3.1.1 Pre Industrialised Britain (pre 1780) Flashcards
What was life like in Pre Industrialised Britain (6)?
Limited communication and transport,
class division
people lived in countryside/rural areas
limited free time
cruel and violent existences for lc and luxury for uc widespread illiteracy
(4 Cs)
Effect of class division/ two tier society
Gentry and peasant activities were separate. ( real tennis and football). Class system determined an individuals status
Effect of living in the countryside
Sport is rural, simple and had to use natural resources
Effect of lack of transport/ communications
Sport is localised
Effect of illiteracy
People weren’t capable of reading/remembering the rules
Effect of lack of free time
Sport becomes occasional as limited time to play and practise
Effect of harsh society
Highly aggressive and violent
Popular Recreations
The sport and pastimes of people in Pre - industrial Britain
Feudal system
It was a way of structuring society around a relationship derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour
What were activities like (5)?
Male dominated, reflected a harsh society, lots of damage to property, lots of injuries and activities were aggressive
Mob football
A violent male dominated sport with very few rules due to the widespread illiteracy amongst the lower class. Played by peasants with a pigs bladder as the ball but only occasionally on holy days (shrove tuesday)
Real Tennis
An exclusive activity only played by the upper class males as it was very expensive to build an indoor court. Henry VIII had a court. It was a civilised skilful game
Athletics Pre 1780
Known as foot racing it was played by footmen (hired servants) completed as messengers for the upper class for theirs speed of movement across open land. It was a form of competetive running/walking involving feats of endurance. The lower class would compete whilst the upper class would bet on them. The uc acted as patrons for the competitors.
Patron
Member of GENTRY who looked after the lower class performer eg. by arranging competition for them to participate in, putting up prize money and generally looking after the performer.
Festival Occasions
Early athletics took the form of ‘festival occasions’ with individuals organising rural community festivals containing athletic events. Annual event
Why were popular recreation activities eventually banned in the 19th Century? (5)
They were violent and unruly in nature
They lead to injury and death in some extreme cases
They lead to damage of property
They involved gambling
Linked to alcohol consumption/drunken behaviour
Foot racing
A form of competitive running/walking in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries involving FEATS OF ENDURANCE
Impact education had on sport during pre-industrialised Britain
Lower class had very little access to education causing widespread illiteracy making sport very basic and simple so people could understand the rules. Led to violence due to the lack of rules so played popular recreations like mob football.
Upper class had education so there were rules enforced which tended to be more complex as they were capable of doing so. Etiquette and gentlemen behaviour was also enforced so played rational recreations like real tennis
