Pre Industrial Britain

Question 1

What was life like in pre-industrial Britain?

Answer 1

• class division (upper and lower class)
• people lived in rural areas
• limited free time, dictated by the agricultural seasons
• cruel and violent conditions were the norm for lower class. Higher class was luxury and comfort.
• wide spread illiteracy
• communications and transport was limited

Question 2

What is the feudal system?

Answer 2

Feudal system: broadly defined, It was a way of structuring society around a relationship derived from the holding of land in exchange for service of labour.

Question 3

What are Popular recreations?

Answer 3

The sport and pastimes of people in pre-industrial Britain

Question 4

What were activities like in pre-industrial Britain?

Answer 4

• Lots of injuries
• Damage to property
• Reflected a harsh society
• Male dominated
• Activities were aggressive

Question 5

How did limited transport affect recreation sport in pre-industrial Britain?

Answer 5

Limited transport meant that you wouldn’t be able to travel far to play sports. This means that sport was localised and everything was played in the local area.

Question 6

How did illiteracy affect recreational sports in pre-industrial Britain?

Answer 6

illiteracy and being uneducated meant that sport had to be simple for those of the lower class. This is because it would make it easier to play for them. Sport was usually simple and had little to no rules making it easy to play.

Question 7

How did living in a harsh society affect the way that people played recreational sports?

Answer 7

Pre-industrial Britain is very harsh and cruel. This meant that when playing sport the players would let out stress and anger and this usually would come out through aggression. As well as this they worked unreasonably long hours, adding to the stress and anger.

Question 8

How did work affect recreational sport in pre-industrial Britain?

Answer 8

Work before industrialisation was usually agriculture this meant that work was long and tiring as well as this they had little free time as work depended on the agricultural seasons. This meant that sport would have been limited and only occasionally played.

Question 9

What was the difference between sports in the lower and upper class?

Answer 9

Lower class had a high rate of illiteracy meaning games had to be simple and have little to no rules. Where as upper class had a better education so games could be more complex and have more rules.

Question 10

What are the 4 C’s

Answer 10

• Cruel
• Clear class division
• Countryside
• Communications

Question 11

When where recreational sports normally played?

Answer 11

They where normally played on holy days as this was some of the only time workers got a break and time off work. Holy days where days like Christmas

Question 12

Who played mob football?

Answer 12

Mob football was played by the lower class, reflecting the class division

Question 13

Where was mob football played?

Answer 13

It was localised due to limited transport being available as well as little development in communications.

Question 14

Where was mob football played?

Answer 14

It was played in the fields using natural resources available to them (e.g pigs bladders instead of leather footballs)

Question 15

When was mob football played?

Answer 15

Mob football was only played occasionally for example on holy days. This is as a result of working hours being long.

Question 16

What was mob football like?

Answer 16

It was dominated and very violent and often unruly in nature, reflecting the harsh condition of society. Illiteracy was widespread in the lower class so there was very little rules and regulations.

Question 17

What is Real Tennis?

Answer 17

Activity played by the upper class during pre-industrial Britain. It was structured and had strict regulations unlike that of the activities played by the lower class.

Question 18

Who played Real Tennis?

Answer 18

It was an exclusive activity, played by the upper class males of society. Henry VIIIvhad a real tennis court at Hampton Court.

Question 19

How was Real Tennis played?

Answer 19

It was played to a high moral code so it lacked violence and was instead played in a civilised manner, with opponents mutually respectful of one another.

Question 20

When was Real tennis played?

Answer 20

With plenty of leisure time the upper class were able to play real tennis on a regular basis in expensive, purpose built facilities using expensive specialist equipment.

Question 21

Where was Real Tennis played?

Answer 21

The upper class had the ability to travel to play real tennis so it was non-local in nature.

Question 22

What was real tennis like?

Answer 22

It was a skilful game with difficult technical demands, which enabled the upper class to show their ‘Superiority over the lower class’

Question 23

What was athletics like in pre industrial Britain?

Answer 23

Athletics in pre industrial Britain took the form of an activity known as foot racing

Question 24

Who took part in athletics?

Answer 24

Footmen (i.e hired servants) competed as messengers for the upper class for their speed of movement across open land.

Question 25

What was athletics like?

Answer 25

A form of competitive running/walking in the 17th century involving feets of insurance.