Queen Elizabeth

I have found myself very interested in the Tudors of England lately. It all started with the novel The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. She has a series of historical novels based on the women in King Henry VIII's life. They are written so true to life that I have become a bit obsessed with wondering what is true and what is fiction.

I feel that I am pretty good at History, especially political History. But you would not believe the dots that I did not connect. The biggest unconnected dot was that Anne Boleyn (Disgraced Queen of England, second wife to Henry VIII) was the Queen Elizabeth I's mother. This dysfunctional family has a rich and sordid history of its own.

So I went to the library and found good biography of Queen Elizabeth I. The book is The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir. I am only 70 pages in and I feel like my knowledge has increased by a huge amount.

The thing that amazes me the most though is that she ruled effectively and skillfully in a time when the opinion of women was lower than small children. She won them over and had a reign that is considered to be the most profitable in English History. So why is it that in a time when women are supposed to be the equal to man has the United States never had woman President. Are we so afraid of change that we are not willing to risk the prosperity that England had with Elizabeth I?