Exploration, Poetry and Drama
I am following chapter 4 which tells about basic history of England and most important fact which can be find in test questions.
Elizabethan times or second part of 16 century was time of growing patriotism among Her Majesty’s subjects.
English became proud of being English.
English explorers started to pursue new lands and English traders wanted to trade with Spanish colonies in Americas.
The English naval traditions were born in this time and British navy became prominent after defeating Spanish fleet.
Sir Francis Drake (name which is very important and should remembered) and his men were the first to sail around the world on ship called the Golden Hind.
Also first English settlers started to colonise the East Coast of North America.
In coming years, especially in early XVII century, even more people left England to start new life in American colonies.
Most of these people belonged to Christian religious minorities which did not agree with policies of the kings who ruled after Elizabeth I death.
Elizabethan era was also rich in great artists, poets and play writers like William Shakespeare who is actually regarded as the greatest English play writer ever.
Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford- upon- Avon and died in 1616.
He was an actor and writer and poet.
Most famous plays of his are: Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, As You like it.
His plays and poetry had great influence on English language.
The most famous quote from Shakespeare’s play is “to be or not to be” (from Hamlet).
His plays were performed in The Globe Theatre in London, which reconstruction is standing now on the bank of river Thames.
In this small paragraph I should pay attention to: name of Francis Drake's ship which I did not remember, dates of birth and death of William S. and find more famous quotes from his plays
in English as I know them in my first language.James Vi & I
Elizabeth I didn't have children so there was no direct descendent to inherit her throne.
When she died in year 1603, the next king was James VI of Scotland who became James I of England, Wales & Ireland.
Scotland remained a separate kingdom.
During reign of James I, there was a new translation of the Bible into English (there was older translation of Bible into English before)
This edition is known as "King James version" & it is still used in Protestant churches in UK.
This is very short and easy paragraph; things to pay attention to are: date of Queen Elizabeth's death, fact that even after accession of James VI and his becoming English king did not make Scotland
a part of his new kingdom.Ireland
Ireland was completely Catholic even after Henry VII & Henry VIII took the title of King of Ireland.
English law was introduced and Irish lords were obliged to take orders from the Lord Lieutenants in Dublin.
During reign of Elizabeth I and James I, the Irish were against Protestant government in England and there were several rebellions.
Protestants from other parts of the kingdom were encouraged to settle in northern part of Ireland called Ulster and take the lands of local Catholic lords.
This type of settlement was called "plantations".
People were coming from south-west Scotland and even from London.
This plantations were organized by James I several times in other parts of Ireland.
It had serious repercussions in the future.Another short piece of history for me to remember; words to remember are “plantations” which were actually pretty nasty moves from the English side; simply it was slow taking over another country
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