Life in Elizabethan times Flashcards
What is a Golden Age?
A time of great achievement. New ideas, a time of peace, plenty of money, developments in medicine, art and science
Why did the Gentry grow?
- Tudor suspicion of ‘old nobility’: saw as a threat + excluded from government and not granted new titles
- dissolution of English monasteries = more land to buy
- increasing wealth = growth of trade, exploration and population
- rising prices helped them to keep their money
What prospered during the Golden Age?
- art
- architecture
- science
- exploration
- fashion
- literature
- theatre
What was the importance of fashion?
Used as a status symbol
What was the Statue of Apparels and when was it passed?
Strictly controlled the clothes that people were allowed to wear depending on their social rank, passed in 1574
What were the internal designs of architecture that developed during Elizabeth’s reign?
- extensive use of glass made rooms light
- bedrooms upstairs - never been done before
- long galleries } entertainment + display art
Name some of the architects of the era
Robert Smythson and Bess of Hardwick
What did the architects build?
Both: Hardwick Hall
Robert only: Longleat house
What was the result of the printing press?
Ideas spread quickly
What was the most popular book of all time?
Book of Matryrs, John Foxe
What ideas did the most popular book in Britain promote?
- cemented Mary’s rep as Bloody Mary
- Foxe was a protestant
- reflected well on Liz } maintained public opinion and image of her
What was the cult of Gloriana?
Visual and literary propoganda around Elizabeth
How did the cult of Gloriana begin?
Poet Edmund Spenser wrote a poem abt her called The Faerie Queen. Gloriana, the mc, symbolised power and glory
How did portraits play into the cult of Gloriana?
A carefully manufactured image was promoted
What did portraits contain that helped her boost her image?
Allegorical symbolism, eg: Pearls, representing her virginity
What were the 5 popular portraits?
- Sieve
- Armada
- Rainbow
- Phoenix
- Pelican
How did portraits help strengthen her rule?
- courtiers sent painters to paint her to impress her - could be kept competitive and controllable
- General public’s reaction could be unanimous - feeds into cult of personality
What did the law for all actors to be licensed cause to happen?
Actors organised themselves and London’s first theatre: The theatre, opened
Why were the government initially suspicious of actors?
Could spread ideas against Elizabeth there
Why did the government not completely ban theatres?
They didn’t want public outrage as many labourers went there, tickets as cheap as 1 penny
How did government perception about the theatre change?
They realised they could use it for propoganda
How did the government use theatre as propoganda?
- plays contained subtle political messages such as Richard III, which portrayed the Tudors, and by extension the Queen in a good light
- Play content policed
Who was a popular playwright that rose to popularity at this time?
William Shakespeare
Did Elizabeth visit the theatre?
Didn’t go to the theatre, but invited companies home to perform
What were the causes of poverty?
- increasing population, but not jobs or food
- rising prices; value of coinage reduced
- foreign wars caused taxes to increase
- also impacted trade - no income trade due to wars
- period saw many bad harvests and many turned to sheep farming - not enough food
- closure of monasteries = no more charity
What were the local measures introduced to combat poverty in Norfolk?
- almhouses established to house the poor
- work provided for the poor
What were the local measures introduced to combat poverty in London?
- St Bartholemew’s hospital for sick established
- St Thomas established for the elderly
- Christ’s Hospital for the orphans
- Bethlehem’s for the insane
What did the Elizabethan government do to aid poverty?
- Carried out full recoinage
- established fixed rates for fixed workers
- enforced Acts protecting rural jobs
What was the Poor Law?
- Everyone had to pay towards setting up workhouses and payment relief for the ‘deserving poor’
- Parish had to appoint 4 ‘Overseers of Poor’ who would ensure orphans had apprenticeships and that almhouses were running smoothly
What impact did Thomas Harman’s book of beggars have on the public perception of them?
Exposed beggars and their scams, public displeased
Name an example of a scam seen in Thomas Harmans Book of Beggars
‘anglers’ would steal clothes off washing lines @ night
What punishment did beggars get?
Imprisoned, sent to the ‘House of Corrections’, sent to work at the galley warships
Why did English exploration increase?
- Spanish colonies didn’t want to trade with them - need new ways of getting goods
- improved technology, eg: astrolabe could plot ship’s positiion accurately, compass developed
Why was there a rise in privateers?
Catholic Spain didn’t allow English to trade without licences, which they didn’t want to give, so English robbed their ships + split the profit with Liz
What is signficant about Francis Drake?
Circumnavigated the world in 1577
What is significant about Walter Raleigh?
Played a key role in New World exploration and colonising North America
What were the short term consequences of English exploration?
- increased hostility between Spain and England
- Brought great wealth
- improved Liz public image
What were the long term consequences of English exploration?
- Britain became rich over time
- political: establishment of colonies
- military: developed a powerful navy
