Use your own knowledge to assess how far the sources support the interpretation that Protector Somersets mistaken policies were the main cause of the instability in 1549.

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History _                                                                Helen Curry

Use your own knowledge to assess how far the sources support the interpretation that Protector Somerset’s mistaken policies were the main cause of the instability in 1549.

Protector Somerset’s mistaken policies were not the main cause of the instability in 1549; many other factors and people influenced the instability.

Source A was written before 1549, when Protector Somerset’s policies were not thought to be a cause instability, therefore this source shows the economic situation before Protector Somerset set any policies. Source A emphasises the problems involved with enclosures, that the poor will starve and the rich are favoured, this shows that poverty was an issue and lead to price inflation. Debasement, the lowering value of the currency, then ensured that poverty was an issue in Tudor England. Source A also suggests that the long term economic grievances are the problems behind the rebellions so therefore this indicates that Protector Somerset’s policies were not the main cause of instability.

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However Source A, was written by a protestant preacher and therefore is a one sided opinion and favours protestant policies, to use the churches wealth to help the poor.

Source B is written by a reliable source, an advisor to Somerset, so therefore the source should be an honest opinion. Source B states that Protector Somerset’s policies were meant to help the poor but have been misunderstood. The government were thought to resolve the problems of enclosures, but did not actually do anything to help, therefore the public tried to resolve the issues themselves and this was known as ...

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