elizabeth part 2 Flashcards
poverty in elizabethan england- actions of previous nobles
Actions of previous monarchs
Henry Vll limited the right of nobles to
hold private armies, fearing they might
be a threat to his throne. This left many soldiers
without work.
The Reformation under Henry VIll led to the closure
of the monasteries. Monks, nuns and other Church
employees were left with nowhere to live or work.
The closure of the monasteries also left the sick
and poor with no one to care for them.
Economic problems under Henry VIll and Edward VI
led to the collapse of the cloth trade and the loss of
many jobs.
poverty in elizabethan england- changes in agriculture
Bad harvests between 1594 and
1598 led to food shortages and starvation
in parts of England. The food shortage also
increased prices - which led to inflation.
Increasing numbers of landlords began to keep
sheep on their land rather than grow crops.
This system, known as enclosure, meant that
fewer workers were needed.
Many unemployed farm workers headed to
towns and cities in search of employment.
There were not enough jobs to go around
poverty in elizabethan england- population increase
During Elizabeth's reign, England's population went from 2.8 million to 4 million. A shortage of places to live gave power to landlords who increased rents (rack renting).
poverty increase in elizabethan england- flu outbreak
A terrible outbreak of flu in 1556
killed 200,000 people, including
many farm workers
attitudes to the poor- deserving poor
• The Great Chain of Being’ made it clear to many nobles that they were simply ‘better’
than the poor.
• Many believed it was their duty to help those below them in society.
• They recognised that many paupers could not help their situation and were not to
blame for their poverty.
• Charities for the poor grew and almshouses were established.
attitudes to the poor- undeserving poor
Some paupers were seen as undeserving: untrustworthy beggars who had no interest
in honest work.
• Warning Against Vagabonds by Thomas Harman, published in 1567, encouraged the
view that many poor people were merely confidence tricksters or criminals. Others
were seen as being idle or lazy.
vagabons- the poor
The vagabonds described by Harman included many scammers and confidence tricksters: The Counterfeit Crank bit soap so that he frothed at the mouth. People would feel sympathy and give him money. Baretop Trickster women would trick men into following them by removing clothing. The men would then be beaten and robbed by her accomplices. The Clapper Dudgeon would cut himself and tie dirty bandages around the wounds to gain sympathy. Tom 'Bedlam would pretend to be mad. He might stick a chicken's head in his ear or bark like a dog.
earlier attempts to deal with poverty
Monarchs before Elizabeth, including Henry VIll and Edward VI, passed laws that tried to deal with poverty, but the problem
got worse.
• From 1495:
• Beggars were punished in the stocks or sent back to their home towns.
• From 1531:
Beggars were publicly whipped.
Those caught a second time would have a hole burned in their ear.
• A third offence would mean they were hanged.
• These laws remained in place for most of Elizabeth’s reign.
• The 1576 ‘Act for setting the poor on work’ placed the responsibility on local authorities.
dealing with the poor- london
Bridewell Palace was used as a shelter for the homeless. Bedlam hospital was built to house the mentally ill. Other hospitals were opened for the sick and for orphans. Conditions in all these institutions were poor and could not cope with the growing numbers coming to the city
dealing with the poor- york
In 1515, the city authority issued beggar licences, with a badge to identify holders. From 1528, a Master Beggar was appointed to keep the others in order, If beggars refused to work they were sent to the House of Correction,
dealing with the poor- ipswich
Introduced a licensing system for beggars from 1569 Opened a hospital specifically to help the old and the sick. A youth training scheme was introduced to help children learn a trade and escape poverty
dealing with the poor- norwich
After a survey showed that 80% of the population lived in poverty in 1570, the city authorities separated the poor into the idle poor" and the 'unfortunate poor: The 'idle poor were given work such as knitting or sewing. The unfortunate poor' were given food and other forms of care. Rich citizens were taxed to pay for the care of the vulnerable.
1601 poor law
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 refused to work were still dealt with harshly:
they could be whipped or placed in a House of Correction.
1601 poor law categories
The helpless poor {the sick and old]: given food and
accommodation.
The able-bodied poor (those considered fit): had to work in
exchange for food.
The idle poor: punished and sent to a House of Correction.
how effective was the poor laws
Although the 1601 law did make a difference to some, it was
not properly enforced in many areas. Begging seemed to
decrease, but this may have been due to the threat of the
House of Correction rather than the extra help available.
Some historians argue that the law was unsuccessful
because it made each area responsible for its own paupers.
Some were simply sent from one place to another without
receiving any help.
circumnavigation
As well as a ‘golden age’, Elizabeth’s reign has been called an ‘age of discovery. Although
other countries, particularly Spain and Portugal, played a major role in exploring the world,
it was England that led the way. Sailors like Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and John
Hawkins helped increase England’s wealth and power with their voyages.
first circumnavigation of the globe
Between 1577 and 1580, Drake completed the first circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition.
how did drake circumnavigate the globe
1. December 1577: Drake takes five ships to raid Spanish ports in the Americas. 2. June-July 1578: Drake responds to a rumour of mutiny by executing Thomas Doughty, his former friend. 3. September 1578: Drake sails through the Straits of Magellan, the first Englishman to do so. A storm destroys one ship and blows the others off course. 4. The remaining ships sail up the coast and raid a number of Spanish ports. 5. June 1579: With just his own ship remaining, Drake lands in North America and claims it for Queen Elizabeth. 6. March-June 1580: He navigates the dangerous Cape of Good Hope 7. 26 September: Drake returns to Plymouth. He was knighted (made a 'Sir") on board his ship the Golden Hind, by Elizabeth.
sir walter raleigh and the new world
Sir Walter Raleigh was given royal permission to explore the Americas -
the New World - in 1584.
He would be allowed to colonise (take ownership of] any land that was
not ruled by a Christian.
In return, he had to give the queen one fifth of all the gold and silver he
found there.
He did not sail himself, but sent others to explore and establish colonies
in the New World.
A colony was established at Roanoke on the east coast of America but
did not last. A second was created in 1587 and seemed like it was going to succeed. But when the colony’s leader
returned from a trip to England, he found all of the colonists gone and the word ‘CROATOAN’ (the name of a local
tribe] carved into a tree!
how was exploration possible
defences- better weapons such as cannons made it easier to explore hostile territory, navigation- the astrolabe allowed sailors to judge their position and more accurate compasses made navigation easier, technology- better designed ships were much faster side to the triangular lateen sail
