Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 8

Popular depictions of Elizabeth I

I can explain how popular depictions of Elizabeth I have changed over time.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 8

Popular depictions of Elizabeth I

I can explain how popular depictions of Elizabeth I have changed over time.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Elizabeth used symbols within paintings to present different ideas about herself.
  2. Elizabeth used speeches to persuade and rally support.
  3. Elizabeth tightly controlled how she was depicted during her own lifetime.
  4. Popular interpretations of Elizabeth I have changed over time.

Common misconception

Historians all agree about what happened in the past.

Historians are constantly arguing and changing their minds about events in the past as new evidence comes to light.

Keywords

  • Depiction - a depiction is a representation of someone or something in words or pictures

  • Symbolism - symbolism is the use of objects or pictures to represent ideas or qualities

  • Interpretation - an interpretation is a historian’s opinion about past events

Encourage students to consider what counter-arguments to their opinions there might be, and how they could argue back against these. Variety of supporting evidence is key to this: the more they have, the stronger their initial interpretation will be.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of sexual content

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

Skip video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What is meant by the term 'golden age'?
a time when lots of gold statues were made
a time when gold was very common
Correct answer: a time of peace, prosperity and plenty
a time when there were more old people than young people
a time when the country achieved many of its goals
Q2.
What building material did Elizabethans use to show off their wealth in 'prodigy houses'?
wood
clay
pearls
Correct answer: glass
Q3.
Which decade saw a period of particularly bad harvests which led to famine in England?
1550s
1570s
Correct answer: 1590s
1610s
Q4.
Parliament was furious with Elizabeth in 1601 about her use of which one of the following:
bad harvests
Correct answer: monopolies
privateers
royal progresses
Q5.
Before Elizabeth's reign, what religious establishments had helped to provide food for the poor?
colonies
Correct answer: monasteries
prodigy houses
theatres
Q6.
Who led the two factions in Elizabeth's court at the end of her reign? Choose two answers.
Correct answer: Robert Devereux
Robert Dudley
Correct answer: Robert Cecil
William Cecil
William Parry

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What belief about a person's physical appearance was common during Elizabeth's reign?
Correct answer: people thought physical beauty reflected inner goodness
people thought a queen's appearance was not important
people thought a queen's clothing choices reflected her intelligence
people thought the younger a person looked, the wiser they must be
Q2.
How did Elizabeth use speeches, such as the 'Golden Speech', to maintain her rule?
by gently telling off members of Parliament for their criticism
by encouraging Parliament to tell her what they wanted from her
Correct answer: by delivering persuasive speeches to win support
by shouting and scaring critics into silence
Q3.
What were royal progresses?
technological advancements in transportation that Elizabeth had invested in
religious reforms to promote unity among all of Elizabeth's subjects
Correct answer: journeys made by Elizabeth and her court from one stately home to another
military campaigns against foreign powers
Q4.
Complete this sentence: John Stubbs was punished for criticising Elizabeth by having his _________________ cut off.
Correct Answer: right hand, hand
Q5.
How did some critics of Elizabeth, like John Foxe and Edmund Spenser, criticise Elizabeth and get away with it?
they went into hiding and avoided the public
they ran away to foreign countries to avoid Elizabeth's anger
Correct answer: they presented their criticism gently and wrapped it in praise
they wrote their criticism in a foreign language
Q6.
Who did the historian James Froude think was the real power behind the throne during Elizabeth's reign?
Correct Answer: Lord Burghley, Burghley, William Cecil, Cecil, lord burghley

Additional material

Download additional material
We're sorry, but preview is not currently available. Download to see additional material.