il Rinascimento in Inghilterra, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica il Rinascimento in Inghilterra e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! THE RENAISSANCE The renaissance was a period of revival of classical learning: when Constantinople was captured in 1453, Greeks moved from the east of Europe to the most important cities of the west Europe (Florence, Bologna, Paris, Oxford)  the study of Greek and Roman’s literature were renewed. But the Renaissance was more than that: - new inventions: the invention of the compass and the invention of printing (books were cheaper); - exploration: it proved that the ideas they had about the world were wrong. In Italy the Renaissance represented a development in art, literature and science. In England it represented a development in theater and architecture. THE TUDORS With the Tudors, England changed from a medieval to a modern country. War of the Roses Richard III was the last king of the House of the York. There were rebellions against him, which led to the War of the Roses: a dynastic conflict that lasted 30 years, between Richard of York and Henry Tudor of the House of Lancaster (Henry Tudor was defeated). York = white rose Lancaster = red rose Henry Tudor (Henry VII)  he married Elizabeth of York, to unite the two important families He unified the nation, limited the power of the nobles and strengthened the power of the throne. Henry VIII  married Catherine of Aragon (the widow of his brother). He has the problem of the succession: he had a daughter and no queen had ever ruled over England. He annulled his marriage and married Anne Boleyn. But Anne Boleyn had a daughter too, so Henry VIII accused her falsely of adultery and she was executed. He married Jane Seymour, who had a son, Edward, who guaranteed the Tudor succession. The Act of Supremacy In 1534 the Act of supremacy confirmed Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church of England and separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. Edward VI  son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, he succeeded his father at the age of nine, but died in 1553, six years later. Bloody Mary  in 1553, when Edward VI died, Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII and Elizabeth of Aragon, was proclaimed queen. She wanted to restore Roman Catholicism in England. She was involved in a terrible persecution: many protestants were sent to the strake and burned = this gave her the name of Bloody Mary. ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND Elizabeth I: She was the successor of Queen Mary, her sister. She became a symbol of national unity and one of the most famous English monarchs. Elizabeth promoted the Second Act of Supremacy of 1559, by which she re-established the Anglican Church and proclaimed herself the supreme governor of the Protestant clergy. Her objective was to establish a national Church that could include Catholics and Protestants: her approach to the reform was known as the “middle way”. She was also known as the “Virgin Queen”: at that time marriage corresponded to political alliance, so Elizabeth didn’t get married because she was determined not to offend any section. Mary Queen of Scots: she was the only daughter of James V of Scotland, and a descendent of Henry VII. After spending many years in France, she returned to Scotland to be proclaimed queen, but during her absence Scotland had become Protestant and Mary, a Catholic, was forced to abdicate in favor of her son James. She moved to England, where Elizabeth’s right to the English throne was considered illegal by many Catholics. In 1587 Mary ordered Elizabeth’s execution. Expansion: in 1584 Sir Walter Raleigh explored the east coast of America, where he found a colony and called it “Virginia”, in honor of Queen Elizabeth, the “virgin queen”. Thanks to Elizabeth, who signed a charter for the British East India Company (which created links with Asia), the big imperial expansion of the 17th and 18th centuries began. THE STUART DINASTY James I When Queen Elizabeth died, she was succeeded by her cousin James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England, the first Stuart king of England. He united three kingdoms: England, Scotland and Ireland. James considered himself above the law and parliament. He reinforced the Anglican Church, disappointing the Catholics and the Protestants. The struggle with parliament: James I’s claim to Divine Right took away Parliament’s powers, except if he chose to grant them. Parliament’s anxiety to keep the Crown led in the next reign to the Civil War. Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot: in 1605 a group of Catholics plotted the murder of the king: with their leader Guy Fawkes, they placed barrels of gunpowder under the House of Parliament, to blow up the House. However, the plot was detected, and the men were arrested.