Curriculum Portal

neurologyYou need to know

• enry VIII: character, aims and Henry VII's legacy
• Henry's personality, education and understanding of Renaissance kingship.
• His aims: honour, glory, military success, international influence and a secure succession.
• His inheritance from Henry VII, including a stable dynasty and strong royal finances.
• His treatment of Henry VII's ministers, including the executions of Empson and Dudley.
• The influence of Henry's favourites, courtiers, wives and ministers.
• Changes in Henry's character, priorities and style of government across his reign.
• The extent to which Henry achieved his personal, political and dynastic aims.
• Government and royal supremacy
• The respective powers of the Crown and Parliament.
• Henry's personal role in decision-making and government.
• The rise and fall of Thomas Wolsey, including his domestic policies and government reforms.
• Wolsey's legal, financial and enclosure policies and the Amicable Grant of 1525.
• Wolsey's failure to secure the annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
• The rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell and his role in transforming government.
• The growing importance of Parliament during the Reformation.
• The Reformation Parliament and legislation establishing the Royal Supremacy.
• The Act in Restraint of Appeals and Act of Supremacy, 1534.
• Changes in central government, including the Privy Council and financial administration.
• Government and faction in the final years of Henry's reign.
• Foreign relations and the succession
• Henry's aims in dealing with France, Scotland, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire.
• Early wars with France and Scotland, including the Battle of Flodden, 1513.
• Wolsey's foreign policy and the Treaty of London, 1518.
• The Field of the Cloth of Gold and Henry's changing alliances.
• Relations with Charles V and Francis I.
• The impact of the Break with Rome on England's diplomatic position.
• Later wars against France and Scotland and their financial consequences.
• Henry's concern to secure a legitimate male heir.
• His marriages and the succession: Mary, Elizabeth and Edward.
• The succession legislation and Henry's will.
• The extent to which England was stronger and the succession secure by 1547.
• Society, regional issues and rebellion
• The social hierarchy and the roles of nobles, gentry, merchants, yeomen and commoners.
• The development of the court and the changing influence of traditional elites.
• Regional differences and the challenges of governing the North, Wales and Ireland.
• The Acts of Union with Wales and extension of English administration.
• The social consequences of religious change and the dissolution of the monasteries.
• Changes in land ownership and the growth of the gentry.
• Poverty, population growth, enclosure, unemployment and vagrancy.
• Causes and failure of the Amicable Grant resistance, 1525.
• Causes, events and consequences of the Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536–1537.
• The government's responses to rebellion and regional disorder.
• The extent of social stability and unrest by 1547.
• Economic development
• The importance of agriculture, wool and cloth to the English economy.
• Changes in population, prices, wages and living standards.
• Enclosure and its social and economic impact.
• Trade with Europe and attempts to develop new markets.
• Changes in the cloth trade and periods of prosperity and depression.
• Exploration and the limited development of overseas activity.
• Government taxation and the economic cost of war.
• The dissolution of the monasteries and redistribution of monastic wealth.
• Crown expenditure, sale of land and the debasement of the coinage.
• The extent of economic development and financial stability by 1547.
• Religion, reform and continuity
• The condition of the English Church in 1509 and the strength of traditional religion.
• Renaissance and humanist ideas, including the influence of Erasmus and English reformers.
• Criticisms of clerical abuses and the early spread of Protestant ideas.
• Henry's initial defence of Catholicism and opposition to Martin Luther.
• The "King's Great Matter" and reasons for the Break with Rome.
• The establishment and enforcement of Royal Supremacy.
• The roles of Henry, Anne Boleyn, Cromwell and Cranmer in religious change.
• The dissolution of the smaller and larger monasteries.
• The Ten Articles, Bishops' Book, English Bible and other reform measures.
• Catholic reaction, including the Pilgrimage of Grace.
• Conservative measures, including the Six Articles, 1539 and the King's Book.
• Factional conflict between religious conservatives and reformers.
• The extent of religious continuity and change by 1547.

• Analyse Henry VIII's character, aims and approach to kingship.
• Assess how successfully Henry addressed Henry VII's political and financial legacy.
• Explain how Henry's priorities and style of government changed during his reign.
• Compare the roles, policies and influence of Wolsey and Cromwell.
• Assess the effectiveness of Crown, Parliament, ministers and the Privy Council.
• Explain how and why Royal Supremacy was established.
• Evaluate the significance of the Reformation Parliament and Cromwell's governmental reforms.
• Assess the importance of faction in the operation of Henry's court and government.
• Explain the aims and changing direction of Henry's foreign policy.
• Evaluate the successes, failures and costs of relations with France, Scotland and the Empire.
• Explain why securing the succession dominated Henry's reign.
• Assess how far the succession had been secured by 1547.
• Compare the experiences of elites, commoners and different regions.
• Analyse the social and regional impact of religious upheaval.
• Explain the causes, nature and consequences of the Pilgrimage of Grace.
• Assess the extent of social and political stability under Henry.
• Analyse patterns of trade, prosperity and depression.
• Evaluate the impact of warfare, taxation, monastic dissolution and debasement on the economy.
• Explain the influence of Renaissance, humanist and reformist ideas.
• Analyse the causes and development of the English Reformation.
• Assess the roles of political, dynastic, financial and religious motives in the Break with Rome.
• Judge the extent of religious continuity and change by 1547.
• Identify patterns of change and continuity across Henry VIII's reign.
• Analyse primary sources using content, provenance, tone, purpose and historical context.
• Evaluate historical interpretations and support conclusions with precise evidence.