Elizabeth - Social/Economic Flashcards
Which Act was the basis of poor relief and what did it include?
1598 Act for the Relief of Poor
poor relief was responsibility of JP’s
impotent poor looked after
able bodied given materials to work (spinning and weaving)
able bodied who refused to work were punished
What did the 1598 Act change?
Put in place due to fear of social unrest, focused more on punishing vagrancy, reflected a shift in attitudes of the government, realisation that government should look after poor
Who else, apart from government, were expected to look after the poor?
Richer society members expected to provide charity
What organisations were set up by the government?
Almhouses established in Ruthin
Hospital
What happened in 1563?
Statute of Artificers - 7 year apprenticeships made compulsory in all urban crafts - aimed to create employment to combat vagrancy
What Act was in 1598?
Act for the Relief of the Poor - 4 overseers were to be appointed to supervise administration of poor relied, could secure apprenticeships for children
What Act made JP’s keep a register of the poor in the parish?
1572 Vagabonds Act - several penalties against vagrants, whipping, boring through ear and death penalty for a third offence
What Act was in 1576?
Act for the Relief of the Poor - able bodied directed by JP’s to find work
What was positive side of the 1572 Vagabonds Act?
Showed government that the plight of the poor was not always their fault
Was 1598 Act good?
Tried to improve jobs, nothing done to remove root cause of poverty
What Act tried to contain poverty?
1598 Act for the Punishment of Rogues - JP’s were to establish houses of correction for rogues
When did government realise that they had a responsibility to the poor?
1601 - 1598 Poor Law made permanent, legal framework to tackle poverty
How successful were Elizabethan poor laws?
Represented significant shift in attitudes, poor rates unpopular within wealthier citizens, poor laws didn’t end poverty and it continued to rise
How long did poor relief remain in place?
200 years on
What happened while population rose?
Wages continued to fall, lower wages than a century before
What was put in place to help wages in 1563?
Statute of Artificers - national attempt to sort out wages through JP’s
What happened to debased coins?
Withdrawn and replaced with soundly minted coins - prices continued to rise but government no longer the issue
What happened to coal trade?
Growth to keep up with trade in France
What happened to cloth trade?
Trade with Netherlands continued but declined as part of economy
Antwerp cloth trade had been declining since 1550s
Luxurious importations?
Wider range of foreign goods and more affordable
Centres of trade?
New trade with Russia economically marginal
Centre of African trade - Guinea
Changes to English trade in 1580’s
Increased trade with Ottoman Empire
Trading companies established (Muscovy Company)
Extension of trade into mainland of North America
Expeditions?
3 in 1562 acquiring slaves to sell in South America
What happened with colonisation?
Walsigham received patent from Elizabeth in 1585 to colonise Virginia
Roanoke Island - disastrous attempt
Prosperity
JPs given power to regulate wages
Trade flourished
Control food prices
Depression
Harvest failures, food shortages, risk of rebellion, protests over rising prices culminated in Oxfordshire in 1596
