C4 - The Poor

Question 1

What were paupers?

Answer 1

Those without work were known as paupers. They relied on charity to survive. This meant begging or going to the local church for help.

Question 2

Why was there poverty in Elizabethan England - actions of previous monarchs?

Answer 2

• Henry VII limited the rights of nobles to hold private armies, fearing they might be a threat to his throne. This left many soldiers without work
• the reformation under Henry VIII led to the closure of the monasteries. Monks, nuns and other church employees were left with nowhere to live or work. It also meant that the sick and poor had no one to care for them
• economic problems under Henry VIII and Edward VI led to the collapse of the cloth trade and the loss of many jobs

Question 3

Why was there poverty in Elizabethan England - population increase?

Answer 3

• during Elizabeth’s reign, England’s population rose from 2.8 million to 4 million
• a shortage of places to live gave power to landlords, who increased rents (rack renting)

Question 4

Why was there poverty in Elizabethan England - flu outbreak?

Answer 4

A terrible outbreak of flu in 1556 killed 200,000 people, including many farm workers

Question 5

Why was there poverty in Elizabethan England - changes in agriculture?

Answer 5

• bad harvests between 1594 and 1598 led to food shortages and starvation in parts of England. The food shortage also increased prices, which led to inflation
• increasing numbers of landlords began to keep sheep on their land rather than grow crops. This system, known as enclosure, meant that fewer workers were needed
• many unemployed farm workers headed to towns and cities in search of employment. There were not enough jobs to go around.

Question 6

What were some attitudes and responses to poverty for the deserving poor?

Answer 6

• the great chain of being made it clear to many nobles that get were simply better than the poor
• many believed it was their duty to help those below them in society
• they recognised that many paupers could not help their situation and were not to blame for their poverty
• charities for the poor grew and almshouses were established

Question 7

What were some attitudes and responses to poverty for the undeserving poor?

Answer 7

Some paupers were seen as undeserving: untrustworthy beggars who had no interest in honest work. Warning Against Vagabonds by Thomas Harman, published in 1567, encouraged the view that many poor people were merely confidence tricksters or criminals. Others were seen as being idle or lazy.

Question 8

What were some examples of vagabonds that Harman identified?

Answer 8

• the counterfeit crank bit soap so that he frothed at the mouth. People would feel sympathy and give him money
• bare top trickster women would trick men into following them by removing clothing. The men would then be beaten and robbed by her accomplices
• the clapper dudgeon would cut himself and tie dirty bandages around the wounds to gain sympathy
• Tom O’Bedlam would pretend to be mad. He might stick a chicken’s head in his ear or bark like a dog

Question 9

What were some early laws towards the poor?

Answer 9

1495 - beggars punished in the stocks or sent back to their home towns
1531 - beggars were publicly whipped, those caught a second time would have a hole burned in their ear, a third offence would mean they were hanged

Question 10

What was the act for setting the poor on work?

Answer 10

1576 law putting responsibility on local authorities to deal with their poor however they saw fit.

Question 11

How did London deal with their poor?

Answer 11

• Bridewell Palace was used as a shelter for the homeless
• Bedlam hospital was built to house the mentally ill
• Other hospitals were opened for the sick and for orphans
• conditions in all these institutions were poor and could not cope with the growing numbers coming into the city

Question 12

How did York deal with their poor?

Answer 12

• in 1515, the city authority issued beggar licences, with a badge to identify holders
• from 1528, a Master Beggar was appointed to keep the others in order
• if beggars refused to work, they were sent to the House of Correction

Question 13

How did Ipswich deal with their poor?

Answer 13

• introduced a beggar licensing system from 1569
• opened a hospital specifically to help the old and the sick
• a youth training scheme was introduced to help children learn a trade and escape poverty

Question 14

How did Norwich deal with their poor?

Answer 14

• after a survey showed that 80% of the population lived in poverty in 1570, the city authorities separated the poor into the ‘idle poor’ and the ‘unfortunate poor’
• the ‘idle poor’ were given work such as knitting or sewing. The ‘unfortunate poor’ were given food and other forms of care
• rich citizens were taxed to pay for the care of the vulnerable

Question 15

What was the Poor Law?

Answer 15

1601, the first ever Poor Law was introduced. It stated that:
- the wealthy should be taxed to pay for the care of the sick and vulnerable
- fit and healthy paupers should be given work
- those who refused to work were still dealt with harshly: they could be whipped or placed in a House of Correction
The poor were categorised into three groups:
- the helpless poor (the sick and old) - given food and accommodation
- the able-bodied poor (those considered fit) - had to work in exchange for food
- the idle poor - punished and sent to a House of Correction

Question 16

How effective was the Poor Law?

Answer 16

Although it did make a difference to some, it was not properly enforced in many areas. Begging seemed to decrease, but this may have been due to the threat of the House of Correction rather than the extra help available. Some argue the law was unsuccessful because it made each area responsible for its own paupers. Some were simply sent from one place to another without receiving help.