Pre Industrial Britain (pre-1780)

Question 1

What was life like?

Answer 1

1. Class division from feudal system
2. Lived in rural areas- lots of space to participate
3. Limited free time - work dictated by agricultural systems
4. Cruel or violent existence- lower: mob football.
5. Widespread illiteracy - unable to read rules + regulations
6. Communications + transport limited - localised

Question 2

What are the 4 C’s of life in pre-industrial Britain?

Answer 2

Cruel
Clear Class Division
Countryside
Communication

Question 3

What is the feudal system?

Answer 3

The way of structuring society around a relationship derived from the holding of land in exchange for services and labour.

Question 4

What did the more wealthy in society play?

Answer 4

Real tennis.

Question 5

What is popular recreation?

Answer 5

the sports and pastimes of people in pre-industrial Britain.

Question 6

What were lower class activities like?

Answer 6

• aggressive
• male-dominated
• reflected harsh society
• lots of damage to property
• lots of injuries

Question 7

Mob Football
WHO?
WHAT LIKE?
WHEN?
WHERE?
HOW?

Answer 7

• played by lower class (class division)
• localised, limited transport + limited development in communications (no newspaper)
• by lower class in fields with natural resources (pigs bladder)
• Holy days (Shrove Tuesday)
• male-dominated, violent, aggressive, unruly nature (reflect society at time), widespread illiteracy (few rules)

Question 8

Real Tennis
WHO?
WHAT LIKE?
WHEN?
WHERE?
HOW?

Answer 8

• upper class, males (Henry VIII)
• skilful games, difficult technical demands, enable show ‘superiority’ to lower class
• lots of leisure time, purpose-built and expensive buildings with specialist equipment.
• high moral code, mutual respect between players.

Question 9

Foot Athletics
WHO?
WHAT LIKE?
WHEN?
WHERE?
HOW?

Question 10

Define a patron.

Answer 10

Member of the gentry who looked after the lower-class performer, e.g. by arranging competitions for them to participate in, putting up prize money and generally looking after the well-being of the performer.

Question 11

What were the characteristics of festivals?

Answer 11

-Occurred annually
-Rules were simple/ unwritten
-Set in rural location
-Betting occurred
-Events were local

Question 12

Why were popular recreations eventually banned?

Answer 12

-Violent or unruly in nature
-Led to injury/death
-Led to damage to property
-Involved gambling/wagering
-Linked to alcohol consumption/ drunken behaviour

Question 13

Explain two characteristics of pre-industrial football.

Answer 13

Mob football was aggressive and unruly because it was not yet rationalised. It walso used simple, natural equipment found in the rural areas it was played in. For example, they used pigs bladder as the ball because it would’ve been free and accessible at any time. This is because the nature of their work would’ve involved agriculture and livestock.

Question 14

In what way was real tennis different from most other popular recreation activities?