economic and social causes

• population increased by 700,000
• Agricultural productivity unable to keep up with increasing population so price of food rose
• rising rents, decline in living standards
• from 1525-1551 population rose from 2.3 million to 3 million
• agricultural problems with fewer labourers, from enclosures, and less cloth which encouraged enclosures
• prices in 1520 37% higher than in 1508
• government enforced harsh measures such as the 1547 vagrancy act condemning vagrants to slavery for 2 years
• Somerset continued debasement which meant inflation was rising
• Somerset issued proclamations to force landowners to reverse policy on enclosures which caused resentment
• 23 counties affected by revolts
• taxes on sheep and cloth rose 1548-9
• enclosures angered the rich as landowners feared they would be reversed and they would lose all of their money
• investigation into enclousres angered the poor as they had high hopes for change
• 1551 the coinage was debased and devaluing money causing inflation
• Complaints in Norfolk as gentry lengthened amount of land they grazed their sheep on peasants land for
• price index rose from 1545-50 from 190 to 270