1.1 The situation on Elizabeth’s accession

Question 1

What is the percentage of the population that lived in the countryside to the towns?

Answer 1

90% to 10%

Question 2

What is the social hierarchy and roles in the countryside?
(6)

Answer 2

• Nobility: major landowners (e.g. nobles, earls, dukes)
• Gentry: owned smaller estates
• Yeomanry: own small amount of land
• Tenant farmers: rent land from Gentry or Yeomanry.
• Landless or labouring poor: don’t own or rent land, work or labour to provide for family and selves.
• Vagrants and homeless: move from place to place trying to find work.

Question 3

What was the social hierarchy and roles in towns? (5)

Answer 3

• Merchants: tradesmen who were wealthy.
• Professionals: lawyers, doctors and clergymen.
• Business owners: often highly skilled craftsmen e.g. carpenters, glovers, silversmiths
• Craftsmen: skilled employees, including apprentices.
• Unskilled labourers or unemployed: those who couldn’t find regular work and unable to provide for family or selves.