The sixteenth century was a defining period in English history. Over the successive reigns of the Tudor monarchs, England was transformed from one of the most Catholic countries in Europe into a fully-fledged Protestant nation; from a remote Catholic backwater into a European Protestant superpower. The process of reformation was a difficult one, wracked by dissent, rebellion, and military threats. This module charts the turbulent course of religious change in C16th England, from the vibrant piety of the pre-reformation Church to Henry VIII's break with Rome, from radical change under Edward VI to Mary I's burning of almost 300 Protestants, ending with the accession of Elizabeth I. Key moments of resistance feature against a backdrop of political and religious turmoil, events which laid the foundations of English national identity for centuries to come. The module also explores a wide range of primary sources, including liturgy, ballads, parish documents, plays, works of propaganda, Acts of Parliament, images, and other documents.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
analyse and critically appraise key events and historical processes relevant to the subject under scrutiny
analyse and critically evaluate a wide range of relevant primary source material
critically evaluate the historiographical context and trends of the subject under exploration
summarise, synthesise and evaluate the subject material in a sophisticated written form
