Pre-industrial Britain Flashcards
What was the two classes at the time?
Upper and lower class
What were the 4 C’s of Pre-Industrial Britain?
Cruel, clear class division, countryside and communications
What was life like for the lower class in Pre-Industrial Britain?
- Widespread illiteracy, lower class were uneducated with little ability to read or write.
- Most people lived in the countryside / rural areas.
- Class division clearly existed based on the feudal system.
- Communications and transport was limited.
- There was limited free time as work was based on land and their free time was dedicated to agricultural seasons.
- Working conditions were very harsh.
- Living conditions were very poor and dirty.
- Lots of agriculture (farming)
Define the Feudal System?
It was a way of structuring society around a relationship derived from the holding of land in exchange for service of labour.
Define Popular Recreations?
The sport and pastimes of people in Pre-Industrial Britain.
How often did people do popular recreations?
Long hours of work for the lower class meant popular recreation activities were occasional and therefore restricted to annual events when the agricultural calendar allowed their participation (e.g festivals or holy days like Shrove Tuesday).
What were activities like in Pre-Industrial Britain?
- Activities were aggressive
- Male dominated
- Reflected a harsh society
- Lots of injuries
- Lots of Damage to Property
Name socio-cultural factors in pre-industrial Britain?
- Limited transport/communications
- Illiteracy/uneducated
- Harsh society
- Seasonal time/long working hours
- Pre industrial/ pre urban revolutions
- Two tier society/feudal system
Name popular recreational characteristics that reflected socio cultural factors?
- Sport was localised
- Limited organisation/simple rules/uncodified
- Sports were violent/highly aggressive
- Occasional/part of a festival occasion
- Rural/natural/simple
- Gentry/upper class activities were clearly separated from lower class/peasant activities.
Define Mob Football?
Mob football is an example of an activity played in pre industrial Britain which very much reflected the characteristics of popular recreations and socio-cultural factors evident at the time.
Who was mob football played by?
Lower class in society, reflecting the clear division of society into two tiers.
Where was mob football played?
It was localised form of activity, due to limited transport being available as well as very little development in the way of communications such as newspapers.
How was mob football played?
It was played by the lower class in the fields using natural resources available to them (e.g pigs bladders instead of leather footballs).
When was mob football played?
Long working hours meant that the lower class only played mob football occasionally, e.g. holy days (shrove Tuesday).
What was mob football like?
It was male dominated and very violent and often unruly in nature, which reflected conditions in society. Illiteracy was widespread in the lower class so there was very little in the way of rules and regulations.
Name ways in which the game of Haxey Hood reflects the characteristics of pre industrial Britain?
- Male dominated/played by younger men
- Annual/occasional/irregular
- Localised/played in villages/rural location
- Violent
- Large numbers took part/few rules
Define Real Tennis?
Real tennis also called ‘Royal Tennis’ or ‘The Sport of Kings’ was another activity played in pre-industrial Britain, but it did not reflect the typical popular recreations characteristics of many activities of the time.
Who played real tennis?
It was an exclusive activity, played by the upper class males of society. Henry VIII had a real tennis court at Hampton court.
How was real tennis played?
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.
When was real tennis played?
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.
Where was real tennis played?
The upper class had the ability to travel to play real tennis so it was non-local in nature.
What was real tennis like?
It was a skilful game with difficult technical demands, which enabled the upper class to show their ‘Superiority over the lower class’.
Define Athletics (foot racing)?
Athletics in Pre-industrial Britain took the form of an activity known as FOOT RACING. It was a form of competitive running/walking in the 17/18 century involving feats of endurance.
Who took part in Athletics (foot racing)?
Footmen (i.e hired servants) competed as messengers for the upper class for their speed of movement across open land.
