Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-1-education-and-literature [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history.md) › [Edexcel](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel.md) › Education & Literature # Education & Literature History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603, topic 4.3.1 ## Education in the Tudor Period Literacy (the ability to read and write) grew over the 16th century. ### Literacy ![Literacy](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/031496c1-a183-4b8c-82a0-a89435fdf850/shutterstock_572355250.jpg) - The bulk of the population did not go to school and was illiterate. - Literacy for males rose from 20% to 30% during Elizabeth I’s reign. Literacy for females stayed at 20%. ### Early schools ![Early schools](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/519f28eb-0bdc-4219-a0f7-505686d8ee8f/kid-child-naughty.jpg) - Children were taught about behaviour and religion at home. - Aged six, children then went to Sunday school. - Rich children may have learned with the help of a private tutor and poor children would have been trained in housekeeping and basic manual labour. ### Petty schools ![Petty schools](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/eb17b0e6-fdf6-40d6-b301-484d57af62d8/education-learning.jpg) - Petty schools taught reading, writing and maths. - There was no official curriculum and most schools didn’t have many resources. - There were no classes or year groups. Students started aged six, became literate (could read and write) and then left. - The schools were often run by wealthy people or local priests. ### Grammar schools ![Grammar schools](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/240a821b-a63d-4b61-aa71-62a6eeedb72b/latin-language-.jpg) - Grammar schools charged fees unless a boy was especially bright. The curriculum was based on Latin, Greek, literature, history, religion and rhetoric. - The best students (male students) went to Cambridge and Oxford (the two universities in England). All studies at Oxbridge were in Latin. ## Universities During the Tudor period, the number of students attending universities increased. Furthermore, universities were central to the development of the Reformation in England. ### Role of universities in the Henrician Reformation ![Role of universities in the Henrician Reformation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/4f900b7c-268f-421c-8074-e71bf2dcf6da/oxford.jpg) - In Oxford and Cambridge, the shape of the Church and its doctrine were debated. - Henry VIII tried to gain the support of university students to legitimate his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. - Historians have noted that the uptake of Protestantism was strongest amongst the younger generation of clergymen who had been at university during the years of religious reform. ### Influence of humanism ![Influence of humanism](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/7be444ff-b72f-41c8-bbf4-e4c46873061e/shutterstock_246116167.jpg) - Humanism was an intellectual movement that was focussed on the potential of mankind. - Humanist scholars believed education could improve the power of mankind. - Universities taught a Humanist education to its students. - It led scholars to rethink their views on religion and society. - To an extent, this drove the questioning of the traditional Church. ### Development of universities under Mary I ![Development of universities under Mary I](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/61a072d6-abba-469a-80ef-dbb9d39f58cc/mary-i.jpg) - Mary supported humanism and encouraged humanist education at universities. - She also focussed on expanding universities. - E.g. St John’s College, Oxford was founded in 1555. ## The Printing Press Information and ideas were becoming more accessible during the Tudor Period. This was largely fuelled by the development of the Printing Press. ### Origins of the printing press ![Origins of the printing press](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/2cab83d7-a047-4490-bdf0-ce2e662f6d26/printing-press-print-.jpg) - The printing press was first created in Germany. - In England, the first printing press was used in 1476. ### Impact of the printing press ![Impact of the printing press](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/3f14c715-744b-41b5-91ef-9970b66c6a39/shutterstock_617597429.jpg) - The printing press meant books and artwork were becoming far more accessible. - This helped ideas spread, for example, those of humanists. - Printing contributed to the rise in literacy levels among the nobility and gentry. ### Impact on the reformation ![Impact on the reformation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/7237d64d-d2df-4e1d-b35b-0dd701ca844f/church-cross-wooden-.jpg) - Traditionally, historians have associated the printing press with the rise of Protestantism. - Whilst the printing press did help disseminate Protestant ideas, Catholics could also spread their ideas. This is seen in Mary I’s use of the printing press in her restoration of Catholicism. - E.g. the printing press was vital for producing new Catholic prayer books (which had been destroyed by Henry VIII and Edward VI). ## Test yourself on Education & Literature - What was the male literacy rate by the end of Elizabeth I's reign? - Who sought the support of university students to legitimate his divorce? - Under which monarch was St John's College, Oxford founded? - Where was the printing press first created? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/c32e8aa5-abeb-44ce-b7ad-e2162a2d0658/section/683aa4ae-5594-480d-9c1a-3f128afdb27b/session) - Previous topic: [4.2.3 Enclosure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-3-enclosure.md) - Next topic: [4.3.2 Impact of Religious Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-2-impact-of-religious-change.md) ## History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603 contents ### 1 Monarch & Government - 1.1 Tudor Monarchs - [1.1.1 Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-1-henry-vii.md) - [1.1.2 Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-2-henry-viii.md) - [1.1.3 Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-3-edward-vi.md) - [1.1.4 Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-4-mary-i.md) - [1.1.5 Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-5-elizabeth-i.md) - [1.1.6 Succession Disputes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-6-succession-disputes.md) - 1.2 Changing Role of Parliament - [1.2.1 Parliament & Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-1-parliament-and-henry-vii.md) - [1.2.2 Parliament & Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-2-parliament-and-henry-viii.md) - [1.2.3 Parliament After the Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-3-parliament-after-the-reformation.md) - 1.3 Principal Servants to the Crown - [1.3.1 Principal Servants to the Crown](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-3-1-principal-servants-to-the-crown.md) ### 2 Religious Changes - 2.1 Tudor Monarchs & Religious Change - [2.1.1 The Henrician Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-1-the-henrician-reformation.md) - [2.1.2 Impact of Religious Change Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-2-impact-of-religious-change-under-henry-viii.md) - [2.1.3 Religious Change Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-3-religious-change-under-edward-vi.md) - [2.1.4 Religious Change Under Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-4-religious-change-under-mary-i.md) - [2.1.5 Elizabethan Settlement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-5-elizabethan-settlement.md) - 2.2 Catholicism & Survival - [2.2.1 Popular Attitudes to Catholicism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-1-popular-attitudes-to-catholicism.md) - [2.2.2 Catholicism Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-2-catholicism-under-henry-viii.md) - [2.2.3 Catholicism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-3-catholicism-under-elizabeth-i.md) - [2.2.4 Catholic Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-4-catholic-nobility.md) - 2.3 Protestantism & Puritanism - [2.3.1 Protestant Influences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-1-protestant-influences.md) - [2.3.2 Protestantism Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-2-protestantism-under-edward-vi.md) - [2.3.3 Protestantism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-3-protestantism-under-elizabeth-i.md) ### 3 State Control & Popular Resistance - 3.1 Tudor Control of the Country - [3.1.1 Councils](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-1-councils.md) - [3.1.2 Role of Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-2-role-of-nobility.md) - [3.1.3 Justices of the Peace](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-3-justices-of-the-peace.md) - [3.1.4 Lord Lieutenant](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-4-lord-lieutenant.md) - 3.2 The State & the Poor - [3.2.1 Reasons for Growth of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-1-reasons-for-growth-of-poverty.md) - [3.2.2 Punishments for Paupers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-2-punishments-for-paupers.md) - [3.2.3 Role of Charities](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-3-role-of-charities.md) - 3.3 Resistance to Tudor Rule - [3.3.1 Resistance to Tax & Subsidies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-1-resistance-to-tax-and-subsidies.md) - [3.3.2 Uprisings Against Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-2-uprisings-against-henry-viii.md) - [3.3.3 Uprisings Against Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-3-uprisings-against-edward-vi.md) - [3.3.4 Uprisings Against Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-4-uprisings-against-elizabeth-i.md) - [3.3.5 Decline of Popular Resistance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-5-decline-of-popular-resistance.md) ### 4 Economic, Social & Cultural Change - 4.1 Patterns of Domestic & Foreign Trade - [4.1.1 Wool & Cloth](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-1-wool-and-cloth.md) - [4.1.2 Exploration & Trade](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-2-exploration-and-trade.md) - 4.2 Changing Structure of Society - [4.2.1 Population](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-1-population.md) - [4.2.2 Dissolution of Monasteries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-2-dissolution-of-monasteries.md) - [4.2.3 Enclosure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-3-enclosure.md) - 4.3 Cultural Change - [4.3.1 Education & Literature](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-1-education-and-literature.md) - [4.3.2 Impact of Religious Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-2-impact-of-religious-change.md) - [4.3.3 Patronage](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-3-patronage.md) - [4.3.4 The Arts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-4-the-arts.md) - [4.3.5 Cult of Gloriana](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-5-cult-of-gloriana.md) ### 5 Historical Interpretations - 5.1 Significance of Threats to National Security - [5.1.1 Spain](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-1-spain.md) - [5.1.2 The Spanish Armada](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-2-the-spanish-armada.md) - [5.1.3 Ireland](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-3-ireland.md) - 5.2 Court Politics - [5.2.1 Court Factions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-1-court-factions.md) - [5.2.2 Essex's Rebellion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-2-essexs-rebellion.md) - 5.3 Elizabeth & Parliament - [5.3.1 Conflict with Parliament](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-3-1-conflict-with-parliament.md) - 5.4 Social Distress in the 1590s - [5.4.1 Social Distress in the 1590s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-4-1-social-distress-in-the-1590s.md)