Economic Policy + Social Issues Flashcards
Summarise the economic situation under Somerset
BAD
- Low crown finances
- High inflation (due to frequent debasement)
- Debt (e.g. £100,000 to Antwerp)
- Unemployment (due to population rise of 1% per yr)
- Agricultural issues (poor harvests + enclosure)
- Somerset’s actions did little to help
Summarise the social situation under Somerset
BAD (POPULAR DISCONTENT)
- Triggered by the economic situation/Somerset’s unsuccessful policy attempts to improve it + religious situation
What were some actions Somerset took to try to improve the bad socio-economic situation?
- Vagrancy Act (1547)
- Anti-enclosure actions: enclosure commissioners + sheep tax (1549)
What was the Vagrancy Act?
Any able-bodied person out of work for over 3 days branded with ‘V’ + sold into slavery for 2 yrs
(Hoped to reduce vagrants, increasing economic output)
What was enclosure?
Common land closed off
- Peasants had less land to work (harder to survive)
- Hales (writer who influenced Somerset) said it was the root cause of socio-economic problems
What were enclosure commissioners?
One of the anti-enclosure actions taken by Somerset
People who controlled the selection of land for enclosure - hoped to control and reduce the enclosure problem
What was Sheep Tax (1549)?
One of the anti-enclosure actions taken by Somerset
Tax on sheep
Hoped to reduce land conversion from arable -> pasture (part of enclosure)
We’re Somerset’s socio-economic policies successful?
NO
- Vagrancy Act (1547): seen as harsh so greatly disliked + never fully implemented
- Enclosure commissioners: achieved little + annoyed landowners
- Sheep Tax (1549): widely opposed, made peasants poorer
Outline the socio-economic situation left for Northumberland
BAD
- Actions of improvement were unsuccessful
- Somerset had continued expensive wars with S + F (over £1 mill)
- Continued coin debasement + inflation
- Still had debts
- Still had high unemployment
- Poor harvest of 1548 amplified inflation + agricultural issues
What were the two main outcomes of the poor socio-economic situation under Somerset?
- Western Rebellion
- Kett’s Rebellion
When + where was the Western Rebellion?
June-Aug 1549
Devon + Cornwall
When + where was Kett’s Rebellion?
July-Aug 1549
Norfolk
What caused the Western Rebellion?
RELIGION
- Rebels objected to the Book of Common Prayer (Jan 1549 - Cranmer - written in English - Catholic/Protestant compromise)
- Rebels wanted to restore Catholicism + Church’s traditional societal role
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
- Rebels were mainly peasant labourers who objected to the Sheep Tax (March 1549 - tax made it hard to afford to live)
What caused Kett’s Rebellion?
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
- Landowners had enclosed/were denying peasants access to the Norfolk Foldcourse (not enough grazing land - peasants poor)
- Frustration about poor local administration by the Howards
How do we know that Kett’s Rebellion was caused by religious grievances?
Rebels were holding services using Cranmer’s new 1549 Book of Common Prayer
Briefly outline what happened during the Western Rebellion
6th June - Cornish rebel camp formed
20th June - Cornish + Devonshire rebel groups joined
2nd July - Clyst rebels besiege Exeter
28th July - Lord Russel sent by Somerset to suppress rebellion
17th August - Last rebels defeated at Sampford Courtenay
How was the Western Rebellion suppressed?
Somerset sent Lord Russel (West Country nobleman) with mercenaries to suppress rebels
Briefly outline what happened in Kett’s Rebellion
8th July - Kett leads peasants in tearing down enclosure hedges in East Anglia
9th July - Rebels head for Norwich
22nd July - Rebels seize control of Norwich
1st Aug - Dudley fails to recapture Norwich
27th Aug - Dudley defeats rebels + Kett hanged for treason
How was Kett’s rebellion suppressed?
Somerset sent Dudley, Earl of Warwick (future Duke of Northumberland) + an army to suppress rebels
What did Northumberland do to try and stop rebellion during his period of power?
Tried to improve the socio-economic situation
Regionally installed Lord Lieutenants + retainers of trusted nobles
Summarise the economic situation under Northumberland
- Inherited a very bad, virtually bankrupt economy
- Drastically improved the economic situation through his actions
- Main focus: repealing unsuccessful actions, ending debasement, reducing war expenditure, relieving debt
Summarise the social situation under Northumberland
- Inherited an unhappy society
- Drastically improved the social situation, by improving economy
- Some remained unhappy due to religious change but there was less discontent overall
Who helped Northumberland to stabilise the socio-economic situation?
Sir William Cecil
Secretary of State - put in charge of financial planning
Were there any rebellions under Northumberland?
No
