55. Poverty And The Poor Laws Flashcards
Who were examples of people who noticed increases in poverty?
William Harrison and Thomas Harman JP
What did William Harrison believe?
There were 10,000 vagrants on the road
What did Thomas Harman JP identify?
23 types of tricks vagrants used to steal money
What was the population in the 1540s?
2.7 million
What was the population by 1601?
4.1 million
When was there a period of disease?
1550s
What rate did the population increase at after the period of disease?
1 percent a year up to 1586
What was another factor that led to vagrancy?
Former soldiers and sailors being discharged with little money and far from their homes
What were living standards estimated to have declined by during the reign?
Declined by a quarter
What was a common explanation for increasing poverty and vagrancy?
Enclosure by rich men
Who presented the argument about rich men as a cause of poverty?
Philip Stubbs in his tract The Anatomie of Abuses
Why was enclosure less prevalent during elizabeth’s reign?
Due to the falling price of wool exports
What was a result of enclosure?
Workers looking for work in larger towns
What was there concern about?
That underemployed labourers in towns might cause riot and rebellion
What was a rumour about the rising in the north?
It was prominently vagrants
