Elizabeth - Poverty Flashcards
1
Q
What were the main causes of poverty ?
A
Sheep farming
Enclosure
Population growth
2
Q
How did sheep farming and enclosure lead to poverty?
A
- Wool and woollen cloth became very profitable
- Land owners started to seal off parts of their land rather than having them openly rented out to focus solely on sheep farming
- -This lead to unemployment among farmers who did not own any land
- -People migrated to towns in search for jobs
- -Les crops were being grow so less supply but equal demand, increasing the prices of food
3
Q
How did population growth lead to poverty ?
A
- Englands population grew by 35%
- Higher demand on food
- Less crops due to sheep farming
- Less supply and more demand for food increasing its price
- Poor = someone who spends 80% or more of their income on food
4
Q
What was the Statue of Artificers and when did it take place?
A
1572
- Beggars to be whipped and bored through ear if caught begging, if caught 3 times, execution
- Justices of the peace to keep a count of poor in area, local people had to pay poor rate to support the poor
- Overseers of the poor appointed to help justices of the peace with the poor relief
5
Q
What was the Vagabonds act and when did it take place ?
A
- 1576
- Beggars were to be sent to work in the house of correction. 2 in every county
- Justices of the peace were to keep a stock of materials in every town so that people who genuinely could not find a job could be given work
6
Q
What was the poor relief act and when did it take place ?
A
- 1601
- JP’s had to appoint 4 overseers of the poor in each parish
- Overseers were to ensure children were given apprenticeships and that there was a stock of materials for able bodied workers
- Elderly or sick were given alms-houses to live in
- Beggars forbidden and whipped, returned to place of birth if known, if not then the house of correction
- JP’s to make sure everyone in the area paid the poor rate, if refused they would be imprisoned
