Elizabethan Society in the age of exploration Flashcards
What does education like for poor boys and girls
No formal education. They learned from their families working on the land, or in the home. They needed to bring in a wage for the family.
What was education like for well off boys
Petty schools age 4-8: (reading, writing and arithmetic)
Grammar school age 8-14: (Latin, Greek, French, ancient and classical history, philosophy, archery, wrestling, chess and running
What was education like for upper class boys
Private tutors until early teens (Latin, Greek, French, ancient and classical history)
University (Oxford or Cambridge) from 14 or 15
Inns of Court in London trained lawyers
What was the education like for well of girls
Dame schools or educated at home by mothers
Reading and writing, arithmetic
Music, dancing, needlework, horse riding and archery
What was education like for upper-class girls
Private tutor until early teens
Then sent to another noble household to complete their education
Make useful social contacts and perfect skills expected of them as a noble woman
What sport did the nobility do
hunting, hawking, fishing, fencing, real tennis
What sports did working people do
football was a lower class game – could be very violent and had no rules
What are spectator sport in this time
such as bear-baiting and cock-fighting were popular – gambling was also very common
What was theatre like in this era
was also very popular with all classes in Elizabethan England – many new plays and purpose built theatres. Protestantism led to the development of new plays as many thought that the centuries-old plays were too Catholic
What are the reasons for poverty increasing
Rural
depopulation
Enclosure
International problems
Law and order
How did Rurel depopulation increased poverty
People moving away from the countryside to look for a better life lead to more poor in the cities
How did enclosure increase poverty
Farming techniques were improved and many of these techniques worked better if enclosed land was used. Enclosure involved merging smaller farms, evicting tenant farmers and higher unemployment
How did international problems cause poverty to increase
Poor relations between England and Spain led to trade embargos with the Netherlands which caused more unemployment
How did law and order increase poverty
Many people who had left the countryside were forced to live in shacks outside the city walls and were forced into begging or criminality
Who are the important Poor
deserving poor – unable to work through no fault of their own – they received more sympathy
Who are the able Poor
idle poor – able to work but not willing to do so – these people were treated more harshly
What are the three policies aimed to improve property
1563 Statute of Artificers
1572 Vagabonds Act
1576 Poor Relief Act
What was the 1563 Statute of Artificers policy
to collect poor relief money, more harsh treatment of beggars (Poor relief was financial help for the very poor paid for by a local tax called the poor rate
What was the third 1572 vagabond act policy
to deter vagrancy. Beggars sent to Houses of Correction
What was the 1576 Poor relief act
to help able bodied people find work. Elderly and sick given alms houses to live in
How successful was the policies aimed to improve poverty
Some success but poverty remained a problem throughout Elizabeth’s reign.
Most important change was that these laws recognised that unemployment was a problem that needed to be solved and that people were not unemployed out of laziness
What lead Elizabethans to explore
Politics
economies
new technology
better ships
Why did politics lead to exploration
Rivalry with Spain for naval dominance
Drake as a privateer targeting Spanish Ships
Massive rewards e.g. Americas full of riches; exotic crops, silver.
Financial rewards result in increased power and control
How did new technology lead to exploration
Quadrant/Astrolabe – new navigation
Maps/printing – Mercator map more accurate and printing meant they were used by more people
Ship design – Galleons were quicker, more manoeuvrable, more cargo space, more fire power
How did better ships lead to exploration
Ship design improved making longer journeys possible
Galleons were larger, more stable and faster and also had more firepower to protect them
How did economic’s lead to exploration
Wars with Spain and Netherlands had disrupted wool and cloth trade – needed new markets
Massive rewards e.g. Americas full of riches; exotic crops, silver
Trans-Atlantic slave trade
Why did Drake circumnavigate the world
Economic opportunities in the New World, to challenge Spanish domination, revenge for Spanish defeat in 1567-8
What are the positives of Drake circumnavigation of the world
Raided Spanish ships, gathered lots of useful information about Americas, Local Native Americans treated the English with great hospitality
What are the negatives of Drake circumnavigation of the world
Lost 4 out of 5 ships, mutiny during the voyage
What is the significance of drakes circumnavigation of the world
Massive return for investors. Drake very wealthy and famous. Announcement of Nova Albion encouraged English colonies to be established in America. Destroyed Anglo-Spanish relations
Why was establishing a colony in Virginia such an important thing to do
North Americans could choose English traders over Spanish traders
England would no longer need to rely on Europe for trade if it could control the trade from the New World
A base to attack Spanish colonies from
It acts as an example for future colonies
A base for privateering (piracy)
What preparation did Raleigh do you to colonise Virginia
Given a grant to explore North America in 1584
Fact finding mission in 1584
Used positive reports to persuade people to move to the colony – convinced them that they would be rich
Two Native Americans, Manteo and Wanchese were brought back (helped with the language and made links with their people)
Invested his own money as well as promises to investors of a share in his privateering profits
What things did Raleigh have to consider before going on the voyage
Who should go? 300 with a variety of skills (e.g. hunters, carpenters)
Supplies? Enough food and water for the journey
Timing? It was vital to get there in enough time to sow crops
Ships? Needed to be big enough and well armed in case of attack (e.g. from Spain)
Why did colonising Virginia fail
They left too late to plant crops
They had the wrong mix of people
Vital supplies were damaged on the journey
Difficulty hunting - Gunpowder had been spoiled on the journey
Problems with the Native Americans e.g. Chief Wingina
What happened Roanoke 1587-90
Second attempt at colony began in 1587
Manteo was made Lord Roanoke and John White in overall charge
They experienced many problems, including significant hostility from Native tribes
John White returned to England to update Raleigh and when he returned in 1590 he found the
colony deserted
The only clue as to what happened to the settlers was the word Croatoan carved into a post
