Sport

• What activities did noblewomen partake in?

  Noblewomen partook in hunting on horseback, hawking, and fishing.
• What is hawking?

  Hawking involves training a bird of prey to return to its owner.
• What was a common pastime enjoyed by everyone?

  Dancing was a pastime that everyone enjoyed.
• Did upper and lower class people dance together?

  No, upper and lower class people did not dance together.
• What activities did working men participate in?

  Working men participated in swimming and wrestling.
• What type of games did working people also play?

  Working people also played football.
• What was the nature of bear baiting?

  Bear baiting involved a bear chained to a post and dogs unleashed against it.
• How were football games characterized?

  Football games were often violent and had no rules for the number of players.
• What led to the construction of purpose-built theatres?

  The popularity of plays led to the construction of purpose-built theatres.
• How was Real Tennis played?

  Real Tennis was played indoors with balls made of hair.
• What was the fate of the dogs in bear baiting?

  The dogs could be killed by the bear's claws or weight.
• How does Real Tennis differ from modern tennis?


  Real Tennis allows the ball to bounce off walls, unlike modern tennis.
• When was The Red Lion theatre built?

  The Red Lion was built in 1567.
• Where was The Rose theatre built?

  The Rose was built in 1587 by the River Thames.
• What was a popular spectator sport among all classes?

  Cock fighting was a popular spectator sport among all classes.
• What equipment was used in cock fights?

  The birds wore metal spurs to attack each other.
• What was the financial aspect of cock fights?

  Huge sums of money were bet on the outcome of the fights.
• How much did entry to the pit of the theatre cost?

  Entry to the pit cost only 1 penny.
• What was the attendance like for some performances?

  There were queues of up to 2,000 people for some performances.
• What activities did noblemen partake in?

  Noblemen partook in hunting on horseback, fishing, real tennis, wrestling, and swimming.
• What type of plays were attended at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign?

  People attended mystery plays about the lives of saints.
• Why were mystery plays banned by Elizabeth?

  Elizabeth banned mystery plays because Protestants disapproved of them.
• What type of plays became popular during Elizabethan times?

  Secular plays, often comedies with rude humor, became popular.
• Who had his own theatre company called Leicester's Men?

  The Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley, had his own theatre company.
• What instruments did nobles play?

  Nobles played lutes, spinets, and harpsichords.
• What instruments were popular among the lower classes?

  Bagpipes and fiddles were popular among the lower classes.
• What are the differences between spectator sports and participation sports in Elizabethan culture?

  • Spectator sports:
  • Cock fighting
  • Bear baiting
  • Plays
  • Participation sports:
  • Hunting
  • Swimming
  • Wrestling
  • Football
• What were the key cultural activities in Elizabethan society?

  • Theatre and plays
  • Music and instruments
  • Sports and games
  • Social gatherings like dancing