life in eliz times

• what did Henry VIII shut down that led to less support for the poor?

  between 1536 and 1541, Henry VIII shut down England's monasteries and sold off most their land (the 'dissolution of monasteries') - the monasteries had important social functions like providing support for the ill, disabled and poor people. it removed a valuable source of assistance for people in need.
• in the 16th C, what happened to the population growth?


  England's birth rate increased and the death rate fell. this led to huge population growth - during Elizabeth's reign, the population grew from around 3 mil to at least 4 mil.
• how did population increase the poverty levels?

  - food production couldn't keep up with the pace of population growth. as a result, food prices rose and sometimes there were food shortages.

  - prices for food and other goods rose much more quickly than wages. standards of living fell for workers as they struggled to afford the necessities - many were forced into poverty.

  - there was also growing competition for land, and so rents increased. this trend was made worse by changes in farming practices.
• what did the traditional farming methods involve?

  many farmers renting strips of land in large open fields. this was subsistence-level farming, so the farmer only grew enough crops to supply himself and his family.
• how did farming methods change in the 16th C?

  subsistence-level farming was very inefficient, so 16th C landowners decided to change their farming techniques to try and profit off their land. instead of sharing open fields with other farmers, they enclosed these fields to create a few ;arge farms.
• how did new, enclosed farms increase the poverty level?

  new, enclosed farms required fewer labourers, so farmers who rented land were evicted, leaving them unemployed and homeless.

  these enclosures of farm land forced many people to leave their villages and migrate to towns or cities in search of work. the gov viewed these migrant workers as 'vagabonds' and feared that they would encourage riots and rebellions.
• what did landowners starting to sheep farm lead to?

  exporting wool to Europe was more profitable than selling grain, so many landowners stopped growing grain and started sheep farming. this fall in grain production contributed to rising food prices. it also meant that there was a higher risk of food shortages when there was a bad harvest.
• how did poverty get even worse in the 1590s?


  the problem of poverty reached a crisis during Elizabeth's reign. in the late 1580s and 1590s, England suffered several failed harvests, which led to food shortages and even higher food prices. this pushed even more people into extreme poverty - in some areas people even starved to death.
• traditionally, what was the main source of support for the poor?

  it was charity - rich people making donations to hospitals, monasteries and other organisations that helped the poor. however, during Elizabeth's reign, poverty got so bad that these charitable donations were not enough.
• what did people realise about how the problem of poverty had to be tackled?

  they began to realise that society as a whole would have to take responsibility for helping the poor, and also the gov began to take action to tackle the problem of poverty.
• what was the reason for the gov helping those in poverty?

  they feared that the rising poverty levels were a serious threat to law and order. as poverty levels rose, crime rates also rose and there were food riots in some places. the gov feared that the poor might rise up in rebellion if the problem of poverty wasn't tackled.
• what were the three categories for the poor?

  - the helpless poor: those who were unable to support themselves - including young orphans and the elderly, sick or disabled.

  - the deserving poor: people who wanted to work, but weren't able to find a job in their home town or village.

  - the undeserving poor: beggars, criminals and people who refused to work. also migrant workers who left their homes and travelled around looking for work.
• when was the series of Poor Laws brought in?

  from the 1560s onwards, the gov introduced the series of Poor Laws to deal with the growing problem of poverty.
• what was the first Poor Law passed?

  the gov passed a Poor Law in the 1560s that introduced a tax to raise money for the poor (the 'poor rate'), this was because voluntary donations were no longer sufficient.
• what were the other Poor Laws that were passed?

  further Poor Laws were passed in 1597 and 1601 in response to the poverty crisis of the 1590s. under these laws, the poor rate became a national system of compulsory taxation. It was collected locally by an official called the Overseer of the Poor.
• what was the poor rate used for?

  to provide hospitals and housing for the elderly, sick and disabled. poor children were given apprenticeships, which usually lasted 7 years, and local authorities were expected to provide financial support or work for the deserving poor. poor people could be sent to prison if they refused to take work.
• how were the national Poor Laws decided?

  The Privy Council researched how local gov had tackled the problem of poverty. they based the national Poor Laws on the local policies that seemed the most effective. for example, towns like Ipswich, Norwich, London and York had been using compulsory poor rates to pay for poor relief since the mid-16th C.
• under the Poor Laws of the 1590s, what happened to the undeserving poor?


  they were publicly whipped and the forced to return to their home parish. repeat offenders could be sent to prison.

  they were treated so harsh bc they were seen as a serious threat to society. many believed that poor criminals and vagabonds had encouraged the Northern Rebellion in 1569. in response to the Rebellion, the gov introduced particularly harsh punishments for the undeserving poor in 1572.
• what was the gentry?


  they were part of the social elite in Elizabethan England, below the level of nobility. members of the gentry were people who owned land and lived off the income it provided. they didn't have to do other work to survive.
• how did the gentry become richer during Elizabeth's reign?

  - population growth and changes in farming practices were good for landowners, especially members of the gentry.

  - the enclosures meant that land was farmed more efficiently. at the same time, rents were increasing and prices of agricultural products like grain were rising, so landowners were earning a lot more money from their land.

  - as a result, the land-owning gentry became much wealthier, and members of the nobility also saw their incomes rise.
• how did some merchants become very rich?


  the growth of towns and development of international and national trade allowed some merchants to become very rich. they often used their money to buy land and become a part of the gentry.
• what was the 'Great Rebuilding'?


  the building projects carried out by the members of the gentry and nobility to improve their homes or build new ones, this started from the 1570s.

  example: the Burghley House in Peterborough built for William Cecil.
• what did these building projects allow for the members of the elite to do?

  it allowed for them to show off their wealth. new houses often had many large windows - glass was very expensive, so using a lot of it showed a sign of prosperity. large landscaped gardens were also a popular way to display wealth.
• what else did the 'Great Rebuilding' do?

  it improved the living standards for the wealthy, because the new houses were much more comfortable. the large windows made them lighter, and bigger chimneys and fireplaces meant that they would be better heated.
• what else did the gentry and nobility spend money on?

  elaborate decorations for their homes - portraits, miniatures, tapestries and embroidery were all popular.
• what else did the elite take an interest in?


  in literature (it was fashionable) - some collected libraries, and members of the elite supported the work of playwrights and poets. elite support for playwrights and acting companies lead to the flourish of Elizabethan companies.
• what was the education like for the children of the elite?


  they could afford to give their children an education. some noble families employed a private tutor, while a growing number of children from the nobility and gentry went to grammar schools and on to university.
• where did many elite fashions start?

  at the royal court - Nicholas Hilliard was employed as Elizabeth's miniature artist in the 1570s and painted many pictures of her and her courtiers. this encouraged the growing popularity of miniatures among the nobility and gentry.
• what were examples of the way the members of the elite displayed their wealth using their clothes?


  their clothes were often made of expensive fabrics like silk, satin, velvet and lace, decorated with detailed embroidery. women's dresses had full sleeves and a large skirt, supported by a hoop-skirt, which gave it shape. both men and women wore wide, ruffled collars, called ruffs.
• at the start of Elizabeth's reign, were there permanent theatres?

  no, there were companies of actors that travelled around, performing in village squares or courtyards of inns.
• when were the first theatres built?

  they were built in London in the 1570s - including The Curtain and The Theatre.
• what were the theatres like?

  - usually, round, open-air buildings with a raised stage that stretched out into the audience.

  - the stage usually had a roof (the 'heavens'). actors could be lowered onto the stage from the heavens, or enter through the trapdoor in the stage floor.

  - several entrances through the back of the stage (the 'tiring house') where actors got dressed and waited to enter.

  - some theatres were very large - The Globe would hold around 3000 people. poorer audience members ('groundlings'), stood in the open yard around the stage, while the richer people sat under cover around the theatre's walls.
• famous Elizabethan playwrights


  William Shakespeare - wrote 38 plays

  Christopher Marlowe

  Ben Johnson
• who were plays performed by?

  acting companies - they often worked on a shareholder system, where members of the company contributed to its costs and received a share of its profits. two of the most important companies were The Admiral's Men and The Lord Chamberlain's Men.
• who weren't allowed to perform on stage?

  women, so all actors were male - boys played the female roles. one of the most famous actors was Richard Burbage. he was a member of The Lod Chamberlain's Men, and played number of Shakespeare's plays.
• why was the support from the elite essential to Elizabethan theatre?

  acting companies relied on members of the elite to fund or promote their performances and protect them from opponents of theatre. several companies were supported by member of the Privy Council.
• did the theatre appeal to the rich and poor?


  yes, ticket prices started at just 1 penny, so it was affordable for most people. however, different social groups sat in different parts if the theatre and didn't usually mix.
• did Elizabeth enjoy plays?

  yes, but she never attended a public theatre though she often had plays performed at court. she supported her favourite performers and even set up an acting company, The Queen's Men.
• how was the theatre not popular with everyone?

  - the City of London authorities opposed to it bc they thought it was disruptive and encourage crime. as a result, many theatres, including The Glob were built just outside the City in Southwark.

  - some members of Elizabeth's gov were worried that the theatre might be used to spread pro-Catholic or anti-gov messages. as theatres grew in popularity, the gov introduces censorship measures to try control what playwrights wrote.

  - man Puritans also opposed theatre bc they thought it encouraged immortality.
• who were the first to explore the world beyond Europe?

  the Portuguese and Spanish, by the time Elizabeth became queen in 1558, both countries established many colonies in the Americas.