The Making Of Modern Britain #1: The Problem Of Poverty

Question 1

How was Britain itself in the 1900s?

Answer 1

It was rich and powerful. The British Empire included countries such as Australia, India, Canada, and New Zealand.

Question 2

What did many people working suffer from?

Answer 2

Low pay + inconsistent work

Question 3

What happened to those working in low skilled jobs?

Answer 3

• paid very little
• easy to replace workers that did not come to work, forcing people to go when sick

Question 4

Why did seasonal jobs make life difficult? Give examples.

Answer 4

• These are jobs only available at some times of the year, eg farming or shipbuilding.
• At other times of the year these workers had little to no income

Question 5

What did it mean that there was no NHS in the early 1900s?

Answer 5

• People had to pay for healthcare, or rely on overcrowded charitable hospitals
• Many people who were sick simply had to gotwithout any treatment

Question 6

What was the problem with many homes?

Answer 6

• overcrowded
• High rents

Question 7

What were single ends?

Answer 7

On-roomed houses in Scottish cities. They ally had no indoor toilet.

Question 8

What happened in overcrowded houses?

Answer 8

Lead to spreading disease

Question 9

Why could family size lead to poverty?

Answer 9

• bigger families brought extra costs which many people could not easily afford
• a lack of childcare meant women often could not work, leading to more money problems

Question 10

What was the problem with a low quality diet?

Answer 10

• many struggled to afford fresh fruit, vegetables, on meat
• this led to them being to tired for work, and also more likely to get sick

Question 11

In the 1900s, what was the requirement for school?

Answer 11

Until age 13

Question 12

Why did many at school find it hard to study?

Answer 12

The worked as well and struggled to concentrate

Question 13

What were halftimers?

Answer 13

Children that split their time between work and school

Question 14

What were laissez faire views?

Answer 14

• the y thought it was t the governments job to tackle poverty
• they believed it was a person’s own fault (due to alcoholism and gambling), and that it was the or responsibility to try to fix this

Question 15

Why did elderly people struggle without government help?

Answer 15

• most had little money and could not save the money which would let the retire when older
• this meant the had to keep working, even if too old and sick to do so