Education Flashcards
What were the attitudes of education?
-there was no national system of schooling but it became increasingly valuable during Elizabethan England
-Existing social order was very important so the purpose of education was to prepare you for the life you were expected to lead - focused on practical skills and possibly basic literacy
-the view was that only the rich needed to attend
How many people went to school?
only a small percentage of children went to school (mainly boys), very few girls had formal education
Why did people think only the rich need to attend school?
because people saw no need to provide a formal education for the vast majority of the population, especially the labouring classes
By the early 1500s, what were humanists arguing?
that education was valuable and that people should not just be educated for practical reasons
What were protestant beliefs on education?
that people should be able to read the bible to develop their own relationship with God
This encouraged more people to become literate
How did the growth of the printing press boost literacy?
growth of the printing press meant books became less expensive, giving people more opportunities to read
How did the growth of trade in the Elizabethan era boost literacy?
development of business and trade made basic education more important as well as understanding maths so they could record transactions properly
What were the features of nobility education?
What did the girls learn
What did the boys learn
-tutored at home
-Since Elizabeth was highly educated, nobility families also made sure their daughters were highly educated too
-Girls learnt music, dancing, needlework, horse riding and archery
-Boys leant horse riding and archery too along with fencing, swimming, wrestling and other sports thought only fitting for men
What subjects were taught to nobility children?
foreign languages (including Greek and Latin)
history, philosophy, government and theology
where were the older nobility children sent to?
other noble households to finish education
Who were grammar schools for and what did it do?
10-14 aged boys considered bright, attended by the children of the middling sorts: gentry, professionals or wealthy business owners
provided education independent from the church and charged fees depending on how much the boy’s family owed
scholarships were available to poorer families
What was the result of Grammar schools
there were more schools in England than there had ever been before
How long were the school years and school days in grammar school?
Long school years: there were only holidays at Easter and Christmas
Long school days: 6 or 7 am and learned for 10hrs
What did grammar schools teach?
focused on Latin (best schools taught Greek/ French)
also studied ancient, classical historians and philosophers and writers such as Plato, Aristotle, Virgil and Seneca
for the sport they did archery, chess, wrestling and running
What did Grammar schools put great emphasis on?
memorising huge quantities of text, especially bible passages, many of which focused on teaching morals and manners
public speaking and debating was though essential for well educated Elizabethan gentlemen
