Sport and Society: Pre-Industrial Britain

Question 1

What are the 4 C’s?

Answer 1

. Cruel
. Clear class division
. Countryside
. Communications

Question 2

What was the class’ like?

Answer 2

There was a clear division between the upper and lower class

Question 3

Where did most people live?

Answer 3

People lived in the countryside or rural areas

Question 4

What was peoples time management like?

Answer 4

They had limited free time as the work was based on land (farmers). They were dictated by the agricultural seasons

Question 5

How did the upper class live?

Answer 5

They lived in comfort and luxury

Question 6

How did the lower class live?

Answer 6

They dealt cruelty and violent experiences. This was the norm for them

Question 7

What was the illiterate rate like?

Answer 7

It was wide spread illiteracy meaning lower classes were uneducated with little ability to read or write

Question 8

What was the communication and transport like?

Answer 8

It was very limited

Question 9

What is popular recreation?

Answer 9

The sport and pastimes of people in pre-industrial Britain

Question 10

What is the feudal system?

Answer 10

A way of structuring society around a relationship derived from the holding of land in exchange for service of labour

Question 11

How did long hours of work affect the lower class in popular recreation?

Answer 11

The popular recreation activities were occasional so either on festivals or holy days (Christmas)

Question 12

How did limited transport affect popular recreation activities?

Answer 12

The activities were local and specific to each community

Question 13

How did the literacy rate affect popular recreation activities?

Answer 13

Because it was a low rate the rules were basic and applied to a particular community

Question 14

What were the activities like?

Answer 14

. Male dominated
. Reflected a harsh society
. Activities were aggressive
. Lots of injuries
. Lots of damage to property

Question 15

What is mob football?

Answer 15

An activity played in pre-industrial Britain which very much reflected the characteristics of popular recreations and socio-cultural factors evident at the time

Question 16

Who was mob football played by?

Answer 16

They were played by the lower class reflecting the clear division of society into two tiers

Question 17

Where was mob football played?

Answer 17

It was a localised form of activity due to limited transport being available as well as very little development in the way of communications such as newspapers

Question 18

How was mob football played?

Answer 18

It was played in the fields by the lower class using natural resources like pigs bladder

Question 19

When was mob football played?

Answer 19

It was played on occasions like holy events such as Shrove Tuesday

Question 20

What was mob football like?

Answer 20

It was male dominated and very violent and often unruly in nature reflecting conditions in society. The illiteracy was widespread in the lower class so there was very little in ways of rules and regulations

Question 21

What was real tennis?

Answer 21

Was another activity played in pre-industrial Britain but did not reflect the typical popular recreations characteristics of many activities of the time.

Question 22

Who was real tennis played by?

Answer 22

It was an exclusive activity played by the upper class males of society

Question 23

How was real tennis played?

Answer 23

It was played to a high moral code so it lacked violence and was instead played in a civilised manner with opponents mutually respectful of one another

Question 24

When was real tennis played?

Answer 24

Due to having plenty of leisure time, the upper class were able to play real tennis on a regular basis in expensive, purpose built facilities using expensive specialist equipment

Question 25

Where was real tennis played?

Answer 25

The upper class had the ability to travel to play real tennis so it was non-local in nature

Question 26

What was real tennis like?

Answer 26

It was a skilful game with difficult technical demands which enabled the upper class to show their ‘Superiority’ over the lower class

Question 27

What is athletics?

Answer 27

Another activity known as foot racing in pre-industrial Britain.

Question 28

Who was athletics played by?

Answer 28

Footmen (hired servants) competed as messengers for the upper class for their speed of movement across open land

Question 29

What was athletics like?

Answer 29

Involved feats of endurance. Racing developed with some ‘challenge rules’. The foot racers/pedestrians were allowed to compete against one another with a wagering on how many miles they could cover in a specified time period

Question 30

What impact would success have for the upper class and the performer?

Answer 30

Success in athletics meant increased social status for a ‘gentleman’ so the upper class were very happy to act as patrons to the working class performers

Question 31

What is a patron?

Answer 31

Member of the gentry who looked after the lower-class performer

Question 32

Why were popular recreation activities banned in the 19th century?

Answer 32

. They were violent or unruly in nature
. Led to injury or sometimes even death
. Damage to property
. Involved gambling/wagering
. Linked to alcohol consumption/drunken behaviour

Question 33

Analyse the impact education had on participation in sport during pre-industrial (pre 1780) Britain?

Answer 33

Lower class
. Rules were simple
. Led to a rise in violence as rules were not enforced
. Activities were simple to understand such as Mob Football

Upper class
. Enforced rules into sport
. Enforced etiquette and were gentleman
. Rules were complex such as real tennis

Question 34

Describe the term Foot Racing

Answer 34

A form of competitive running/walking in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries involving FEATS OF ENDURANCE