Literacy Flashcards
What are the 4 demarcations of literacy levels?
Complete illiteracy
Reading but not writing
Reading and writing
Latin
What are the problems with using signatures as a guide to literacy levels?
Cressy argues they show the maximum number able to write, however reading and writing are taught separately - literacy stats only reflect writing
Which area and in what period does Cressy analyse his depositions?
Norwich 1580-1700
What are Cressy’s stats for gentry literacy and labourer literacy?
2% of gentry are illiterate, 85% of labourers are illiterate
How do Spufford’s methods differ to Cressy’s? What do they show?
Uses qualitative information from diaries to asses Cressy’s findings - suggests far higher rate of reading than writing - reading taught before writing - children leave to work age 7 - writing shown to be taught at 8
How does population grow between 1541-1701?
2.77m to 5m
What source does Cressy use to count signatures from? What is the advantage of this?
Legal depositions - more socially inclusive give occupation age and gender
How is the post reformation boom explained in spite of lack of extra money or schools?
Importance of school generations - ie improvements made in 1520 (new schools) are not felt until the 1530s
Give examples of school generation fluctuations…
Downturn of 1540s & 1550s - result of confusion of reformation
Early Elizabethan jump - Edwardian grammar schools
Those in Civil War school generation are heavily hit
What key socioeconomic changes affect literacy rates?
Population growth 2.77m-5m 1541-1701 - creates more competition, literacy a valuable advantage
Urbanisation & industrialisation - reading and writing key for business success - illiteracy can lead to being ripped off
Religion - Protestant emphasis on the written word - King James Bible - literacy a sign of gods elect
Who argues for the importance of memory to customary law?
Andy Wood
Who argues for communal oral culture? And the ‘orality of print culture’ eg town criers
Adam Fox, Reay
Compare male and female illiteracy
1642-45 - male: 70%, female: 90%
1714 - male: 55%, female: 75%
Compare the rural urban literacy rates of 1690
52% v 75%
Compare the rates of those unable to sign protestation oath, when was this?
1642, London 28%, Cornwall 72%
