Poverty Flashcards
Impotent poor
Those who were incapable to work due to health or age.
Recognised they needed poor relief
Able-bodied poor
Those who were capable of work but were either unable to or unwilling to find employment.
Idle poor
Able bodied people who chose not to work.
Vagabonds and Vagrants
A homeless and unemployed person who travelled to find work
Alms houses
Provided food, clothing and shelter for the impotent poor
Houses of correction
Places where the idle poor were imprisoned for petty crime
Used hard labour as punishment
Dummerer
Vagrant who pretended to be dumb to get charity from passers by
Ruffler
Former soldiers who robbed, used threats or begged to get charity
Counterfeit crank
Pretended to suffer from epilepsy by sucking on soap
Doxy
Had a bag that was disguised for knitting, would pick up stuff worth money
Abraham man
Pretended to be mad hoping people would pity them
Clapper dungeon
Put arsenic on skin to make it bleed
Hooker/ angler
During the day knocks on houses seeking charity
Attempts to find valuables whilst doing this
Returns at night to reach through windows using hook to steal them.
Statute of Artificers
1563
Compulsory for boys to serve a 7 year apprenticeship on a craft to create more employment
Maximum wage limit set
Impact of statute of artificers
Tied men down to one area, giving them less job options
Vagabonds Act
1572
Severe penalties used on vagrants: whipping, hot iron on the ear death penalty for 3rd offence
JPs to keep a register of the poor with help from overseers
Local people pay a poor rate for impotent poor
Impact of Vagabonds Act
Able-bodied poor suffered harsh punishments and humiliation
Act didn’t address the cause of poverty - didn’t help
The government did however recognise some people needed support
First Act for the Relief of the Poor
1576
JPs built 2 houses of correction per county
Materials were kept in every town to provide work for those who couldn’t find a job
Those who refused to work sent to correction houses
Impact of the first poor relief act
Provided a bit of work for able bodied vagrants
Punished vagrants further
Did nothing to remove the causes of poverty
Second Act for the relief of the poor
1598
4 Overseers per parish to collect and supervise administration of poor relief
Work to be found for able bodied men and women
Poor children to learn a craft ir trade
Poor rate introduced that was compulsory for all civilians
Impact of 2nd poor relief act
Attempted to provide jobs
Did help some people in need of support
Remained until 1834
Act for the Punishment of Rogues
1598
JPs established houses of Correction for rogues and vagabonds
Begging was strictly forbidden
If you were found begging you were whipped and taken to house of correction/ place of birth
Impact of Act of the Punishment for rogues
Helped to contain vagrants turning to crime
Reduced risk of social unrest
Increases poor treatment of those in poverty
Final act for the relief of the poor
1601
1598 Poor law made permanent
Became known as the Elizabethan Poor Law
