Pre-Industrial (Stage 1)

Question 1

What was society like pre-1780s?

Answer 1

• Feudal system

Question 2

What is meant be a feudal system?

Answer 2

• Two-tier class system
• Upper class
• Working class

Question 3

What is meant by the term popular recreation?

Answer 3

Refers to sport and pastimes played by the working classes prior to the industrial revolution e.g. mob football

Question 4

What are the characteristics of mob football? (9 points)

Answer 4

1 - Violent 
2 - Few,simple rules 
3 - No fixed times or space
4 - Predominantly male
5 - No separate games or rules for women 
6 - Strength rather than skill
7 - Unruly and disorganised
8 - Annual and traditional
9 - Rural

Question 5

How does the characteristics of society reflect the characteristics of mob football?

Answer 5

Limited tranport/communications - local, sport restricted to the areas that people lived

Illiteracy was common/no NGBs for lower class sport - simple, locally set rules and limited organisation

Cruel/violent - violent and aggressive, male dominated, wagering

Very long working hours meant little free time/work linked to seasons - occasional, played on festival and holy days/annually

Majority of population lived in small villages in the countryside - rural, played in the countryside using natural resources
Two-tier/feudal system - clear division between classes, only lower classes played mob games

Question 6

Why did the upper classes disapprove of mob games? (4 points)

Answer 6

1 - Violent/unruly
2 - Led to injury/death
3 - Involved drunken behaviour and gambling
4 - Led to property damage

Question 7

What is meant by the term rational recreation?

Answer 7

Sport amongst the upper classes e.g. real tennis

Question 8

How did the society’s characteristics reflect the characteristics of real tennis?

Answer 8

Ability to travel/access to transport - Non-local

Educate and highly literate - complex rules, written down to be understood and applied (codified rules)

Civilised and respectful society - played to a high moral code with mutual respect between opponents

Plently of leisure time - regular, played often which allowed skill and technique to be developed to a high level

Rich society - played in purpose built facilities with specialist equipment

Two-tier system/feudal system - exclusive and courtly, played by the royals and upper class males. A skillful game with technical demands, gave the upper classes a chance to show their ‘superiority’ over the lower classes