Sport In Pre Industrial Britain

Question 1

Characteristics if life in pre-industrial Britain (pre - 1780)

Answer 1

• communication limited
• transport limited
• lower class uneducated + little ability to read or write
• violent existences normal in lower class + upper class lived in luxury
• limited free time for lower class as work based on land (dictated by agricultural calendar)
• clear feudal system
• majority population in rural areas

Question 2

Popular recreation

Answer 2

The sports + pastimes associated with the lower classes in pre industrial Britain

Question 3

Characteristics of popular recreation

Answer 3

• sport restricted geographically to areas where people lived
• simple basic rules set locally. Lack of codification + limited organisations
• sport was violent + had unruly nature
• mob football only played occasionally/annually/festival
• lower class = mob football. Upper class = real tennis
• mob football played in rural areas using pig bladder as the ball

Question 4

Reasons why mob football got banned in 1900s

Answer 4

• violent
• injury or death
• damage of property
• involved gambling
• linked to alcohol consumption

Question 5

Characteristics of real tennis

Answer 5

• 2 males of upper class
• complex rules
• played to have high moral code
• played on regular basis
• expensive purpose built facilities + specialist equipment
• ability to travel so non local
• betting uncommon as upper class showing superiority over lower class

Question 6

Characteristics of mob football

Answer 6

• lower class
• few / simply rules
• violent
• played occasionally
• played in natural environment with natural resources