How do the cultural and social background of the XVI and XVII century express their Renaissance and Puritan quality?

It is well known that the Renaissance and Puritanism deeply affected English history, changing life quality, customs and traditions, religion and policy, and so on.

The English Renaissance is a period which covers the 16th and the 17th centuries. It has been the period of famous Kings and Queens like Elizabeth I or James VI, but also the period of religious troubles, harassments and plots.

The first act which aroused a change is the Act of Supremacy (1534), stated by Henry VIII. It established the birth of the Church of England and, consequently, the beginning of clashes between Anglicans and Catholics - you have to remember that regions like Scotland lingered catholic. The Queen who partially solved the problem is Elizabeth I: she restated the Church of England and exploited Anglican and Puritan passion for work to create fleets, enhance commerce and guarantee economic wealth to the Country.

As a result, Elizabeth permitted the enrichment of the Middle Class, which, years later, criticised and hit the Crown, converting England to a Parliamentary Republic driven by Oliver Cromwell.

The Renaissance and the Protestants also allowed scientifics achievements and new discoveries around the whole Europe.

For example in Germany Nicolaus Copernicus and Johannes Kepler theorised a new astronomic system, destroying the previous Ptolemaic model.

In Italy Galileo Galilei discovered four of Jupiter's moons while Giordano Bruno was burned for his “heretical theories” about the Universe’s endless.

While the Catholic Church clashed against science and strongly repressed the people who criticised its dogmas, Lutero’s reformation supported knowledge and surveys, so that many scientists moved to reformed countries - like England.

Last but not least, “enlightened” Kings and Queens allowed laws to contrast poverty and illiteracy: an example is the Elizabethan Poor Law which established that parishes had to take care of orphans and to provide schools and hospitals for the whole society. Later, other reforms were approved by the Parliament: it introduced the men and women’s suffrage and free medical treatment for the poor.

In my opinion the Renaissance can be summed up as a transition period between the Middle Ages and the Modern Age. It solved lots of medieval troubles but it did the groundwork for harder ones.