In 1534 CE, King Henry VIII of England split with the Catholic Church and declared himself head of the Church...
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In 1534 CE, King Henry VIII of England split with the Catholic Church and declared himself head of the Church of England, in part because Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Two years later, Henry VIII introduced a policy titled the Dissolution of the Monasteries that by 1540 had resulted in the closure of all Catholic monasteries in England and the confiscation of their estates. Some historians assert that the enactment of the policy was primarily motivated by perceived financial opportunities.
Which quotation from a scholarly article best supports the assertion of the historians mentioned in the text?
A
At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, about 2 percent of the adult male population of England were monks; by 1690, the proportion of the adult male population who were monks was less than 1 percent.
B
A contemporary description of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Michael Sherbrook's Falle of the Religious Howses, recounts witness testimony that monks were allowed to keep the contents of their cells and that the monastery timber was purchased by local yeomen.
C
In 1535, the year before enacting the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry commissioned a survey of the value of church holdings in England—the work, performed by sheriffs, bishops, and magistrates, began that January and was swiftly completed by the summer.
D
The October 1536 revolt known as the Pilgrimage of Grace had several economic motives: high food prices due to a poor harvest the prior year; the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which closed reliable sources of food and shelter for many; and rents and taxes throughout Northern England that were not merely high but predatory.
Solution
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In 1534 CE, King Henry VIII of England split with the Catholic Church and declared himself head of the Church of England, in part because Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon." |
|
| "Two years later, Henry VIII introduced a policy titled the Dissolution of the Monasteries that by 1540 had resulted in the closure of all Catholic monasteries in England and the confiscation of their estates." |
|
| "Some historians assert that the enactment of the policy was primarily motivated by perceived financial opportunities." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: While Henry VIII officially broke with the Catholic Church over his marriage annulment, some historians argue his subsequent dissolution of monasteries was primarily motivated by financial gain rather than religious reform.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the religious context of Henry's break with Rome, then presents the concrete policy that followed (monastery closures and estate seizures), and finally introduces the scholarly debate about whether financial opportunities were the real driving force behind this policy.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
- What's being asked? Which quotation from scholarly research best supports the historians' specific assertion
- What type of answer do we need? Evidence that directly backs up the claim that financial opportunities were the primary motivation
- Any limiting keywords? "best supports" means we need the strongest, most direct evidence for the financial motivation theory
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The historians' assertion is that Henry's Dissolution of the Monasteries was "primarily motivated by perceived financial opportunities."
- We need evidence that shows Henry was thinking about or planning for the financial benefits of this policy
- The best evidence would be something that demonstrates Henry was actively considering the monetary value of what he could gain from the monasteries, ideally before or around the time he implemented the policy
- This would suggest financial calculation rather than purely religious motivation
Answer Choices Explained
A
At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, about 2 percent of the adult male population of England were monks; by 1690, the proportion of the adult male population who were monks was less than 1 percent.
- This discusses the demographic impact on the monk population over time
- While it shows the policy's effectiveness, it doesn't address Henry's motivations at all
- What trap this represents: Students might think showing the policy's impact is the same as showing its motivation
B
A contemporary description of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Michael Sherbrook's Falle of the Religious Howses, recounts witness testimony that monks were allowed to keep the contents of their cells and that the monastery timber was purchased by local yeomen.
- This describes what happened during the dissolution process (monks keeping personal items, timber sales)
- These are implementation details, not evidence of the king's underlying financial motivations
- What trap this represents: Students might confuse descriptions of economic activity during the event with evidence of economic motivation for the event
C
In 1535, the year before enacting the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry commissioned a survey of the value of church holdings in England—the work, performed by sheriffs, bishops, and magistrates, began that January and was swiftly completed by the summer.
- Shows Henry commissioned a comprehensive survey of church holdings' VALUE in 1535, right before enacting the dissolution policy in 1536
- This demonstrates deliberate financial planning and assessment before implementation
- Directly supports the historians' claim that financial opportunities were the primary motivation - why else survey the VALUE unless money was the main consideration?
D
The October 1536 revolt known as the Pilgrimage of Grace had several economic motives: high food prices due to a poor harvest the prior year; the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which closed reliable sources of food and shelter for many; and rents and taxes throughout Northern England that were not merely high but predatory.
- This describes a revolt that happened after the dissolution policy was already in place
- While it mentions economic effects of the policy, it doesn't reveal Henry's original motivations
- Shows consequences, not causes
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