Crime and Punishment / 1559
Crime and Punishment: Elizabeth's Religious Settlement
Elizabeth tried to reduce tension by making a compromise for religion.
What To Remember
- In 1559 Elizabeth passed the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity.
- She became Supreme Governor of the Church, taking authority away from the Pope in England.
- The settlement was Protestant overall but kept some Catholic traditions to make it easier to accept.
Act of Supremacy
The Act of Supremacy took power away from the Pope.
Elizabeth became Supreme Governor of the Church rather than Supreme Head, a title that sounded more acceptable to some people.
This made loyalty to Elizabeth part of religious obedience.
Act of Uniformity
The Act of Uniformity made Protestantism the official religion.
It also set rules for worship in a revised prayer book.
Some Catholic traditions stayed in place as part of the compromise, helping Elizabeth avoid an immediate religious civil war.
Why it worked
Elizabeth wanted to keep the country calmer after the violent swings under Edward VI and Mary I.
Her settlement was a middle way: clearly Protestant, but not as extreme as some Protestants wanted.
It reduced tension at first, but Catholic opposition, plots and foreign threats later made religious disobedience look more like treason.
Revision Prompt
Why did Elizabeth choose a religious compromise in 1559?