Elizabethan Society in the Age of Exploration, 1558 - 1588 Flashcards
What were Public schools?
The best of the best eg. Windsor or Eton
What were Parish/Petty schools?
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.
What were Grammar schools?
Well-off boys and clever boys from upper and middle classes
Lessons mainly focused on Latin and Classical Literature (Greek and Roman)
What were Universities?
There were only 2; Oxford and Cambridge
Lessons were conducted almost entirely in Latin
People studied Law, theology, medicine e.t.c…
State 3 types of entertainment Elizabethans enjoyed
1) The theatre
2) Sports e.g. Tennis, Football e.t.c…
3) Blood sports e.g. Cockfighting, bull/bear-baiting
Why did the theatre become so popular during Elizabeth’s reign?
They appealed to both the rich and poor by putting on a range of plays including dark and comedic, relatable humour
Define ‘Vagabond’
A person who wanders from place to place without a fixed home
Define ‘Poor relief’
Financial help
Define ‘Alms’
Charity
Define ‘Itinerants’
People who had moved from their home parish looking for work
Describe the ‘Poor cycle’
Anyone who couldn’t work led to poverty;
Poverty led to starvation and illness;
Illness led to desperation - begging.
Who were classed as ‘poor’?
If 80%+ of a families’ income was on bread, they were classed as poor.
Give 6 causes of poverty and state whether they are long or short term.
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
How was ‘Poor relief’ funded?
It was funded by local taxes
Who was the ‘4th sort’?
Farm labourers, servers, shopkeepers, craftspeople, tailors, shoemakers, bricklayers, carpenters e.t.c…
Give some ideas that support the idea of there being a ‘Golden Age’
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
Give some ideas that challenge the idea of there being a ‘Golden Age’
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
Which group were opposed to the theatre?
Why?
The Puritans - they thought it was sinfull!!!
Describe 2 features of Elizabethan theatre
1) Entrance fees were cheap (from 1 penny)
2) Actors wore very detailed and elaborate costumes
Why couldn’t the Poor be helped by the government?
They built ‘shacks’ (tightly packed slums) outside the city walls. This meant that they couldn’t be helped by the government
What were the two types of ‘The Poor’?
1) The Impotent = Deserving Poor
2) The Able-bodied/Idle = Undeserving Poor
What is another name for the Impotent Poor?
The Deserving Poor
What is another name for the Able-bodied/Idle Poor?
The Undeserving Poor
What are the 4 types of ‘Able-bodied/Idle Poor’?
Describe them.
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
In what year was the ‘Statute of Artificers’?
What did it state?
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!!!
What were the names of the 2 ‘Acts’ for the poor?
1) The ‘Vagabonds Act’
2) The ‘Poor Relief Act’
What year was the ‘Vagabonds Act’ passed?
What did it feature?
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
What year was the ‘Poor Relief Act’ passed?
What did it feature?
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’
State one impact of the ‘Poor Laws’
Unemployment is now recognised as a genuine problem!!!
Give 2 reasons why Elizabethan’s were so worried about poverty.
1) Wandering groups of Vagabonds spread diseases
2) Rising numbers of poor people made the threat of rebellion even greater
Give 4 reasons for the growth of overseas exploration in the Elizabethan era.
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
Give 2 aims of Drake’s circumnavigation of the world.
1) To raid Spanish colonies and break their monopolies
2) Make profits for himself and courtiers.
Why was Drake’s circumnavigation of the world significant?
[2 points]
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
Give 2 reasons of Drake’s circumnavigation of the world.
1) He wanted revenge for Spanish attacks
2) To make lots of money
e. t.c…
What was Drake’s ship called in which he circumnavigated the world in?
‘The Pelican’, although it was later renamed: ‘The Golden Hind’
Why did the English want a colony in North America?
[2 points]
1) To have a base for attacking Spanish interests in the area
2) To add more territories to England’s crown.
In what year was Raleigh’s first voyage to Virginia?
What happened?
What is Successful or Unsuccessful?
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!!!
In what year was Raleigh’s second voyage to Virginia and what was it called?
What happened?
What is Successful or Unsuccessful?
‘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!!!
Why did Raleigh’s settlements in Virginia fail?
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
The colony in Roanoke later came to be known as a ‘______’
‘Lost Colony’
All the people disappeared!!!
State 3 achievements of Raleigh’s voyages to Virginia
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.
