September 7 - Happy Birthday, Elizabeth I

nPosted on September 7, 2017

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Key Points

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nNot many queens made as much of a splash in the world as Elizabeth I of England.

nUnder her leadership, England was a major power in politics, in exploration and trade, and in the arts. She ruled for quite a long time – about 45 years – and her name became attached to that half century: the Elizabethan Age. Another name for the time says it all: England’s Golden Age.

nElizabeth ruled during the time of the adventurer Sir Francis Drake and the playwright William Shakespeare, during the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the development of the Church of England.

Elizabeth, who was born on this date in 1533, was expected to marry and to produce an heir to the throne. But she never did either of those things. She used the fact that many foreign princes tried to woo her to establish friendly relations with various countries – but then she never accepted any of the marriage proposals. Because she never married, Elizabeth I was often called the Virgin Queen.

nShe may be one of the most famous redheads ever. Her dad, King Henry VIII, was another famous redhead.

nTo learn more about Elizabeth I, check out this earlier post. Or check out the BBC website and this Brain Pop video.

Elizabeth traveled about her country in such a way that
her people could see her. And they loved it!

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During Elizabeth I’s reign, explorers like Sir Walter Raleigh and
Sir Francis Drake ended up getting toeholds in North America
for British colonization.

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