The poor

Question 1

How did the actions of previous monarchs cause poverty?

Answer 1

No private armies - soldiers out of work
No monasteries - monks had nowhere to live or work
Economic problems

Question 2

How did changes in agriculture cause poverty?

Answer 2

Bad harvests les to food shortages and inflation in food prices
More landlords kept sheep so fewer workers were needed
Many left for the cities to search for employment

Question 3

What was the highest number of people in poverty during Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 3

4 million

Question 4

Who were the deserving poor?

Answer 4

Those who realised that paupers could not help their situation and were not to blame
Charities for the poor grew and almshouses were established

Question 5

What are paupers?

Answer 5

Those without work

Question 6

Who were the undeserving poor?

Answer 6

Those who people thought had no interest in real work and begged to get money
Criminals
Tricksters

Question 7

What were some tricks used by the undeserving poor?

Answer 7

Counterfeit crank
Bare top trickster
Clapper dudgeon
Tom O’Bedlam

Question 8

What was the ‘Act for setting the poor on work’?

Answer 8

1576 - placed responsibility on local authorities to fix poverty

Question 9

How did London deal with poverty?

Answer 9

• Bridewell palace used as a shelter
• Bedlam hospital
• other hospitals for the sick and orphans
• Conditions were poor as they could not cope with the growing number of people

Question 10

How did York deal with poverty?

Answer 10

• Beggar licenses and a Master Beggar to keep everybody in line
• If Beggars refused to work they were sent to the House of correction

Question 11

How did Ipswich deal with poverty?

Answer 11

-licensing and hospitals
- youth training scheme set up to help children learn a trade

Question 12

How did Norwich deal with poverty?

Answer 12

• 1570 - 80% lived in poverty
• Idle poor given sewing or knitting
• unfortunate poor were given food and care
• Rich citizens were taxed to pay for the care of the vulnerable?

Question 13

When was the poor law?

Answer 13

1601

Question 14

What did the poor law say?

Answer 14

• Wealthy should be taxed to help care for the poor
• Fit and healthy paupers should be given work
• Those who refused to work were dealt with harshly - whipped or house of correction

Question 15

What 3 groups were the poor categorised into?

Answer 15

• The helpless poor - given food and accommodation
• The able-bodied poor - had to work in exchange for food
• The idle poor - punished and sent to the house of correction

Question 16

How effective was the poor law?

Answer 16

• not properly enforced in many areas
• Begging decreased but could have been due to the house of correction
• Some paupers simply sent from one place to another without any help