The Accession and the Religious Settlement

Active learning helps students grasp the complexity of the 1559 Religious Settlement by letting them experience the tensions Elizabeth faced. Debating, simulating, and analyzing primary documents make abstract policies tangible and reveal how compromise shaped a lasting church.

• Year 12
• History
• 3 activities
• 25 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the key provisions of the 1559 Act of Supremacy and the 1559 Act of Uniformity.
2. Explain the motivations behind the creation of the 'Via Media' or 'Middle Way' in religious doctrine and practice.
3. Evaluate the extent to which Elizabeth I's personal religious views influenced the religious settlement.
4. Compare the demands of Puritan reformers with the compromises offered in the Elizabethan Settlement.
5. Critique the effectiveness of the 1559 Religious Settlement in achieving national religious stability.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The 1559 Settlement Audit

In small groups, students analyze the clauses of the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity. They must identify the 'Protestant' elements (e.g., the English Bible) and the 'Catholic' elements (e.g., the structure of bishops) and discuss why Elizabeth chose this 'mix'.

Prepare & details

Analyze how Elizabeth's personal beliefs shaped the Settlement.

Facilitation Tip: During the '1559 Settlement Audit,' assign each group two or three clauses from the Acts to analyze, then rotate their findings to compare interpretations.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Simulation Game

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Parliamentary Battle of 1559

Students role-play the debates in the House of Lords and the House of Commons. They must represent the 'Puritan Choir' who want a more radical reform and the 'Catholic Bishops' who want to keep the old ways, while Elizabeth's ministers try to push through a compromise.

Prepare & details

Explain why the 'Puritan Choir' in Parliament opposed the Settlement.

Facilitation Tip: In the 'Parliamentary Battle' simulation, give radical Puritans and conservative bishops distinct roles with clear talking points to ensure conflict feels authentic.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: A Permanent Solution?

Students analyze Elizabeth's famous quote that she did not want to 'make windows into men's souls'. They discuss in pairs whether the 1559 Settlement was intended to be a 'permanent' solution or just a 'temporary fix' to keep the peace.

Prepare & details

Evaluate whether the Settlement was intended to be a permanent solution or a temporary fix.

Facilitation Tip: For the 'Think-Pair-Share' discussion, ask students to compare Elizabeth’s personal chapel objects with the Settlement’s requirements to highlight her personal preferences versus political necessity.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teachers approach this topic by emphasizing Elizabeth’s pragmatism rather than ideological purity. Use primary sources to show how her policies reflected compromise, not personal conviction. Avoid framing her as a zealous reformer—her goal was stability, not theological revolution. Research suggests students best understand the 'Via Media' when they see it as a political tool first, religious statement second.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students identifying Elizabeth’s balancing act between tradition and reform. They should explain why the Settlement endured despite opposition and connect specific features of the 1559 Acts to broader political and religious goals.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the '1559 Settlement Audit,' some students may assume Elizabeth I was a 'radical' Protestant who hated Catholicism.

What to Teach Instead

During the '1559 Settlement Audit,' have students examine images of Elizabeth’s personal chapel (e.g., vestments, crucifixes) alongside the Settlement’s requirements. Ask them to categorize which elements she retained and why her personal preferences mattered in shaping the 'Middle Way'.

Common Misconception

During the 'Parliamentary Battle' simulation, students might believe the 1559 Settlement was accepted by everyone immediately.

What to Teach Instead

During the 'Parliamentary Battle' simulation, highlight the Catholic bishops’ refusal to take the Oath of Supremacy by assigning one student to play a bishop who walks out. After the simulation, debrief on why this resistance mattered and how it shaped the new church’s leadership.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After the '1559 Settlement Audit,' provide two primary source quotes: one from a conservative Catholic and one from a radical Puritan reacting to the Settlement. Ask students to write one sentence explaining how each quote demonstrates opposition to the 'Middle Way'.

Discussion Prompt

After the 'Parliamentary Battle' simulation, pose the question: 'Was the 1559 Religious Settlement a triumph of political skill or a temporary measure destined for future conflict?' Facilitate a class debate, asking students to cite specific evidence from the Acts and contemporary reactions to support their arguments.

Quick Check

During the 'Think-Pair-Share' activity, present students with a list of key features of the 1559 Settlement (e.g., monarch as Supreme Governor, use of Book of Common Prayer, vestments required). Ask them to categorize each feature as primarily Catholic-leaning, Protestant-leaning, or deliberately ambiguous, explaining their reasoning for each.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to write a short speech as Elizabeth defending her Settlement to Parliament, using evidence from the Acts and quotes from opposition groups.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide a graphic organizer that lists key features of the Settlement and asks them to mark each as Catholic-leaning, Protestant-leaning, or ambiguous with brief justifications.
• Deeper exploration: Invite students to research how the 1559 Settlement influenced later conflicts, such as the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, and present their findings as a short podcast episode.

Key Vocabulary

Act of Supremacy (1559)	Legislation that re-established the monarch as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, defining the relationship between the Crown and the Church.
Act of Uniformity (1559)	Legislation that mandated a revised Book of Common Prayer and established the structure and worship of the Church of England, aiming for consistency.
Via Media	Latin for 'Middle Way,' referring to the Elizabethan Religious Settlement's attempt to find a moderate path between Catholic tradition and radical Protestantism.
Puritan Choir	A term used to describe the more zealous Protestant members of Parliament who advocated for further reforms and a more Calvinist doctrine within the Church of England.
Book of Common Prayer (1559)	The official liturgical book of the Church of England, revised under Elizabeth I to incorporate elements acceptable to both moderate Protestants and Catholics.