Chapter 4, The poor Flashcards
what is a pauper
a poor person receiving relief from a poor law
did poverty rise in Elizabethan times
yes
how did Henry VIII affect poverty
Henry VIIIs reformation led to the closure of monetaries which took away charity and homes from monks and nuns
agriculture affected poverty
landlords kept sheep on their land instead of crops. this was called enclosure and led to farmers with fewer jobs who couldn’t find them in cities
how did population increase affect poverty
England’s population rose from 2.8 million to 4 million in Elizabethan times allowing land lords to take advantage of the housing shortage by increasing rent
what are the deserving poor
old, ill and young
some people felt it was their responsibility to help the poor
eventually charities grew and almshouses were established
what were the undeserving poor
beggers and people who could work
what were vagabonds
people who either worked together to ransack towns or those who would trick people by cutting themselves or pretending to froth
how did past monarchs try to deal with the poor
beggars were punished in the stocks or sent to their hometown and later they were publicly whipped
a second offence earned a hole burned through the ear
a third offence earned a hanging
later in Elizabeths reign they introduced the 1576 act for…
… setting the poor on work
this placed responsibility on local authorities
even later in Elizabeths reign the poor law was established to
make the wealthy pay taxes for the sick and vulnerable
give work to healthy paupers
still whip the ones who refused work
how effective was the poor law
it made a difference to some but was not properly enforced in some areas
begging went down although that might have been fear of the house of correction
