Pre Industrial Flashcards
What was life like in pre-industrial Britain?
Transport + communications limited
Rural living
Illiteracy
Cruel + violent
Class divisions
Limited free time - working
What is popular recreation?
the sport and past times of people in pre-industrial Britain
Why was sport localised?
lack of transport
therefore local + specific to each community and area they live in
Why was sport simple/basic?
literacy very low
therefore any rules basic + applied to local community
Why was sport cruel / violent / male dominated?
lack of codification
reflecting cruel + harsh society
e.g. damage to property + injuries
Why was sport occasional/annual events?
celebration of harvest / end of work
work = long hours
breaks in work is when events took place
How did a two tier society / feudal system effect sport?
divide in classes playing different sports
Why was sport natural / rural?
used natural resources
e.g. open land for mob games
What sports were played by the upper class?
royal / real tennis
fox hunting
shooting
cricket
hawking
What sports were played by the lower class?
mob football
bare-knuckle boxing
cock fighting
dog fighting
bear-baiting
foot racing
Why did the upper class play these sports?
had more time - weren’t working on land (owned it)
had more money to spend
didn’t want to associate with lower class
more literate (could write rules)
could travel
Why did the lower class play these sports?
violence apart of their norm
less to lose
little playing space for working class
CASE STUDY: Mob Football
large numbers
national holidays
rural landscape between villages
lack of rules meant players could do whatever they wanted - violent
bring ball back to their village (e.g. pub)
alcohol + gambling
when law + order introduced, was banned
CASE STUDY: Real Tennis
Upper class - money for equipment + court
skills, tactics, techniques - time for practice / played regularly
highly literate + sophisticated = shared + followed rules
spectators in galleries
played in public facilities owned by aristocracy - e.g. Hampton Court
Athletics / pedestrianism
Competitive walking
- often professional
- funded by wagering
(pedestrian = lower class / sponsor or patron = upper class)
public paid to watch people walk
success meant increased social status for gentlemen
