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Henry VIII and Religion

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Henry VIII and Religion

Read the background and source carefully. Choose one answer for each multiple-choice question. Use evidence and your own historical knowledge in your written answers.

Background: a Church under royal control

When Henry VIII became king in 1509, Christians in England were part of the Catholic Church, whose leader was the Pope. Henry wanted his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled, but Pope Clement VII did not grant his request. In 1534, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, recognising Henry as the Church of England’s supreme head. The break with Rome did not make Henry a Protestant reformer: he kept many traditional Catholic beliefs and forms of worship. From 1536 to 1540, monasteries across England and Wales were closed and their property taken by the Crown.

Key facts

Choose the best answer for each question.

1.What was the immediate issue behind Henry VIII’s request to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon?

He wanted permission to join a monastery.
He wanted the marriage declared invalid so he could marry again.
He wanted Catherine to become head of the Church.
He wanted to move the royal court to Rome.

2.Which measure gave Henry VIII the title of supreme head of the Church in England?

The Act of Supremacy, 1534
The Act of Union, 1536
The Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536
The Six Articles, 1539

3.What happened to many English and Welsh monasteries between 1536 and 1540?

They became independent states.
They were closed, and the Crown took their property.
They were all turned into royal palaces.
They were placed under the Pope’s direct protection.

Effects and change

Answer in complete sentences, using specific examples where you can.

4.Describe two ways the break with Rome or the closure of monasteries could affect people living in England.

5.Henry rejected the Pope’s authority but retained many traditional Catholic beliefs. Give one reason this may have suited him.

6.Compare the Catholic Church before the break with Rome and the Church under Henry VIII. Give two differences.

Source analysis

Source A is a modern historian’s summary of a royal order issued during the break with Rome: “The king is to be recognised as the highest authority over the Church in his realm. His government may investigate and correct religious practices it considers unlawful.”

7.According to Source A, what authority did the king claim, and what could his government do?

8.How useful is Source A for finding out about Henry VIII’s religious changes? Explain one strength and one limitation, using the source and your own knowledge.