the growth of the gentry

• What are the gentry?

  Landowners who were below the nobility
• Why was there a growth in the gentry during the sixteenth century?

  Increased wealth from trade and land ownership
• Who were the Gentry during the Tudor Period?

  Wealthy landowners below nobility
• What types of individuals were included in the Gentry?

  Knights, squires, gentlemen, wealthy professionals
• How did the Gentry differ from the nobility?

  They did not hold noble titles
• What was one reason for the growth of the Gentry during the Tudor Period?

  Tudor stability and centralisation
• What role did the Gentry play in local governance?

  They served as Justices of the Peace
• What was the impact of the Dissolution of the Monasteries on the Gentry?

  They bought former Church lands at low prices
• How did the decline of feudalism benefit the Gentry?

  Shift to capitalist farming and tenant rents
• What economic factors contributed to the Gentry's growth?

  Rising population and inflation increased demand
• How did monarchs reward loyalty among the Gentry?

  By offering land, titles, and court roles
• In what ways did the Gentry gain wealth?

  Through legal professions, commerce, and trade
• What roles did the Gentry take on in society?

  Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, Members of Parliament
• How did the Gentry contribute to local communities?

  By sponsoring churches and schools
• What was one consequence of the rise of the Gentry?

  Power of traditional nobility slightly declined
• How did the rise of the Gentry affect social mobility?

  Increased social mobility under Henry VII and Elizabeth I
• What was the eventual outcome for some Gentry families?

  Some rose to the peerage