Elizabethan Society in the Age of Exploration, 1558 - 1588

Question 1

What were Public schools?

Answer 1

The best of the best eg. Windsor or Eton

Question 2

What were Parish/Petty schools?

Answer 2

Local schools ran by the local priest for young children aged 4 - 7
Nearly all boys
Basically young primary school for boys
Taught basic reading and writing, sometimes a little maths.

Question 3

What were Grammar schools?

Answer 3

Well-off boys and clever boys from upper and middle classes

Lessons mainly focused on Latin and Classical Literature (Greek and Roman)

Question 4

What were Universities?

Answer 4

There were only 2; Oxford and Cambridge
Lessons were conducted almost entirely in Latin
People studied Law, theology, medicine e.t.c…

Question 5

State 3 types of entertainment Elizabethans enjoyed

Answer 5

1) The theatre
2) Sports e.g. Tennis, Football e.t.c…
3) Blood sports e.g. Cockfighting, bull/bear-baiting

Question 6

Why did the theatre become so popular during Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 6

They appealed to both the rich and poor by putting on a range of plays including dark and comedic, relatable humour

Question 7

Define ‘Vagabond’

Answer 7

A person who wanders from place to place without a fixed home

Question 8

Define ‘Poor relief’

Answer 8

Financial help

Question 9

Define ‘Alms’

Answer 9

Charity

Question 10

Define ‘Itinerants’

Answer 10

People who had moved from their home parish looking for work

Question 11

Describe the ‘Poor cycle’

Answer 11

Anyone who couldn’t work led to poverty;
Poverty led to starvation and illness;
Illness led to desperation - begging.

Question 12

Who were classed as ‘poor’?

Answer 12

If 80%+ of a families’ income was on bread, they were classed as poor.

Question 13

Give 6 causes of poverty and state whether they are long or short term.

Answer 13

1) Bad harvests - Inflation = Short term
2) Population growth = Long term
3) Low wages - Inflation = Long term
4) Food = Short term
5) Land = Long term
6) Sheep farming & enclosure = Long term

Question 14

How was ‘Poor relief’ funded?

Answer 14

It was funded by local taxes

Question 15

Who was the ‘4th sort’?

Answer 15

Farm labourers, servers, shopkeepers, craftspeople, tailors, shoemakers, bricklayers, carpenters e.t.c…

Question 16

Give some ideas that support the idea of there being a ‘Golden Age’

Answer 16

1) Exploration
2) Plenty of entertainment
3) Buildings improved - use of brick and glass
4) Better education
5) A Queen who loves music, dancing and fashion

Question 17

Give some ideas that challenge the idea of there being a ‘Golden Age’

Answer 17

1) Lots of poverty
2) The enclosure of agricultural land led to some people losing jobs on the land
3) High taxes due to war with Spain

Question 18

Which group were opposed to the theatre?

Why?

Answer 18

The Puritans - they thought it was sinfull!!!

Question 19

Describe 2 features of Elizabethan theatre

Answer 19

1) Entrance fees were cheap (from 1 penny)

2) Actors wore very detailed and elaborate costumes

Question 20

Why couldn’t the Poor be helped by the government?

Answer 20

They built ‘shacks’ (tightly packed slums) outside the city walls. This meant that they couldn’t be helped by the government

Question 21

What were the two types of ‘The Poor’?

Answer 21

1) The Impotent = Deserving Poor

2) The Able-bodied/Idle = Undeserving Poor

Question 22

What is another name for the Impotent Poor?

Answer 22

The Deserving Poor

Question 23

What is another name for the Able-bodied/Idle Poor?

Answer 23

The Undeserving Poor

Question 24

What are the 4 types of ‘Able-bodied/Idle Poor’?

Describe them.

Answer 24

1) ‘Angler’ = Used a long stick to steal clothes from washing lines
2) ‘Counterfeit Crank’ = Pretended to have a fit by swallowing soap and foaming out of the mouth
3) ‘Clapper dungeon’ = Put arsenic on their skin to make it bleed and wrapped bandages around their arms and legs
4) ‘Doxy’ = Carried a bag where she hid things she stole, often knitted while begging, and wore a needle in her hat

Question 25

In what year was the ‘Statute of Artificers’?

What did it state?

Answer 25

1563
To ensure that ‘Poor relief’ was collected
Anyone who refused to pay it was imprisoned and officials who didn’t collect it could be fined up to £20!!!

Question 26

What were the names of the 2 ‘Acts’ for the poor?

Answer 26

1) The ‘Vagabonds Act’

2) The ‘Poor Relief Act’

Question 27

What year was the ‘Vagabonds Act’ passed?

What did it feature?

Answer 27

1572
Aim = To deter vagrancy
1) Vagrants were to be whipped and a hole drilled through each ear
2) If arrested a 2nd time - they would be arrested
3) If arrested a 3rd time - they would be killed

Question 28

What year was the ‘Poor Relief Act’ passed?

What did it feature?

Answer 28

1576
Aim = To distinguish between the ‘Able-bodied/Idle’ poor and the ‘Impotent’ poor, and to help the ‘Able-bodied/Idle’ poor find work
1) ‘Able-bodied/Idle’ poor were provided with raw materials e.g. wool to sell and get some money
2) Those who refused were sent to a special prison known as the ‘House of correction’

Question 29

State one impact of the ‘Poor Laws’

Answer 29

Unemployment is now recognised as a genuine problem!!!

Question 30

Give 2 reasons why Elizabethan’s were so worried about poverty.

Answer 30

1) Wandering groups of Vagabonds spread diseases

2) Rising numbers of poor people made the threat of rebellion even greater

Question 31

Give 4 reasons for the growth of overseas exploration in the Elizabethan era.

Answer 31

1) The English wanted to attack and plunder the growing wealth of Catholic Spain and the New World.
2) The invention of the ‘astrolabe’ made sailing long distances much easier
3) New places to sell their goods
4) Spread Protestantism

Question 32

Give 2 aims of Drake’s circumnavigation of the world.

Answer 32

1) To raid Spanish colonies and break their monopolies

2) Make profits for himself and courtiers.

Question 33

Why was Drake’s circumnavigation of the world significant?

[2 points]

Answer 33

1) First ever English circumnavigation of the world - boosted English morale
2) Drake was knighted - this angered Spain and led to a breakdown in relations

Question 34

Give 2 reasons of Drake’s circumnavigation of the world.

Answer 34

1) He wanted revenge for Spanish attacks
2) To make lots of money
e. t.c…

Question 35

What was Drake’s ship called in which he circumnavigated the world in?

Answer 35

‘The Pelican’, although it was later renamed: ‘The Golden Hind’

Question 36

Why did the English want a colony in North America?

[2 points]

Answer 36

1) To have a base for attacking Spanish interests in the area
2) To add more territories to England’s crown.

Question 37

In what year was Raleigh’s first voyage to Virginia?
What happened?
What is Successful or Unsuccessful?

Answer 37

1585
1) They hit rocks and seawater damaged supplies/seed crops
2) Relations with the Native Americans became hostile as they thought that the English were taking good land/resources
It was UNSUCESSFULL!!!

Question 38

In what year was Raleigh’s second voyage to Virginia and what was it called?
What happened?
What is Successful or Unsuccessful?

Answer 38

‘Roanoke’, 1587 - 90
1) They were forced to land again to the threat of hurricanes
2) They landed too late in the year to plant seeds!
3) relations with native American’s poor
It was UNSUCESSFULL!!!

Question 39

Why did Raleigh’s settlements in Virginia fail?

Answer 39

1) Lack of a good harbour
2) Seeds were sown at the wrong time of year
3) Food supplies didn’t survive
4) Relations with the native American’s deteriorated

Question 40

The colony in Roanoke later came to be known as a ‘______’

Answer 40

‘Lost Colony’

All the people disappeared!!!

Question 41

State 3 achievements of Raleigh’s voyages to Virginia

Answer 41

1) It returned with a profit - because of captured Spanish ships
2) Increased knowledge of the continent
3) The paintings by ‘John White’ recorded images of native people and the surrounding environment.