© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved.TIMELINEHISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES • FOCUS PERIOD: 1485–
change came a rebirth of learning as scholars
rediscovered Greek and Roman literature and
art and absorbed the knowledge of Arabic
physicians, mathematicians, and philosophers.
This rediscovered knowledge inspired artists and
writers to create some of the world’s greatest
cultural achievements. However, conditions in
England had not yet been ripe for great change in
Chaucer’s time.
It was not until the end of the fifteenth century,
when Henry VII came to power, that England
began to let go of its medieval past. It was still an
agrarian society, but towns—especially London—
were growing in power and importance as the
population increased dramatically and the role of
trade grew in importance.
As life in England changed, and literature was
increasingly written in the vernacular, England
entered its own rebirth. It was under Elizabeth I
that England experienced the great flowering of
the English Renaissance.
The Elizabethan Age Elizabeth I presided over
what many have described as England’s “golden
age.” Born to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in
1533, Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1558.
She firmly established England as a Protestant
nation and ushered in a time of prosperity and
peace. The greatest threat to her rule came in
1588, when Catholic Spain sent an armada—a
fleet of warships—to conquer England. Elizabeth
rallied her people, and the English fleet shattered
the armada. This glorious moment produced a
surge of patriotic spirit and a sense of power that
swept the entire nation.Explorers and Settlers Fueled by the
Renaissance thirst for knowledge, European
navigators ventured far and wide, aided by
the invention of the compass and by advances
in astronomy. England’s participation in the
Age of Exploration began in 1497, when the
Italian-born explorer John Cabot, sailing for an
English company, reached present-day Canada.
Cabot laid the basis for future English claims in
North America.
By the end of this period, the claims of
exploration became the claims of settlement, as
England began its first colonies—Jamestown, in
1607, and the Massachusetts colonies, beginning
in 1620.
Puritans Toward the end of Elizabeth’s reign,
some Protestants began to form groups that
questioned the purpose of life and the role of the
church. Because they focused on purification of
the English church from any vestiges of Roman
Catholicism, they became known as Puritans.
The desire to find a place where they were free
to practice their beliefs motivated the Puritans to
emigrate to the North American continent, where
they founded the New England Colonies.
A New Dynasty Elizabeth I was succeeded by
her cousin, who became James I, the first Stuart
king of England. James was an able ruler who
inherited a prosperous nation that had become a
world power. By the end of his reign, however, his
struggles with Parliament foreshadowed the civil
war that would come during the reign of his son,
Charles I.1563: More than 20,
Londoners die in plague.1579: North America Sir
Francis Drake lands near
site of San Francisco on his
voyage around the globe.1558: Elizabeth I
becomes queen.1564: William Shakespeare is born.1550
248 UNIT 3 • FacINg The FUTUre, coNFroNTINg The PasTLIT17_SE12_U03_A_WC_LC.indd 248 2/20/16 3:10 PMTEACHING
History of the Period (cont’d)
Have students focus on the paragraphs in the
text labeled “The English Renaissance.” This text
describes the “rebirth of learning.” Point out
that the text suggests that the Renaissance era
began in Italy, but much of the knowledge came
from Greek, Roman, and Arabic sources. Ask
students to consider what the influence of these
sources says about Italy at that time, and what
effect this era had on art and literature. Students
may conclude that Italy had become a center
for learning and that historians and scholars
had “unburied” knowledge from all parts of the
world and from many different fields. This “new
knowledge” inspired many artists and writers, as
students will discover in this unit.PERSONALIZE FOR LEARNING
Strategic Support
Identify Critical Details Ask students to name factors that
contributed to the Age of Exploration in England and the creation
of settlements in North America. Suggest they focus on intellectual
developments as well as national or international sentiments.
Possible responses should include the advances in astronomy, the
invention of the compass, and the sense of power England felt after
defeating Spain at sea. Discuss how navigational advances allowed
explorers traveling by ship to travel to new places.248 UNIT 3 • FACING THE FUTURE, CONFRONTING THE PAST
LIT17_TE12_U03_A_WC_LC.indd 248 4/9/16 8:45 AM