8-3AfterQueenElizabeth



Who succeeded the throne after Elizabeth died? What is his legacy?
//Answer prepared by Meredith J// James I succeeded Elizabeth I in 1603 after she died of blood poisoning. According to Mark Love, from the PBS website about Shakespeare’s time period, James was the only son of Mary Queen of Scotts and a distant cousin of Elizabeth I. There was suspicion that Mary Queen of Scotts wanted to overthrow Elizabeth’s throne. Mary was put on trial and was found guilty of plotting the death of Elizabeth I. Therefore, she was beheaded in 1587. When Elizabeth died, the crown passed to her closest male relative, James. Throughout King James’ life, he was interested in the theatre, particularly, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, soon to be called the King’s Men. Peter Chrisp, from the book, Eyewitness Shakespeare, says James changed the name and took over the Lord Chamberlain’s men because he did not like the way of the London Puritans. James thought the way of the Puritans was absurd, and he concluded that achieving authority in the theatre was the only way he could control them. The King influenced the city and theatre in other ways as well. When Queen Elizabeth was on the throne, she believed that all plays were made to serve her. James showed the public that the plays and theatre were not only for him, but for them to enjoy as well. Tarnya Cooper, from Searching for Shakespeare, says that many plays written in that time, such as King Lear and Macbeth, were about the current King. Another pastime of the King was witchcraft. The public did not know about this secretive passion for black magic. James continued his habits during his reign, and eventually, the public found out, which created quite a scandal. King James had many impacts on theatre that no ruler had in the past.

James expanded territory and influenced religion in England. King James was the first to rule over two countries at the same time. James was the first monarch to accomplish something this great. Not only was he King James I of England, but he was also King James VI of Scotland. Bringing together two lands like this had never been done before. In addition to bringing lands together, the King also expanded his land. In 1607, James created the first permanent English settlement in America called Jamestown. This started the growth of the United States and caused our country to be the way it is today. Many left England and travelled America to make a new life there. Numerous people in the US have a European decent because of Jamestown. James’ subjects were astonished when he gave them the Authorized King James Version of the Bible. This was presented to them so they could study the Word of God. The King’s version was the first bible to be translated into English. This Bible showed the great achievements of literature in the Jacobean Period. These accomplishments, and many others, are what makes King James I so well known to us today.

Chrisp, Peter. //Eyewitness Shakespeare//. New York: DK Publishing Ind, 2004. Print. Cooper, Tarnya. //Searching for Shakespeare//. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. Print. Love, Mark. "James 1." //PBS//. 2003. PBS. March 2009 .

King James I



Mary Queen of Scots



Queen Elizabeth I

http://www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk/uploaded_files/History/king-james1_1_.jpg http://keidahl.terranhost.com/Spring/EUH3501England/Images/MaryScots1.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Elizabeth1.jpg