Society in the Age of Exploration 1558-1588

Question 1

What did Humanists argue about education?

Answer 1

That it was valuable in itself and was not merely a way of preparing people for their role in adult life.

Question 2

What was the impact of Protestantism on education?

Answer 2

They wanted people to be able to read the Bible, so they needed people to be literate

Question 3

What impact did trade have on literacy?

Answer 3

Increased trade meant more people needed to be able to read, write and understand mathematics in order to keep records of trades effectively.

Question 4

What sorts of leisure activities might the wealthy take part in?

Answer 4

Hunting, fishing, real tennis, bowls, fencing

Question 5

What sorts of leisure activities might the working classes take part in?

Answer 5

Football, wrestling

Question 6

What types of spectator sport were popular in Elizabethan England?

Answer 6

Bear baiting, cock-fighting

Question 7

When was the Red Lion theatre built?

Answer 7

1567

Question 8

When were the Queen’s Men (Elizabeth’s theatre company) established?

Answer 8

1583

Question 9

Why did poverty increase in Elizabethan England? (7 reasons)

Answer 9

1) Population growth
2) Increasing demand for land
3) Sheep farming
4) Enclosure
5) Economic recession
6) Bad harvests
7) Growth of towns

Question 10

How much did population grow in Elizabeth’s reign, and how did it lead to poverty?

Answer 10

From 3 million in 1551 to 4.2 million by 1601. Increased demand for food, while also increasing competition for jobs & land.

Question 11

How did sheep farming lead to poverty?

Answer 11

Increase in wool trade led to more farmers rearing sheep, rather than growing food. This led to food shortages and also led to enclosure.

Question 12

How did enclosure lead to poverty?

Answer 12

Common land was divided up so farmers could rear sheep. This led to a lack of common land being available for people to grow their own food on.

Question 13

When were harvests particularly bad in Elizabethan England?

Answer 13

1562, 1565, 1573 and 1586

Question 14

What were the two types of poor in Elizabethan England?

Answer 14

Able bodied poor and impotent poor.

Question 15

How did attitudes towards the poor change over the course of Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 15

• People feared that poverty would lead to rebellion
• Increased poverty made it a more visible issue
• Changing circumstances forced the authorities to develop a more constructive attitude to poverty

Question 16

What were the policies toward the poor in Elizabethan England?

Answer 16

The poor rate, charity, the Statute of Artificers, the Poor Relief Act, the Vagabonds Act

Question 17

When was the Statute of Artificers passed?

Answer 17

1563

Question 18

When was the Poor Relief Act passed?

Answer 18

1576

Question 19

When was the Vagabonds Act passed?

Answer 19

1572

Question 20

What was the Poor Rate?

Answer 20

A local tax organised by Justices of the Peace, with proceeds spent on improving the lives of the poor.

Question 21

What was the Statute of Artificers?

Answer 21

Those refusing to pay the poor rate could be put in prison. Officials who did not organise poor relief were fined.

Question 22

What was the Poor Relief Act?

Answer 22

JPs required to provide the poor with wool and raw materials, to enable them to sell things. Poor who refused to do so sent to house of correction.

Question 23

What was the Vagabonds Act?

Answer 23

Vagrants would be whipped and have a hole drilled through their ear to warn others of their vagrancy. If they were arrested again for vagrancy they were sent to prison. They would receive the death penalty for the third offence. Also introduced a national poor rate to provide support for the impotent poor.

Question 24

Why did exploration increase in Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 24

Development of better maps, improvements in ship design, private investment, increasing trade, thirst for adventure, development of the triangular trade

Question 25

When did Mercator produce his map of the world?

Answer 25

1569

Question 26

When did Drake circumnavigate the globe?

Answer 26

1577-1580

Question 27

What was the significance of Drake’s circumnavigation?

Answer 27

1) England’s reputation as a seafaring power increased,
2) England increasingly saw the navy as the best means of defence
3) Declining relations with Spain
4) English ships began to trade elsewhere
5) Encouraged further trade and exploration
6) Established colonies in New England

Question 28

When was Drake knighted?

Answer 28

1580

Question 29

When did Thomas Harriott develop a simple way of calculating the direction of a ship?

Answer 29

1584

Question 30

When was the first colony established in Virginia?

Answer 30

1585

Question 31

When did the surviving colonists from the first Virginia mission return home?

Answer 31

1586

Question 32

When was the colony established at Roanoke?

Answer 32

1587

Question 33

Who organised the Virginia mission?

Answer 33

Walter Raleigh

Question 34

Why did Raleigh attempt to colonise Virginia?

Answer 34

1) Trade opportunities
2) Less dependent on European powers (eg Spain) for imports
3) It was believed that the natives would be welcoming and friendly
4) Provide a base to attack Spanish settlements
5) Investors believed the trip would be profitable
6) A successful colony would make it easier to fund other ventures

Question 35

Why did the first colonisation of Virginia fail?

Answer 35

1) Lack of food: the colonists left too late to plant crops & The Tiger was damaged
2) Poor leadership
3) Lack of skills and experience
4) Native American attack
5) The war with Spain: meant there were few resources and ships available to support the colonists.