Elizabeth England c1568- 1603: The Poor Flashcards
Who were known as paupers?
The poorest members of society who were unable to find work.
Finish the sentence: Paupers relied on charity to survive which meant…
begging or going to the local church for help.
Name 4 reasons why poverty rose significantly in Elizabethan England.
- Previous monarch’s actions
- Changes in agriculture
- Population increase (2.8 million to 4 million)
- Flu outbreak in 1556 that killed 200,000 people
List 3 ways Henry VII contributed to the poverty in Elizabethan England:
- He limited the rights of noble to hold private armies as he felt threatened- this left many soldiers without work.
- Reformation meant monasteries closed leaving the sick/ poor with no help
- Monks, nuns and othe Church employees also lost their jobs
Which 2 monarchs led to the collapse of the cloth trade?
Henry VII and Edward VI
How did the bad harvests between 1594 and 98 affect England?
It led to food shortages and starvation in parts of England.
. This also meant increased prices which led to inflation.
What was the system known as enclosure in farming?
When landlords kept sheep on their land surrounded by fence rather than grow crops.
Where did many unemployed farmers go in search of employment?
Towns and cities
What is rack renting?
Where landlords demanded increased rent from a tenant or for a property due to a shortage of places to live.
What was known as the deserving poor?
Those like the many paupers that couldn’t help their situation and we’re not to blame for their poverty.
What was known as the deserving poor?
Those like the many paupers that couldn’t help their situation and we’re not to blame for their poverty.
What were the attitudes towards the deserving poor?
. Many nobles believed they were ‘better’ than the poor due to the ‘Great Chain of Being’
. Many believed it was their duty to help those below them in society
. Charities grew and almshouses were established
What were almshouses?
A charity building set up to provide food and rest for the poor.
Who were known as the undeserving poor?
Some paupers wo were seen to be untrustworthy, idle beggars who had no interest in actually working.
What were the attitudes towards the undeserving poor?
. Seen as tricksters or criminals
. Others were viewed as idle or lazy
What was a vagabond?
A person who wanders from place to place without a home, searching for work.
What book was written on vagabonds in 1567, including many scammers and tricksters?
Warning against vagabonds
Who wrote the popular book on vagabonds?
Thomas Harman
What law was passed in 1495 (before Elizabeth) that tried to deal with poverty?
Packers for punished in the stocks or sent back to their home towns.
What were stocks?
Criminals would be held by the hands and feet while people through things at them.
Name 3 laws l passed in1531 (before Elizabeth) that tried to deal with poverty?
- Beggars were publicly whipped
- Those caught the second time would have a whole burned through their ear
- A third offense would mean they were hanged
Although many old laws on poverty remained for most of Elizabeth’s reign, the ____ ‘Act for ______ the poor on ____’ placed the responsibility on local authorities for poverty.
- 1576
- setting
3.work
True or false: Different authorities that with poverty in their own way.
True
What was a House of Correction?
Where beggars would be forced to spend the night as punishment.
When was the first ever Poor Law introduced?
1601
What were 3 things that the first ever Poor Law stated?
- 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 refuse to work was still dealt with harshly: they could be whipped or placed in the House of Correction
What were the 3 groups the poor were categorised into?
- The helpless poor (the sick and old)
- The able- bodied poor (those considered poor)
- The idle poor
Finish the sentence: The helpless poor were…
given food and accommodation.
Finish the sentence: The able-bodied poor were…
made to work in exchange for food.
Finish the sentence: The helpless poor were…
punished and sent to a House of Correction.
Why do some historians argue that the 1601 law was unsuccessful?
. Begging seemed to have decreased due to the threat of the House of correction rather than the law
. It made each area responsible for its own paupers
. Someone simply sent from one place to another without receiving help
