The Act of Union 1536

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The Act of Union 1536
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The Act of Union 1536

• In 1282 Llywellyn the Last was killed and Edward
  I of England ruled Wales. Two years later the
  Statue of Rhuddlan was passed which set out how
  Wales was to be governed. The king was to rule
  over 6 counties known as the Principality of
  Wales, (Crown lands on map)

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• The King, however, did not rule the whole of
  Wales. The rest of the country was a patchwork
  of Lordships areas ruled by independent Marcher
  Lords. They felt that they were Kings of their
  own lands. They held their own courts, raised
  taxes, appointed officials and often had their
  own armies. The people who lived in these areas
  did not obey the kings laws. These lands were
  called the Marches.

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• By 1530 when Henry VIII was King he and his chief
  minister Thomas Cromwell were concerned with the
  way that Marcher Lords ruled their land and the
  lawlessness of Wales.
• Between 1536 and 1543 laws were passed that
  became known as the Acts of union. In the words
  of the Act of Parliament, Wales was to be
  incorporated, united and annexed to and with the
  realm of England

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• How did the Act of Union change the map of Wales?

Wales before the Act of Union
Wales after the Act of Union
Wales was divided into counties and the Marcher
Lords lost their land
Image used with the kind permission of
Oakdalevillage.co.uk
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The web below shows some of the causes of the Act
of Union. Some of these causes are Religious to
do with God, Church, Pope and monasteries. Some
causes are Political to do with the way the
country is is ruled, the King, law and
order. Some of these causes are Social to do
with education,language, work and farming
Look at each box and decide if it is a Religious,
Political or Economic cause. Click on each box to
see if you are right
Wales was lawless and wild
The King was worried that Catholic monarchs in
France and Spain might try to invade England
though Wales.
The King thought that the Welsh would continue to
obey the Pope
Causes of the Act of Union
The King was worried about the power of the
Marcher Lords
The Welsh had different laws about inheriting land
The King wanted Wales to be the same as England
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Political Social

• The King wanted Wales to be the same as England
• His majesty (Henry VIII) has a great love a
  favour towards his subjects in Wales. He hath
  ordered that Wales shall be incorporated with his
  Realm of England, the people shall have and enjoy
  all the freedoms, liberties, rights, privileges
  and laws as the Kings subjects in England.
• Act of Union 1536
• According to this source what do the Welsh people
  gain from the Act of Union?
• Do you think that Henry had the Welsh people in
  mind when he passed the Act?

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Religious

• The King thought that the Welsh would continue
  to obey the Pope
• Henry was worried that the Welsh people would
  continue to obey the Pope after his Break with
  Rome. If he was able to control Wales then
  there would be less chance of this happening.

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Religious and Political

• The King was worried about the power of the
  Marcher Lords.
• Henry had always been fearful about the power of
  the Marcher Lords but this grew after his Break
  with Rome. Henry was worried that they would
  remain loyal to the Pope and rebel against him.
• How would the Act of Union solve this problem for
  Henry?

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Political

• Wales was Lawless and wild
• The country is wild and anyone might be ambushed
  at anytime. I am forced to leave people guarding
  my home when I go to church on Sunday I am
  guarded by twenty archers for fear of being
  ambushed.
• Sir John Wynn reign of Henry VII

• What can you learn from this source about law and
  order in Wales at this time?
• How could lawlessness in Wales be addressed by
  the Act of Union?

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Social

• The Welsh had different laws about inheriting
  land
• In England the land was given to the eldest
  son only on the fathers death. In Wales all male
  siblings could inherit, but this was making
  farming difficult because the amount of land was
  becoming too small.
• How would the Act of Union help to solve this
  problem?

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Religious Political

• The King was worried that Catholic monarchs in
  France and Spain might try to invade England
  though Wales.
• Henry was worried that Catholic monarchs in
  France and Spain, who wanted to see the Popes
  authority restored might try to invade England by
  landing their soldiers on the poorly defended
  coast of Wales. To make his kingdom secure,
  Henry decided to take direct control of the whole
  of the Kingdom including Wales

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Put a title The Act of Union and copy this
diagram into your book, making sure that you
include the key and have coloured each box
correctly
Religious
Political
Social
Wales was lawless and wild
The King thought that the Welsh would continue to
obey the Pope
The King was worried that Catholic monarchs in
France and Spain might try to invade England
though Wales.
Causes of the Act of Union
The King was worried about the power of the
Marcher Lords
The Welsh had different laws about inheriting land
The King wanted Wales to be the same as England
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Use the whiteboard pen to link up the statements
so that they match
Causes of the Act of Union
Consequences of the Act of Union
Land in Wales was to be given to the eldest son
instead of being shared equally
Welshmen wanted a say in the running of the
country.
Farming in Wales was difficult because the amount
of land was becoming too small.
Wales will now have its own members of Parliament
The monasteries in Wales were dissolved and
their land and wealth became Henrys.
The King wanted Wales to be the same as England
in all ways.
Wales was to be split into counties. Marcher
Lordships will come to an end.
Wales was lawless and wild.
The King was not sure whether the welsh would
obey the Pope or accept the Act of Supremacy.
Wales is joined with England and the people of
Wales have the same rights as those of England.
Not all of Wales came under the rule of the King
some was ruled by the Marcher Lords.
The laws in Wales will be the same as they are in
the rest of the Kingdom.
Answer
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Causes of the Act of Union
Consequences of the Act of Union
Welshmen wanted a say in the running of the
country.
Wales will now have its own members of Parliament
Farming in Wales was difficult because the amount
of land was becoming too small.
Land in Wales was to be given to the eldest son
instead of being shared equally
Wales is joined with England and the people of
Wales have the same rights as those of England.
The King wanted Wales to be the same as England
in all ways.
The laws in Wales will be the same as they are in
the rest of the Kingdom.
Wales was lawless and wild.
The King was not sure whether the welsh would
obey the Pope or accept the Act of Supremacy.
The monasteries in Wales were dissolved and
their land and wealth became Henrys.
Not all of Wales came under the rule of the King
some was ruled by the Marcher Lords.
Wales was to be split into counties. Marcher
Lordships will come to an end.
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The web below shows some of the consequences of
the Act of Union. Some of these consequences are
Religious to do with God, Church, Pope and
monasteries. Some consequences are Political to
do with the way the country is is ruled, the
King, law and order. Some of these consequences
are Social to do with education,language, work
and farming
Look at each box in turn,starting at number 1,
and decide if it is a Religious, Political or
Economic consequence. Click on each box to see if
you are right
1. Wales had MPs for the first time after 1536
2. Henry introduced his religious changes
6. The King now had complete power in Wales
Consequences of the Act of Union
3. The Welsh had the same rights as the English
5. Farming improved because of the new laws about
inheriting land
4. English laws and language were introduced
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The web below shows some of the consequences of
the Act of Union. Some of these consequences are
Religious to do with God, Church, Pope and
monasteries. Some consequences are Political to
do with the way the country is is ruled, the
King, law and order. Some of these consequences
are Social to do with education,language, work
and farming
Look at each box in turn and decide if it is a
Religious, Political or Economic consequence.
Click on each box to see if you are right
1. Wales had MPs for the first time after 1536
2. Henry introduced his religious changes
6. The King now had complete power in Wales
Consequences of the Act of Union
3. The Welsh had the same rights as the English
5. Farming improved because of the new laws about
inheriting land
4. English laws and language were introduced
18
The web below shows some of the consequences of
the Act of Union. Some of these consequences are
Religious to do with God, Church, Pope and
monasteries. Some consequences are Political to
do with the way the country is is ruled, the
King, law and order. Some of these consequences
are Social to do with education,language, work
and farming
Look at each box in turn and decide if it is a
Religious, Political or Economic consequence.
Click on each box to see if you are right
1. Wales had MPs for the first time after 1536
2. Henry introduced his religious changes
6. The King now had complete power in Wales
Consequences of the Act of Union
3. The Welsh had the same rights as the English
5. Farming improved because of the new laws about
inheriting land
4. English laws and language were introduced
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The web below shows some of the consequences of
the Act of Union. Some of these consequences are
Religious to do with God, Church, Pope and
monasteries. Some consequences are Political to
do with the way the country is is ruled, the
King, law and order. Some of these consequences
are Social to do with education,language, work
and farming
Look at each box in turn and decide if it is a
Religious, Political or Economic consequence.
Click on each box to see if you are right
1. Wales had MPs for the first time after 1536
2. Henry introduced his religious changes
6. The King now had complete power in Wales
Consequences of the Act of Union
3. The Welsh had the same rights as the English
5. Farming improved because of the new laws about
inheriting land
4. English laws and language were introduced
20
The web below shows some of the consequences of
the Act of Union. Some of these consequences are
Religious to do with God, Church, Pope and
monasteries. Some consequences are Political to
do with the way the country is is ruled, the
King, law and order. Some of these consequences
are Social to do with education,language, work
and farming
Look at each box in turn and decide if it is a
Religious, Political or Economic consequence.
Click on each box to see if you are right
1. Wales had MPs for the first time after 1536
2. Henry introduced his religious changes
6. The King now had complete power in Wales
Consequences of the Act of Union
3. The Welsh had the same rights as the English
5. Farming improved because of the new laws about
inheriting land
4. English laws and language were introduced
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The web below shows some of the consequences of
the Act of Union. Some of these consequences are
Religious to do with God, Church, Pope and
monasteries. Some consequences are Political to
do with the way the country is is ruled, the
King, law and order. Some of these consequences
are Social to do with education,language, work
and farming
Look at each box in turn and decide if it is a
Religious, Political or Economic consequence.
Click on each box to see if you are right
1. Wales had MPs for the first time after 1536
2. Henry introduced his religious changes
6. The King now had complete power in Wales
Consequences of the Act of Union
3. The Welsh had the same rights as the English
5. Farming improved because of the new laws about
inheriting land
4. English laws and language were introduced
22
The web below shows some of the consequences of
the Act of Union. Some of these consequences are
Religious to do with God, Church, Pope and
monasteries. Some consequences are Political to
do with the way the country is is ruled, the
King, law and order. Some of these consequences
are Social to do with education,language, work
and farming
Look at each box in turn and decide if it is a
Religious, Political or Economic consequence.
Click on each box to see if you are right
1. Wales had MPs for the first time after 1536
2. Henry introduced his religious changes
6. The King now had complete power in Wales
Consequences of the Act of Union
3. The Welsh had the same rights as the English
5. Farming improved because of the new laws about
inheriting land
4. English laws and language were introduced
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Read the following sources to learn about some of
the consequences of the Act of Union

• The people of Wales, who couldnt speak English,
  felt that they were aliens in their own country
• An historians view, 1985
• What do you think the author of this source meant
  by this comment?

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• In the marches and in Wales, in the wild parts
  where I have been, there is order and quiet such
  as is now in England
• Wigmore 1538
• According to this source has the Act of Union
  made life in Wales better or worse?

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• King Henry showed excellent wisdom when he
  decided that there shall be no difference in laws
  and language between his subjects in Wales and
  his subjects in England
• William Salesbury, Dictionary in English and in
  Welsh (1547)
• Look at when this source was written, do you
  think that this is important when assessing how
  reliable it is?

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Who benefited the most and least from the Act of
Union?

• The act of Union affected different groups of
  people in Wales. Some people gained a great deal
  from the Act whilst others lost a great deal.
  Look at the following people and decide if they
  were winners or losers.

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Henry VIII
Winner
Loser
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Henry VIII
Winner
Try again
Loser
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Henry VIII
Winner
Well done, Henry VIII benefited a great deal from
the Act of Union. The King now had complete
power in Wales and he had removed the threat of
the Marcher Lords. By dissolving the monasteries
he was able to take their land and wealth and use
it to make friends and influence people.
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The Monasteries
Winner
Loser
Image used with the kind permission of
Tudors_at_history-people
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The Monasteries
Try again
Winner
Loser
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The Monasteries
Winner
Loser
Well done the Act of Union was a disaster for the
monasteries. All 48 monasteries in Wales were
closed and left to decay.
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The ordinary Welsh
Winner
Loser
Image used with the kind permission of
Tudors_at_history-people
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The ordinary Welsh
Winner
Loser
The ordinary Welsh were winners and losers. At
first the Acts were not too unpopular with the
Welsh, who recognised that they would give them
equality under law with English citizens and who
were happy to see peace and order restored to the
country. However this came at a price and many
innocent Welsh were hung at the hands of Rowland
Lee. In time many Welsh people also realised that
the Act of Union meant an end to the Welsh
culture and language. 
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The Marcher Lords
Winner
Loser
Image used with the kind permission of
Tudors_at_history-people
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The Marcher Lords
Try again
Winner
Loser
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The Marcher Lords
Winner
Loser
Well done , the Marcher Lords were big losers!.
Wales was now split into counties and the Marcher
Lordships came to an end.
END