The Russian Code of Laws (1649) was designed to strengthen the institution of serfdom in Russia. Until then, the serfs (peasants who worked the lands) still enjoyed some rights, including the ability to abandon their land and move about. With the introduction of the Code of Laws, most Russian peasants were firmly tied to the feudal system and had almost no rights of their own.

The Great Northern War was fought from 1700 until 1721 between Russia and the Swedish Empire. The war was waged under the direction of the Russian Tsar, Peter the Great, who wanted to expand Russian influence into the Baltic and contest Swedish hegemony in the region. It resulted in an overwhelming victory for the Russians, which propelled the nation forward dramatically in terms of regional dominance.

Prior to Russia's victory in the Great Northern War, it had possessed no territory which directly bordered a sea or ocean. With the annexation of territory on the Baltic Sea, Peter the Great was able to build and develop the first Russian navy—one of the many accomplishments for which he is fondly remembered in popular Russian history.

In 1588, England came perhaps the closest it has ever come to being conquered by another European power. The mighty Spanish Armada sailed for England with the hope of establishing control of the Channel Sea and landing troops in Southern England. This represented a great threat to Queen Elizabeth, who had fewer ships and fewer troops than the Spanish; however, fortunate weather and brilliant tactics by the naval defenders ensured that the complete destruction of the Spanish Armada occurred before it could wreak havoc in England.

Only one of these answer choices, the earliest one, falls within the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, so if you know enough about the Elizabethan Era you can easily determine the correct answer from that alone. 1588 was the year that the infamous Spanish Armada sailed for England to try and defeat the English navy and establish a landing base that Spain could use to conquer the British Isles. A combination of terrible weather, poor tactics, and brilliant English defensive strategy led to the complete annihilation of the Spanish Armada, an event often considered the high water mark of the Elizabethan era.

Although Queen Elizabeth I is often warmly regarded by historians as someone who extended rights and powers to Parliament, to call her autocratic monarchy "democratic" would be stretching the word to its very limits; however, it is impossible to dispute that her kingdom was a Protestant one. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII, a devout Protestant, and head of the Church of England.

As Queen of England Elizabeth I was also head of the Church of England. The Church of England was founded by King Henry VIII during the English Reformation when Henry broke away from the Catholic Church, essentially, because the church would not let Henry marry who he wanted. 

The Elizabethan era is often considered a golden era of English history. It was a time of relative economic prosperity and political stability, particularly when compared to the time periods surrounding it. It was also a time where the arts flourished, most notably through the writings of Shakespeare. And, finally, it was a time when England achieved one of its most celebrated victories: the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. It was not a period of religious toleration; following shortly after the English Reformation, the Anglican Church was the state church and the Queen was head of the church of England. Catholics were not universally persecuted, but they were hardly tolerated.

Sir Walter Raleigh was a British explorer (as well as many other things) in the Elizabethan era. He is most famous in England for introducing tobacco to the English people; however, his most notable achievement was the exploration of Virginia, which led to English colonization of the territory shortly after.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the biggest empire in the world was Spanish, and the most powerful country in Europe was Spain under the rule of King Philip II. Spain was a Catholic kingdom, and Philip was determined to convert the Kingdom of England to Catholicism. He first tried marrying the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, who refused, knowing it would mean the loss of her power and the end of the Tudor Dynasty. So, Philip II launched an attack with the Spanish Armada. The Armada was repulsed by the English navy; this is often seen as a turning point in English and world history. Philip also despised Elizabeth because she supported the Dutch Revolt against Spanish dominion and because she allowed privateers and pirates to pillage and rob Spanish ships headed home from the New World.