Pre-industrial Britain Flashcards
Patron
Member of the gentry (upper class) who looked after the lower class performer. Eg. Arranging competitions for them with prize money and looking after their welfare
What was life like?
Transport limited, wide spread illiteracy, violent, limited free time, lived in rural areas, feudal system (clear class division)
The 4 C’s?
Cruel
Clear class division
Countryside
Communications
Feudal system
Broadly defined, it was a way of structuring society around a relationship deprived from the holding of land in exchange for labour
Popular recreations
The sport and pastimes of people in pre industrial Britain
What was life like?
- communications and transport limited
- wide spread illiteracy among lower class
- people lived in the countryside/rural areas
What were activities like?
- aggressive
- male dominated
- reflected a harsh society
- damage to property and injuries
Mob football characteristics
- played by lower class
- Reflected characteristics of popular recreations and socio-cultural factors evident at the time
- localised activity
- played by the lower class in fields using natural resources (pig bladders)
- unruly in nature and very violent
Royal tennis characteristics
- played by upper class
- played to a high moral code
- played on a regular basis and upper class able to travel
- expensive to play
- skilful game, enabled upper class to show their superiority over the lower class
Athletics characteristics
- known as ‘foot racing’
- footmen competed as messengers for upper class
- ‘challenge rules’ were added. Foot racers competed against each other, wagering on how many miles they could cover in a time period.
- success meant increased social status for the gentleman
Holy days
Events were planned around the agricultural calendar. Sport was occasional due to the calendar but the few days it was played were called ‘holy days’.
Popular recreational activities were banned because……
- unruly in nature
- drunken behaviour
- damaged property
- gambling
- injury or death
