine
during communion, which breached Catholic belief that the wine was reserved for those in the
priesthood
10. What was the problem with the Act of Uniformity?
It did not create a fully Protestant Church as services went along as they had before apart from the
change in language
11. What were the problems with Cranmer’s First Prayer Book?
Although it set out the form that services should take, it was very vague and some Catholic ideals
were not abolished, i.e. the worship of Saints
12. What did Henry VIII’s Will state that Somerset should do?
Secure the marriage alliance between Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots
13. What happened when Scotland rejected the marriage alliance and had Mary betrothed to
the Dauphine of France?
England faced threats from Scotland and France due to their alliance. Somerset hoped to isolate
Scotland by forming an alliance with France, however King Henry II of France renewed the Franco-
Scottish alliance and sent a fleet of 4,000 troops to Scotland.
14. How did Somerset react to the Franco-Scottish alliance?
He instigated a joint land and naval invasion
15. What battle were the Scots defeated at?
The Battle of Pinkie, which gave Somerset control over the border region but not over Scotland
16. Somerset’s foreign policy was a failure, what were his losses?
It cost £600,000, it cemented links between France and Scotland and made a French invasion in
the South East more likely
17. What did Somerset do about enclosures?
He established a commission to investigate the legality of recent enclosures
18. What was the effect of the enclosure commissions?
It was unpopular amongst the gentry and the new acts passed between 1548-49 raised the tax on
sheep and cloth
19. What was the economic situation in England?
Inflation- biggest rise being foodstuffs and the rise in population which put pressure on agriculture.
Wages were failing to keep up with the rising prices, plus there had been poor harvests
1. What were Edward VI’s interests?
Sources of revenue for his religious campaign, different troops, how they were paid and final treaty
articles (100 year war)
2. When were Somerset’s religious reforms?
1547-49
3. What was Somerset’s approach to Protestantism?
Somerset had personal sympathy for Protestant ideas but he recognised the sensitivity in making
religious changes, trying to adopt a moderate and cautious approach
4. What came out of the parliament session November 1547?
It was suppose to enact religious change, but legislation did little and only underlined what
changes were already happening
5. What did the Treason Act do?
Repeal the Six Articles Act and heresy
6. Why did Somerset impose the Chantries Act?
To abolish chantries which were central to Catholic practice- it banned prayers for the dead which
was something that gave comfort to all the people. It is argued that he did it to raise money for his
war with Scotland rather than for religious reasons
7. Why did it take two years to pass the Act of Uniformity (1549)?
Somerset felt the position of the Crown was not secure enough until the Scottish war was over to
sort out the confusion of religious policy
8. What was the Act of Uniformity?
It was designed to impose a single standard of worship across England in order to end religious
confusion
9. What were the terms of the Act of Uniformity?
English was the language of worship, not Latin. Congregations should be offered bread and wine
during communion, which breached Catholic belief that the wine was reserved for those in the
priesthood
10. What was the problem with the Act of Uniformity?
It did not create a fully Protestant Church as services went along as they had before apart from the
change in language
11. What were the problems with Cranmer’s First Prayer Book?
Although it set out the form that services should take, it was very vague and some Catholic ideals
were not abolished, i.e. the worship of Saints
12. What did Henry VIII’s Will state that Somerset should do?
Secure the marriage alliance between Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots
13. What happened when Scotland rejected the marriage alliance and had Mary betrothed to
the Dauphine of France?
England faced threats from Scotland and France due to their alliance. Somerset hoped to isolate
Scotland by forming an alliance with France, however King Henry II of France renewed the Franco-
Scottish alliance and sent a fleet of 4,000 troops to Scotland.
14. How did Somerset react to the Franco-Scottish alliance?
He instigated a joint land and naval invasion
15. What battle were the Scots defeated at?
The Battle of Pinkie, which gave Somerset control over the border region but not over Scotland
16. Somerset’s foreign policy was a failure, what were his losses?
It cost £600,000, it cemented links between France and Scotland and made a French invasion in
the South East more likely
17. What did Somerset do about enclosures?
He established a commission to investigate the legality of recent enclosures
18. What was the effect of the enclosure commissions?
It was unpopular amongst the gentry and the new acts passed between 1548-49 raised the tax on
sheep and cloth
19. What was the economic situation in England?
Inflation- biggest rise being foodstuffs and the rise in population which put pressure on agriculture.
Wages were failing to keep up with the rising prices, plus there had been poor harvests
