Breadth Study 2 - Increasing Borough Representation

Question 1

What happened to the house of commons and the house of lords during the Tudor Period?

Answer 1

• The house of commons grew in number
• The house of lords shrank

Question 2

What were the two main reasons for the shrinking of the house of lords and rising of the house of commons?

Answer 2

• Henry VIII cut the number of lords in half when heads of monasteries were removed under his dissolutions
• By 1547 there were 84 lords
• The increasing urban population led to a rise in the number of boroughs
• More constituencies meant by 1547 the commons had 342 members

Question 3

How many new boroughs were brought in after Henry VIII?

Answer 3

• Edward VI: 20
• Mary I: 21
• Elizabeth I: 62

Question 4

What was a rotten borough?

Answer 4

• villages given representation as a favour to nobles or nobles in favour of the monarch so that they would vote in the monarchs favour in parliament
• not all new boroughs were rotten some reflected the growing economic importance of towns

Question 5

What did the increased borough representation lead to in the house of commons?

Answer 5

• An increase in the number of merchants and lawyers being elected to parliament
• less MPs now owed their seat due to their patronage or noble status
• This enabled them to act independent in the commons

Question 6

What did men like peter Wentworth do in the commons?

Answer 6

• As many had legal training, they raised issues surrounding rights and privileges
• they were skilled and confident enough to challenge the existing system and suggest change

Question 7

In 1533, what percentage of the Tudor population did Thomas More say was literate?

Answer 7

• 60%
• Due to the work of guild schools or church schools providing a basic level of education for people

Question 8

Why did the Yeomen class become more involved in education?

Answer 8

As the world of business evolved, it became more important for yeomen to read and write in order to buy more land and make more profit for themselves.

Question 9

How many new grammar schools were created under Elizabeth I?

Answer 9

• as the demand for education rose, so did the number of grammar schools
• 160 new grammar schools made
• made a significant impact on literacy rates amongst yeomen farmers

Question 10

What did greater literacy rates in the yeomen class result in?

Answer 10

• greater awareness and interest in politics
• more involvement in local government