Life in Elizabethan England Flashcards
1
Q
what were attitudes towards education? (4)
A
- no national system of education
- focused on practical skill to help them prepare for their expected roles in life
- barely and children went to school
- all schools had fees as only the rich were seen as needing to attend
2
Q
what percentage of the population could read and write?
A
15-20%
3
Q
what did humanists argue about education in the early 1500s? what did this mean for education?
A
- education was valuable and not just a way to prepare people for later roles
- this meant education opportunities gradually became more available
4
Q
what did Protestants argue about education?
A
- people ought to be able to study scriptures which required people to be able to read
5
Q
what were 4 influences on change in education over queen elizabeth’s reign?
A
- Humanists think education is valuable
- Protestants think people should study scriptures
- growth of printing press meant books cost less
- growth of trade required people to be able to read and do maths
6
Q
what did the growth of the printing press mean?
A
books became cheaper so more people had a chance to read them
7
Q
what did the growth in trade mean for literacy demands?
A
- people needed to be able to read, write and do maths in order to record transactions properly
8
Q
what were the 5 different ways people could study?
A
- Grammar schools
- Petty schools
- Parish schools
- Private tutors
- Universities
9
Q
what were grammar schools like? (3)
A
- for boys 10-14
- fees and also scholarships
- taught Latin, French, Greek, Philosophy, debating and bible as well as reading and writing
- for children of gentry, farmers, merchants and craftsmen
10
Q
what were petty schools like?
A
- up to age 10
- run privately from people’s homes
- attended by children of gentry, merchant, farmer and craftsmen backgrounds
11
Q
what were Universities like?
A
- ages 14+
- Oxford and Cambridge
- geometry, music, medicine, law etc.
- could obtain a doctorate
12
Q
what were private tutors like?
A
- private education of members of the nobility
- finished their education in another noble family’s household
13
Q
what were Parish schools like?
A
- up to age 10
- set up by the Church locally and run by clergy
- basic literacy to children of farmers and craftsmen
14
Q
how did education change from 1558-88?
A
- new grammar schools meant children were educated independently of the church
- scholarships opened more doors for poorer people
- literacy improved as a result of printing press, parish schools and the need to read scriptures
15
Q
what was education like fore girls?
A
- felt that they did not need it
- girls from rich backgrounds may attend Dame schools run in the homes of rich women or had a private tutor
16
Q
sports for the nobility + gender : (5)
A
- hunting- M+F (on horseback or with birds)
- real tennis- M
- bowls- M
- fencing- M
- fishing- M+F
17
Q
sports for the Farmers/ craftsmen/ + other lower classes + gender : (2)
A
- football- M (very violent and people died)
- wrestling- M (often gambling on outcomes)
18
Q
what were the spectator sports in Elizabethan times? (2)
A
- Baiting (animals fight to the death, particularly dog vs bears/bulls and bets on outcome)
- Cock fighting (special arenas, money bet on outcomes)
19
Q
what was literature and theatre like? (4)
A
- lots of new literature written in E’s reign
- Mystery plays replaced with non- religious plays shown in purpose-built theatres
- comedies were popular and people sponsored players
- all social classes attended the theatre so they had to be built to accommodate a growing audience
20
Q
what was music and dancing like? (4)
A
- many played instruments (lute/harpsichords)
- performances were popular and played at public events and at taverns/fairs/churches
- wealthy families employed their own musician
- dancing was popular and brought together men and women but classes did not dance together
21
Q
what types of people were poor? (5)
A
- widows or women abandoned by husband/families
- sick and elderly
- orphaned children
- people on low wages
- Itinerants/ vagrants/ vagabonds
22
Q
what was considered as poverty in Elizabethan England? (4)
A
- spending more than 80% of your income on bread
- being unemployed or ill so you could not provide for anyone
- unable to afford rising costs of food
- needing financial help or charity
23
Q
what percent of poor were under 16?
A
40%
24
Q
who were Itinerants, vagrants and vagabonds and why did they worry authority?
A
they were homeless people who moved from their parishes looking for work. Often involved in crime which worried authority
25
what were reasons for poverty in Elizabethan England? (7)
- population growth
- increasing demand for land
- sheep farming
- enclosure
- economic recessions
- bad harvests
- growth of towns
26
how much did population grow and how did it cause poverty? (3)
- 3 mill in 1551 and 4.2 million in 1601
- increased demand for food and prices went up
- increased labour supply meant wages went down
27
how did growth of towns cause poverty (2)
- upped cost of rent
- food prices rose as food had to be brough in from rural areas
28
how did increasing demand for land cause poverty (2)
- upped rents
- resulted in entry fees which many could not afford
29
how did sheep farming cause poverty (1)
- growth of wool trade meant that many farmers preferred to rear sheep than grow food
30
how did enclosure cause poverty (2)
- land divided into fields for farming and given to farmers who farmed for profit
- denied people use of common land so they couldn't provide for families
31
how did economic recessions (decline) cause poverty? (2)
- caused by trade embargos
- created unemployment and poverty
32
how did bad harvests cause poverty?(3)
- they hit in 1562/65/73/86
- affected subsistence farmers who ate what they grew
- reduced food supply, increasing prices
33
why was there no support for the poor from the monasteries?
because of their dissolution under Henry VIII
34
identify the 2 types of poor and describe each
- deserving poor= old/sick/unable to help themselves
- undeserving poor= could work but chose not to
35
why did attitude towards poor change during Elizabethan times? (4)
- fear that poverty lead to disorder/rebellion
- cost of dealing with the poor
- population changes meant the poor were a visible presence in England
- economic problems like bad harvests and enclosure forced authorities to develop a more conservative attitude to poverty
36
which 2 policies towards poor existed before Elizabethan times and carried on into her reign? what did they mean for the poor?
- poor rate= local tax organised by JPs used to improve lives of the poor who were given money or things to make/sell
- charity= funded by wealthy who gave their name to a foundation
37
what 2 policies towards poor were created in Elizabethan times and were progressive?
- Statue of Artificers, 1563
- Poor relief act 1576
38
what was the statue of Artificers and when was it created? (2)
1563- those refusing to pay poor rates could be imprisoned
- officials who refused to organise poor relief could pay a £20 penalty
39
what was the Poor Relief Act and when was it created? (2)
1576- JPs required to provide the poor with wool and raw materials so they could make and sell things
- poor who refused were sent to a special prison called the House of Correction
40
what is the poor policy created during Elizabethan times that is repressive?
Vagabonds Act, 1572
41
what was the Vagabonds Act and when was it created? (5)
1572- Vagrants were:
- whipped and a hole drilled through each ear as a mark of shame and a warning to others
- imprisoned or arrested again for vagrancy
- given the death penalty for a 3rd offence
-Act introduced a national poor rate to support deserving poor
-JPs keep register of poor and authority tried to find work for the able bodied poor
42
what were the reasons for exploration in the Elizabethan age? (7)
- expanding trade
- adventure
- private investment
- improvements in ship design
- new technology
- development of standardised maps
- triangular trade
43
why was expanding trade a reason for exploration? (3)
- trade was expanding quickly in the new world
- needed new trading opportunities as war with Spain and Netherlands had damaged wool and cloth trades
- vital to find new markets and products to sell
44
why was adventure a reason for exploration? (2)
- young men, such as Francis Drake, wanted to discover and explore
- published accounts of voyages, even if inaccurate, which persuaded others to explore in hope of finding treasure
45
why was new technology a reason for exploration? (1)
- navigation becoming more precise through the development of nautical devices (quadrants/astrolabes) which made journeys safer
46
why was the development of standardised maps a reason for exploration? (1)
- maps such as the Mercator map gave people greater confidence they were going the right way which reduced risk and encouraged further travel
47
why were improvements in ship design a reason for exploration?(2)
- ships had bigger sails so were faster and more manoeuvrable and had good firepower to protect from attackers
- more stable so could take on more supplies
48
why was private investment a reason for exploration? (3)
- private investors (Elizabeth/courtiers) funded the voyages
- risky but enormous rewards
- increased incomes of crown and nobility
49
why was the triangular trade a reason for exploration? (2)
- John Hawkins discovered that goods (iron/guns) could be sold in Africa to buy slaves which could be sold in the New World to buy different goods (spices/pearls/tobacco) that would then be sold in Europe
- many people copied this route
50
what are the dates for Drake's circumnavigation?
Dec 1577- Sept 1580
51
why did Drake circumnavigate the globe (state and explain)? (3)
- attacking Spain (his original intention was this- not to sail around the world)
- revenge (Spanish had attacked his fleet and killed a lot of men)
- profit (much money could be made and E + others were investing in his expedition)
52
what was the significance of Drake's circumnavigation of the globe? (3)
- increased England's reputation
- Declining relations with Spain
- English ships began to trade elsewhere
53
how did Drake's circumnavigation of the globe increase England's reputation?
-increasingly saw navy as best means of defence
- Nova Albion being claimed as English territory
54
which of Drake's ships survived the circumnavigation?
one ship- the Golden Hind
55
how did Drake's circumnavigation of the globe lead to declining relations with Spain? (3)
- England now claimed the right to rule much of North America which brough conflict with the Pope who had awarded North America to Spain
- Spain had established trading posts along the Eastern Pacific coast
- Knighting of Drake on the Golden Hind was an insult to Drake, making war inevitable
56
who organised the expedition to colonise Virginia and when?
Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584-85
57
who was Sir Walter Raleigh? (2)
- noblemen/ courtier/ explorer
- did not lead the colonists but raise funds for project and persuaded people to leave England for settlement in Virginia
58
what grant did Elizabeth give Raleigh in 1584?
a grant to explore and settle lands in North America
59
what was Raleigh's task?
raise money and encourage people to go to Virginia and settle when they did not know much about Virginia
60
why was Virginia colonised? (6)
- trade
- reduce England's dependence on Spain
- welcoming and friendly natives
- possibly profitable
- base to attack Spanish settlements
- if successful, other ventures could be funded
61
why was trade a reason for colonisation in Virginia? (2)
- explorers and colonists could exchange ironware, cloth and knives for animal skins, gold etc. that could be sold at a profit
- also could produce crops that could be brought back to England
62
why was reduced dependence on Spain a reason for colonisation in Virginia?
they wouldn't need goods from Spain if they could produce them in Virginia
63
why were friendly natives a reason for colonisation in Virginia?
2 of them came back and encouraged people to go to Virginia
64
why was possible profit a reason for colonisation in Virginia?
people like nobility and gentry were prepared to invest in the expedition
65
why was having a base to attack Spanish colonies a reason for colonisation in Virginia? (2)
-this could provide loot
- demonstrate to native tribes that English were better rulers than Spain
66
why was successful colony a reason for colonisation in Virginia?
open up the New world to English settlement
67
who went to Virginia and when and where did they go?
107 colonists, consisting of mostly soldiers and sailors set out for Roanoke 1585 led by Richard Grenville
68
what did colonists take to Virginia? (4)
- food and salt for preserving it
- fresh water
- tools and equipment to farm and build
- weapons for protection
69
5 reasons why the Virginia colonisation failed:
- lack of food
- poor leadership
- lack of skills and experience
- native American attack
- war with Spain
70
why did colonists have a lack of food? how did this lead to failure? (2)
- reached Virginia too late to plant crops and one of the ships let in seawater which ruined food
- meant they were unable to provide for themselves so abandoned the colony in 1586
71
why was leadership poor during the colonisation of Virginia and how did this lead to failure? (2)
- Richard Grenville was hot headed and did not get along with the governor of the colony and the second colony leader, John White, abandoned his colony in 1587
- this meant there was little direction or purpose and explains the decision to abandon the colonies
72
why was there lack of skills and experience during the colonisation of Virginia and how did this lead to failure? (2)
- both expeditions lacked the skillsets to succeed so they were essentially doomed from the start
- no one there had a physical capacity for manual work or farming and lack of stone meant they had no protection from attack
73
why was there native American attacks during the colonisation of Virginia and how did this lead to failure? (2)
- in 1586 the native Americans were angered by constant demand for food and the diseases they brought so Chief Wingina led an attack
- this led to a crisis in Roanoke and it could have been the native Americans that wiped out the second colony or could've lead to settlers becoming enslaved
74
how did the war with Spain lead to failure of colonisation in Virginia? (2)
- begun in 1585
- threat of the Armada meant that few ships were available to visit or resupply the colonists meaning they were isolated and vulnerable to attack
75
what is the significance of the attempted colonisation of Virginia?
- served as a template for future settlements
- by the end of 17th century, 13 colonies each with their own government system had been established along the East of the new world
