HIST 496E Thesis: Britain from Black Death to the Age of Elizabeth
Between 1350 and 1600, England (and its neighbors Scotland and Wales) changed dramatically in some ways, while displaying some remarkable continuity in other ways. A period of chronic political instability and civil war gave way to the rise of the Tudor state and a reinforced national identity. The English and Scottish Reformations transformed religion as it was practiced and the church as it was governed. Widespread popular rebellions threatened the government repeatedly - from the so-called "Peasants' Revolt" of 1381 to the rebellions against the Tudor regime in 1536, 1549, and 1569 - but failed to materialize again after that. The population and economy fell and rose in cycles, while crime and poverty became more entrenched problems as the period went along.
Students in this section of Senior Thesis Seminar are welcome to explore any topic falling under these headings: politics, religion, law and disorder, geography and culture (including art and architecture), and national identity. It is important for anyone intending to take this section to engage with the instructor as far ahead as possible to begin planning.