Reasons For Poverty In Elizabethan England Flashcards
4 Main Causes of Poverty in Elizabethan England
Population Growth
Rising prices
Changes in farming (Sheep Farming)
Enclosure (farming)
Why did Population Growth Cause poverty to increase?
During the reign of Elizabeth I, England’s population grew by 35%. Many of these people moved to urban areas such as London. However these people in Urban areas did not grow food however they still needed food. Because there were more people to feed the price of food rose.
Why did Rising prices cause poverty to increase?
Prices of food rose even further when harvests were bad and demand increased for food such as bread. Poverty also increased because wages did not rise as fast as prices. With more people wanting to work labour was cheaper. Many employers cut wages to keep costs down.
Why did Sheep farming become popular during Elizabeth’s reign?
English wool and woollen cloth accounted for 81.6% of England’s exports during Elizabeth’s reign. The price of wool increased as demand for woollen cloth grew. This meant that farming sheep became very profitable and more landowners turned to it as a way to make money.
Why did Sheep farming cause poverty to increase?
- Sheep farming took land that had once been used for growing crops, or as common land
- Farming sheep did not require as much labour as growing crops, so rural unemployment rose
- feeding sheep over winter meant that some crops were grown only for animals to eat. This angered many when large numbers of people were going hungry while sheep were being fed.
What was enclosure?
Replacing large, open fields that were farmed by villagers with individual fields belonging to one person.
Why did Enclosure (change in the countryside) cause poverty to increase?
Led to small farms being merged and tenant farmers evicted
Resulted in unemployment as more efficient techniques for growing crops led to fewer labourers being needed,
Common land was being enclosed which was vital for subsistence farmers
Rural depopulation increased
What was rural depopulation?
When the population of the countryside falls as people move away in search of a better life.
Who were the Urban poor?
Many people left their home villages to look for work in towns and cities. City life could be hard, (especially during an economic recession) resulting in many people who had left their villages becoming beggars or turning to a life of crime.
What was an economic recession?
When a fall in demand leads to falling prices and businesses losing money. This can lead
to businesses failing and unemployment going up.
What was an example of an Economic recession during Elizabeth’s reign?
When poor relations between England and Spain led to trade embargos with the Netherlands.
What were Vagabonds (or vagrants)?
Vagabonds were homeless people without jobs, who roamed the countryside begging for money, perhaps stealing or committing other crimes in order to survive.
Who were the Impotent poor?
The deserving poor who were unable to work because of age, illness of disability.
Who were the Able-bodied (or idle) poor?
Those who where fit to work but did not.
Why was the problem of the able bodied poor so noticeable?
• the poor and unemployed were very visible in towns as there were so many of them
• many people who lost their livelihoods in rural areas came to towns in search of work.
