HistoryThe English Reformation, 1509–160338 min★★ difficulty

Lesson 3: Breaking with Rome

In 1534 a constitutional revolution was written into law, but law and belief were not the same thing.

Part of your national curriculum

Britain 1066-1901: Understand the development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745, including the English Reformation and its impact
Historical enquiry: Understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims
Britain 1066-1901: Understand the development of the Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745, including the theory and practice of monarchy and the origins and progress of the English Reformation

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Understand the legal establishment of royal supremacy

Key learning points

• A sequence of statutes
• Authority relocated
• Limits of the break

This lesson at a glance

38 minutes
25 parts to scroll through
3 quick checks
Marked quiz at the end
Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

establishmentsupremacysequencestatutesauthority

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Part 1 of 25 · Discover4%

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Part 1 of 25

Short introduction

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Lesson 3: Breaking with Rome

The break with Rome, step by step, and who gained from it.

In a nutshell

Understand the legal establishment of royal supremacy

What you already know

Part 2 of 25

Before we start

What you already know

You should already know why Henry could not obtain an annulment from Rome and that Parliament could pass statutes binding on the whole kingdom.

Recap: Lesson 2: The King's Great Matter

Key words

Part 3 of 25

Key words

Words you'll need today

Royal supremacy: The king's legal position as Supreme Head of the Church in England.
Jurisdiction: The authority to rule and make decisions over something.
Doctrine: What a Church teaches people to believe.
Treason: The most serious crime against the Crown, punishable by death.

Reset break

Part 4 of 25

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Your lesson plan

Part 5 of 25

Lesson brief

What did the Act of Supremacy actually change?

By the end, you will be able to

• Read a statute closely
• Explain royal supremacy
• Distinguish legal change from religious belief

Resources

• Act of Supremacy (1534)
• Lesson notes and marked knowledge check

4 minRecall the chronology and frame the enquiry

15 minRead the textbook explanation and build the argument

11 minInterrogate the archive evidence in context

8 minAnswer the checks and write a supported conclusion

Learning cycle

Part 6 of 25

Learning cycle 1 of 2

A revolution in law

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

Explore the idea

Part 7 of 25

Learn

A sequence of statutes

The Reformation Parliament restricted appeals and payments to Rome before declaring royal supremacy in 1534.

Reset break

Part 8 of 25

Pause

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Explore the idea

Part 9 of 25

Learn

Authority relocated

The Crown could appoint bishops and direct the English Church. Denying supremacy became treason.

Quick check

Part 10 of 25

Quick check

What did the 1534 Act make Henry?

Give me a hint

Quick check

Part 11 of 25

Quick check

Jurisdiction means…

Give me a hint

Reset break

Part 12 of 25

Pause

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Learning cycle

Part 13 of 25

Learning cycle 2 of 2

Law is not belief

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

Explore the idea

Part 14 of 25

Learn

Limits of the break

Henry retained many Catholic beliefs. Historians separate jurisdiction—who ruled the Church—from doctrine—what it taught.

Quick check

Part 15 of 25

Quick check

Did the Act instantly make England fully Protestant?

Give me a hint

Reset break

Part 16 of 25

Pause

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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

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Investigate evidence

Part 17 of 25

Evidence 1 of 1

primary

Act of Supremacy

Parliament of England, 1534

The King's Majesty justly and rightfully is and ought to be the supreme head of the Church of England.

This classroom extract preserves the Act's central claim. It made Henry, rather than the Pope, the legal head of the English Church; it did not by itself make worship Protestant.

Think like a historian

What changed legally in 1534, and what does this sentence not tell us about belief?

Source: Parliamentary Archives, Public Act 26 Henry VIII c.1, HL/PO/PU/1/1534/26H8n1

View the archive record ↗

Common mix-ups

Part 18 of 25

Common mix-ups

Things people often get wrong

People often think 1534 made England Protestant. It changed who governed the Church, not yet what it taught.
People often think the break happened in one act. A sequence of statutes built up to supremacy.

Challenge round

Part 19 of 25

Game · Sort it

Which of these are true?

Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.

True

Not true

Reset break

Part 20 of 25

Pause

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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now

Challenge round

Part 21 of 25

Game · Fill the gaps

Finish the sentences

Choose the word that belongs in each gap.

The Reformation Parliament restricted appeals and payments to Rome before declaring royal ____ in 1534.

Challenge round

Part 22 of 25

Game · Recall cards

Who led the western Church in 1509?

Card 1 of 4

Exit quiz

Part 23 of 25

Exit quiz

Show what you've learned

6 questions, marked together at the end. Nothing is timed.

1. The 1534 Act of Supremacy made Henry…
2. Jurisdiction means…
3. Denying the supremacy became…
4. Did 1534 instantly make England fully Protestant?
5. Before supremacy, statutes restricted…
6. Historians separate jurisdiction from doctrine in order to…

Mastery quiz

Part 24 of 25

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Lesson 3: Breaking with Rome

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

1. Who led the western Church in 1509?
2. Which source best reveals parish spending?
3. Which judgement is strongest?
4. What was Henry seeking?

Lesson round-up

Part 25 of 25

Lesson round-up

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Part 1 of 25 · Watch & discover

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Understand the development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745, including the English Reformation and its impact
Not looked at yet
Understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims
Not looked at yet
Understand the development of the Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745, including the theory and practice of monarchy and the origins and progress of the English Reformation