Pre-industrial Britain (pre 1780)

Question 1

What was life like in pre-industrial Britain?

Answer 1

• communications & transport were limited
• widespread illiteracy
• social class divisions
• limited free time as work was based on the land
• rural living/countryside

Question 2

Explain ‘limited communications & transport’

Answer 2

• villages were very individual/connected within themselves

Question 3

Explain ‘widespread illiteracy’

Answer 3

• lower classes were uneducated, with limited ability to read and write

Question 4

Explain ‘social class divide’

Answer 4

• lower class = cruel & violent lives
• higher class = comfort & luxurious lives

feudal system

Question 5

what is the feudal system?

Answer 5

= a way of structuring society around a relationship derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour

Question 6

Explain ‘limited free time as work was based on the land’

Answer 6

• life was dictated by agricultural calander/season
• lower classes worked long hours (only had holidays off)

Question 7

Characteristics of popular recreation

Answer 7

• occasional
• local & specific to communities
• natural resources used
• basic rules
• rules specific to communities
• aggressive & male dominated
• wagers were placed by higher classes
• lower class activities were ‘functional’/linked to their work

Question 8

explain ‘occasional’ characteristics

Answer 8

• lower class worked long hours, so could only participate on breaks in agricultural calender

Question 9

explain ‘local & specific to communities’ characteristics

Answer 9

• limited transport and rural living

Question 10

explain ‘natural resources’ characteristics

Answer 10

• lower class used their working fields

Question 11

explain ‘rule’ characteristics

Answer 11

• rules were basic because of low literacy rate
• rules were specific to communities, becasue of the limited transport/communications

Question 12

explain ‘aggressive & male dominated’ characteristics

Answer 12

• reflected the harsh society

Question 13

explain ‘wagers’ characteristics

Answer 13

• wagers were placed by higher classes

Question 14

explain ‘functional/linked to work’ characteristics

Answer 14

• lower class workers used this for fitness to help working

Question 15

What are the two sporting examples in pre-1780

Answer 15

• Mob football
• Real tennis

Question 16

What is mob football?

Answer 16

= an UNRULY from of football played by lower classes

Question 17

who played mob football

Answer 17

the lower class

Question 18

What are some features of mob football?

Answer 18

• locallised activity
• rural in nature (lower class live rurally)
• played with what was availible (lower class in their fields)
• played on holidays (long working hours)
• male dominated
• highly violent
• few/no rules or regulations due to low literacy rate

Question 19

Why was mob football banned?

Answer 19

• violent & unruly
• injury, and death
• damage of property
• gambling/wagering from the rich
• excessive alcohol consumption/ drunken behaviour

Question 20

What is real tennis

Answer 20

= upper-class activity of the time, with STRICT RULES and MORAL CODE

Question 21

what was another name for real tennis

Answer 21

‘royal tennis’
‘the sport of Kings’

Question 22

who played real tennis

Answer 22

The upper class
- Henry VIII, had a real tennis court in Hampton court

Question 23

What are some features of real tennis?

Answer 23

• exclusive/courtly/royal in nature
• complex rules
• high moral code, meant violence
• cordial manner, and opponents respected eachother
• regularly played (higher class had lots of leisure time)
• purpose-built facilities
• expensive/specialist equipment
• upper class had ability to travel
• skillfull and diffiducult game (upper class showed supiroirty to lower class)

Question 24

why were rules complex in real tennis

Answer 24

• they had better education
• complex rules are written down, so they can be understood and applied