Edward VI - Social/Economic Flashcards
Why was there anger amongst sheep farmers?
Sheep tax - Norfolk Fold, local landowners refused to let ordinary people graze animals on common land
Where was there social tension?
Between peasants and landowners - enclosures
What happened to unemployment in East Anglia?
Increased, temporary problem with cloth trade in Antwerp in 1551
What did Northumberland encourage?
Expansion of English trade, 1553 - discovered north-east passage round the north of America
What happened to inflation?
Continued to be a problem, poor harvests
Why were landowners angered?
Inspectors and raised sheep/cloth tax
What happened to inflation under Somerset?
High inflation, rising population meant wages did not rise as quickly as prices did. Bread, cheese and meat high prices.
What poor law was passed under Northumberland?
1552 - local parishes responsible for raising money to look after “deserving poor” - still selective, too ill to work, genuine
Why did cloth trade with Netherland suffer and why was it important?
Crucial sector for textile workers, sudden drop in exports in 1551 due to trade issues in Antwerp
What did government have to start selling?
Chantry lands to start paying off loans
How did Northumberland tackle to debasement of coinage?
Coinage reissued with same silver content as in 1527
Why and when were poor harvests?
1550’s - grain prices rose rapidly
When was 1548 sheep tax repealed?
1550
How did Northumberland protect peasants?
Anti-enclosure legislation was enforced
Acts passed to protect arable farming
What was most successful trade?
Along coast, especially coal, from Newcastle to London
How did Edward reduce crown debt?
From 300,000 to 180,000
What caused economic crisis and when?
1547-1549
Debasement of coinage, rising prices, cost of war
What did pressure on land do?
Increased rent but wages fell
Why did vagrancy increase?
Enclosures (problems in countryside)
Vagrancy seen as a danger, personal problem
What Act involving vagrancy did Somerset pass?
1547 Vagrancy Act - any able bodied person out of work for more than three days to be branded with a V
Was Somerset’s vagrancy act popular?
No, never put into effect
How did higher food prices affect enclosures?
Sheep farming for wealthy landowners more popular (10,000 strong) - starting enclosures due to high food prices
What and when was Somerset’s investigation into enclosures?
1548 investigation into legality of enclosures in Midland - enclosed land led to vagrancy and poverty
What did Somerset try to do to help poor people suffering from enclosures?
In 1548, bills to restrict animal farming and maintain the amount of land under cultivation were designed to discourage enclosure. They failed to get through parliament.
Importance of gentry
Key layer of control, leadership and social movement
How did rebels attack gentry?
Attacked them and JP’s accusing them of corruption
Change in attitude toward the poor?
Less punitive to more provision centred responses
What happened to silver?
Purchasing power of silver declined, accute inflation and silver content of coins decreasing
How much did real wages fall by?
50%
What did debasement of coinage lead to?
Exchange rate of Sterling falling
Prosperity of cloth trade undermined
