Society in Elizabethan England

Question 1

What was the population of England by the end of Elizabeth’s reign and what was the population of London and other somewhat large cities?

Answer 1

England had a population of around 4 million whilst London had a population of 150,000. London was the only large city, most still lived in the countryside, though Norwich and Bristol had populations of 5000

Question 2

What did a 1572 poor relief act establish?

Answer 2

The principle that local ratepayers should pay a rate to relieve their own poor

Question 3

What did the Poor Law Act of 1576 establish?

Answer 3

It attempted to create a national system of poor relief to be financed and administrated locally - towns had to make provisions for the employment of the deserving poor

Question 4

What did the Poor Law Act of 1601 establish?

Answer 4

It designated the parish as the institution required to raise rates for and administer poor relief, each parish had an overseer of the poor for this.

Question 5

What 3 issues faced England in the mid 1590s to do with social discontent?

Answer 5

Severe harvest failure, rising prices and outbreaks of plague

Question 6

What was the Oxfordshire rising of 1596?

Answer 6

It was a desperate attempt by a small group to march on London due to their experiences of poverty