society

• During the Tudor period, people were grouped in a hierarchical system with the King at the top.
• The nearer to the top of the system you were, the richer you were.
• If you were born poor there was little chance of you becoming rich.
• People were taught by the church that their position in life was determined by God.
• However, it was through the church that some men who were born poor managed to become very rich and powerful indeed.
• During the Tudor period, the church was very powerful, owning large amounts of land.
• The people were very religious and attended church services.
• The church was able to control people’s lives by preaching what they wanted them to believe.
• During the reign of Henry VIII, the church became less powerful as Henry made himself head of the church, dissolved the monasteries and confiscated their land.
• Archbishops were very powerful, owning large amounts of land and being very rich.
• They were able to influence the King or Queen and played a part in the government of the country.
• After the Reformation, Archbishops only remained powerful if they supported the monarch.
• Bishops were the Bishops of the most important churches and were rich and powerful, playing a part in the government of the country.
• After the Reformation, Bishops only remained in position if they supported their monarch.
• Clergymen were poorly paid but were highly respected members of the community that they served.
• Clergymen were responsible for the education of those members of the community that could afford to pay, for visiting the sick and counselling the bereaved.
• During the Tudor period, the King or Queen was at the head of the social system, being the richest person in the land, owning vast amounts of land and many palaces.
• Both rich and poor alike were bound to serve their monarch, failure to do so often resulted in death.
• The monarch made all the laws of the land and although there was a court system, few judges would dare to pass judgement against the King’s wishes.
• Until Henry VIII broke away from Rome (the Reformation) and formed the Church of England, Monarchs were subject to obey the Pope.
• The Tudor monarchs, with the exception of Henry VII, and Mary I who returned the Church to Rome, were head of the Church, the Judiciary and the Government.
• Gentlemen were born rich and came from families with titles – Barons, Earls and Dukes.
• Most owned large country estates and were often given important positions in government.
• The Monarch would visit his most notable subjects when he or she went on a progress and they would be expected to provide board and lodging for the King and his court.
• Sometimes this could be as many as 300 persons.
• If summoned to court a gentleman, or other member of his family, would have to leave their home and travel to London to be with the King.
• Both yeomen and citizens were fairly wealthy men, not born members of the gentry, but were rich enough to own their own houses and employ servants.
• Yeomen either owned their own land or rented land from gentlemen which they farmed.
• They were successful farmers and were rich enough to be able to afford labourers to do the heavy farming jobs for them.
• Citizens lived in the towns and were rich merchants and craftsmen.
• Merchants made their living by trading goods with ship owners.
• Craftsmen were skilled men who could command a good price for the goods that they made.