The Rise of the Gentry Flashcards
Give 3 reasons for the rise of the gentry class:
-The Tudors’ suspicion of the ‘old’ nobility
-The dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII
-Increasing wealth
What was the gentry?
A class whose status and power was purely based on their wealth.
Why did the Tudors marginalise the nobility and how did they do this?
They had deliberately marginalised the nobles, who they saw as a threat, by granting very few titles and excluding them from government.
How had the Tudor’s suspicion of the old nobility led to an increase in the gentry class?
The marginalisation of the nobility left a vacuum which the gentry filled, and they became very powerful politically.
What did the gentry come to dominate politically?
The House of Commons.
How did the gentry gain power locally?
Through their work as Justices of the Peace.
Before the dissolution of the monasteries, how much of the land in England was taken by monasteries?
About a quarter.
How had the dissolution of the monasteries increased the gentry class?
The dissolution had made more land available to buy than ever before.
What 5 things helped many gentry families make their fortunes?
-Growth in trade
-More exploration
-Population growth
-Rising prices
-Enclosure
What 3 things were the gentry able to use their money for?
-Establishing estates
-Building grand houses
-Educate themselves
What did the gentry’s money in turn help fuel?
The cultural achievements of Elizabeth’s reign.
Who were the gentry keen the sponsor?
Architectural, artistic, intellectual and literary endeavours.
Why were the gentry keen to sponsor these kinds of people?
As it helped to affirm their new status in society.
What was the purpose of the gentry’s newer homes?
No longer defensive, but to display refined taste.
Give 4 features of the gentry’s newer homes:
-Usually symmetrical
-Open courtyards (unlike the closed, secure ones before)
-Lots of expensive glass
-Privacy: number of rooms increased
