Make sure you get your topic approved first so you are not all doing the same topic!
Research Topics:
- Queen Elizabeth’s life and reign- You will explore the life (birth, childhood, family, death, etc.) and rule (becoming queen and ruling England) of this monarch of England during the 1500 and 1600’s. You must also connect her experiences, her decisions, her life to something in the modern day. (cause and effect)
- Elizabethan politics- Uncover the political structure, events, situation of London, England and Europe under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I during the 1500-1600’s. You must connect the politics of that time to modern day. (can be cause and effect or compare and contrast)
- Everyday city life in London, England- Explore the daily lives of Londoners in the 1500-1600’s. Think about what people do on a usual day and discover how people of this time period spent their days. You might think about how they live, work, play, etc. Remember that there were low class people and upper class, or nobility. Compare and contrast the everyday of that time period to today.
- Food and drink- What did people eat in the Elizabethan Era? What did they eat on holidays? Was the food different depending on social class? How was their food different from what we eat today?
- Theater (show business J)- Discover the theater of England during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, 1500-1600’s. This Renaissance time was rich in traveling troupes and madrigals, actors in established theaters and those who traveled.
- William Shakespeare’s life and accomplishments- Find out about the life (birth, childhood, family, death, etc.) and the accomplishments of this renowned Elizabethan Era poet and playwright. You must also connect him to something in the modern day.
- The Globe Theater- Investigate this unique theater that was established in Shakespeare’s time. Uncover its role in the theater of the Elizabethan Era. Connect this particular theater to present day.
- Fashion in England- What did people of the Elizabethan Era of the 1500-1600’s in England wear? male/female, child/adult, wealthy/poor. Describe their hair and makeup, if they wore any.
- Sports, hunting, and gaming- Explore the athletics of the 1500-1600’s of England. What did these people do in their spare time to entertain themselves and others? Look into events such as bearbaiting, bull baiting, jousting, bowling, and many other hobbies.
- Courting and marriage customs- What were the customs and practices of a couple leading up to and at their marriage? To whom did people marry, for what reasons, what customs were followed? Consider both lower class and upper class people and their situations.
- The role of the church and religion: Uncover the importance of the church and religion in the 1500-1600’s in England under Queen Elizabeth I’s rule. Connect the church and religion of that era to modern times. (can be cause and effect or compare and contrast).
- Masques and masquerades: These parties and entertainments were all the rage in the upper class social circles of the 1500-1600’s Elizabethan Era. Uncover what an event like this was like, who was there, what they did, and why.
- Music: Music was an important part of the Renaissance in England under Queen Elizabeth I. Who were the important musicians, what was the music like, why and when was it played, and what were the instruments they played?
- Poetry: Poetry was an important part of the Renaissance in England under Queen Elizabeth I. What kinds of poems were written? What or who were they written for? Who were the well-known poets?
- The Black Death/ the plague: Focus on the destruction that this highly contagious and mysterious disease caused people in the 1500-1600’s. Discover the causes, how it was transmitted, the fear it caused, and how it was treated.
- Disease and medicine: Look at the general diseases and medical treatments of the 1500-1600’s in London, England. What were the common ailments that people contracted, what were the causes behind them, who treated their illnesses, and what were the medical treatments
- Schools and education: In the 1500-1600’s in England, who went to school, what was a school day like, why did they go to school, and what did they study?
- Crime and punishment: Who was committing the crimes in England in the 1500-1600’s? What kinds of crimes were they committing and how were they being punished
- Arms and armory/weaponry: Wars and warriors of 1500-1600 England were very different from those of today. How were wars fought and what armory or weapons were used by the soldiers?
- The role of women: What roles did women fill in society in the 1500-1600’s of Elizabethan England? The Queen was a woman, but what about the rest of the females? What jobs did they have? What were their rights?
- The social classes- Explore the different levels of social class in the 1500-1600’s of England. Who were the peasants, the commoners, the lower class? Who made up the gentry? Who were the courtiers? Who were the nobility, and, of course, the royalty? What were the rights of each of these different levels? What were their lives like?
