The Elizabethan era was marked by significant religious persecution, cultural developments, and colonial expansion. Religious tensions culminated in Elizabethan era recusancy laws and Catholic priest executions, while social concerns led to witchcraft trials and legislation. Colonial ambitions expanded with Walter Raleigh's Virginia colony and Roanoke rescue by Francis Drake.
• Intense religious persecution saw over 50 Catholic priests executed between 1580-1587
• Cultural renaissance flourished with advancement in education, printing, and arts
• Nearly 300 witchcraft trials occurred across the 1580s and 1590s
• Colonial expansion included attempts to establish settlements in America
• Social reforms addressed poverty and vagrant concerns through various acts
• Elizabeth's image control became increasingly important in her later reign
