Society under Elizabeth

Question 1

When was the Statute of Artificers and what did it seek to achieve?

Answer 1

• 1563
• sought to fix prices, impose minimum wages and restrict workers’ freedom of movement
• caused by short term labour shortages due to mortality from disease, inflation and poverty
• local magistrates responsible for regulating wages in agriculture
• sought to make agriculture a trade and national priority of employment
• however, government lacked powers of enforcement and it was difficult for JPs to manage wage rates

Question 2

Why was growing poverty a problem under Elizabeth?

Answer 2

• there were bad harvests, high mortality and high taxation when Elizabeth came to the throne
• cut in real wages led to fears for social instability
• problems of poverty and vagabondage were widespread
• wages were constantly falling behind rises in prices
• Cecil was concerned that the large number of homeless/unemployed could present a threat to law + order

Question 3

What acts were passed to help the deserving poor?

Answer 3

• 1576 Poor Law Act: towns required to make provision for the employment of the deserving poor
• 1601 Poor Law Act: each parish to appoint an overseer of the poor to ensure efficient collection of poor rates

Question 4

What acts were passed to suppress the undeserving poor?

Answer 4

• 1547: extremely repressive act against vagrancy (quickly repealed but notion remained that the undeserving poor should be whipped)
• 1572: act added branding to the punishments available to the authorities
• 1597: during panic, act passed saying that first time offenders should be whipped then sent back to their parish of birth

Question 5

How did Elizabeth attempt to stabilise the currency?

Answer 5

• scheme announced for withdrawal of debased coins and their replacement with soundly minted coins
• some suffered still but put an end to debasement for the rest of the century
• prices continued to rise but the government could no longer