Gaining cooperation of the localities - part 3 Flashcards
What caused poverty?
- Increasing population in 16th C
- Meant prices rose and wages fell = inflation
- Harvests affected by bad weather - reduced crop yield
- Disslution made it worse
How did the population grow?
- Steady throughout 1500s until 1550s where bad harvests and epidemic of influenza led to temporary decline
- 1525 population at 2.26 mil
- 1551 population at 3.01 mil
- 1601 popilation at 4.1 mil
What problems did poverty cause?
- unemployment
- vagrancy and begging - people assumed vagrants could just find jobs
- people thought vagrants spread bad ideas
- vagrants undermined heirachy as no master
How did Henry VII try to deal with vagrancy?
1495 - Vagrants and idle poor to be put in stocks for 3 days, whipped and returned to origional parish where poor relief distributed - given via donations
How did Henry VIII deal with vagrancy?
1531 - Poor Law passed, ordered vagrants to be whipped. Impotant poor were licensed by JPs and allowed to beg.
How did the 1547 Vagrancy Act define vagrancy?
Being able to work, unemployed for more than 3 days and without a master, punishment was having a V branded on the chest, forced to work as a slave for 2yrs, unenforcable
What did the 1552 Poor Law act do which replaced the 1547 Vagrancy Act?
Required impotant poor to be registered for the first time. Also required parish priests to pressure those reluctant to make voluntary contributions
How did parliament try to regulate wages and prices through parliamentrary statute in 1547 and 1555?
1547 + 1555 acts to regulate cloth making in East Anglia and Worcester. 1536 TC introduced a radical act local officials had to find work for beggars- not renewed
What happened when food prices rose alarmingly in 1540s-1550s?
Gov controlled and encouraged food production. 1548-9 laws passed against price and wage fixing. 1554 Act to forbid the export of corn when prices were high
What economic crises were there in Mary’s reign?
Poor weather - bad harvest 1554-56. Made worse by influenza in 1555-1559. 1551 population at 3.01 mil but fell to 2.98 mil in 1561
How did the economic crises affect the poor?
- Lack of food = high prices.
- Affected poorest peasants and urban poor because they produced just enough to survive
- Decline in population = wages up = prices up
What was the statute of artificers (1563)?
Holistic approach that dealt with all problems togethe,r enforced by JPs
What did the statute of artificers (1563) give JPs the power to enforce?
- all unmarried people to work under age of 30
- had to accept any job
- all those who could bring in crops to do so
- could be punished by stocks
- all wages set by JPs annually
- everyone between 12-16 had to work on land unless gentry or at school, in mining, in metal working
How did JPs fix working hours and duration for apprenticeships in the statute of artificers?
Summer = 5am - 7/8pm, winter - dawn-sunset.
Apprenticeships set at 7yrs compulsary for skilled work
How was the statute of artificers (1563) significant?
- Replaced earlier legislation and lasted throughout tudors
- Placed more importance on JPs
- Enhanced the importance of apprenticeships
- Protected status of skilled craftsmen
- Emphasised need for everyone to have a master
How wasn’t the statute of artificers (1563) significant?
- Still had to deal with poverty and vagrancy - 1572-76 poor laws, poor law of 1598
- Annual assessments of local wages never changes
- Assessed wages for kent and didn’t change once 1563-88
- Assumed that there was work if you wanted it
- Spanish war 1585 disrupted cloth trade
- Poor harvests = mirgration
How did the Act of the Relief of the Poor 1563 move towards provision?
Made payments to poor relief in parish compulsory. Special collectors for alms appointed. Refusal to contribute could lead to imprisonment. Could choose how much to pay
What did the 1572 Poor Law do?
Attitudes began to change but punishments still severe. Hole created through right ear with hot instrument. Now had to be signed by 2JPs if wanted licence.
How did the 1572 Poor Law reflect changing attitudes?
First time it was recognised that there weren’t always jobs available. Encouraged parishes with extra poor relief to build houses for vagrants. Increased expectation of parishes.
How was poverty in the 1570s-1580s and what caused an increased expectation for towns to provide for their poor?
Relative econ stability. Norwich and York - contributed to poor relief set up in 1549 and 1550. Town corporation of York took over running of hospital for poor.
What suggests that measures to deal with poverty effective by the 1590s?
1594-8 Econ crisis. Crop failures = famine in North. Wages fell as prices rose. Staple foods like wheat, barley and oats became unaffordable. Outbreaks of plague. Food riots in 1596 in London, South East and South West
Why did the Privy Council fear rebellion in economic crises?
1549 Rising in Oxfordshire against Lord Lieutenants, rebels planned to attack his house, sieze his weapons and march on London. Only 4 turned up, arrested.
Where did the 1598 act come from?
Private bills rather than one sponsored by the council. Prepared to pass bill due to fears of local unrest. 1597 11 draft bills dealing with poor relief, vagrancy etc