Topic 3 - Elizabeth Society in the Age of Exploration 1558-88 Flashcards
What was the main purpose of education in the Elizabethan era
To prepare you for your life and focused on basic English and mathematics
Why were ideas about education changing
-They were influenced by the Renaissance where new ideas about learning and science challenged
-Humanists studied ancient philosophers and mathematics and challenged the church by saying we should learn for ourselves
-Expansion and use of printing press meant increased need for literacy
Where were the children of nobles educated and what taught were they taught
-They were educated at home by tutors
-They would study Latin, Greek, History, Government, Philosophy and Theology
What were noble sons taught and where could they go at 15
-Horse riding, archery, fencing, swimming, wrestling and other sports
-At 15 they could go to university
What were noble daughters taught
-At the age 7 separated from boys
-Skills required for upper class women such as music, dancing, needlework, horse riding and archery.
What were Petty schools and what did they teach
-School for boys from the middling sorts from ages 6-7
-They would be taught basic arithmetic, reading and writing
What were Dame schools and what did they teach
-Girls school for middling sorts from 6/7
-Taught skills needed for running homes such as persevering, baking, brewing, sewing and treatments for ailments
-Their education stopped at this point
Outline grammar schools
-At ages 11/12 boys who could afford it or if a boy was extremely smart he could be granted a scholarship.
-During this period 72 new grammar schools were built
-Latin, Greek, French, ancient and classical history, philosophy (Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, Seneca) and bible study
-Also time for archery, chess, wrestling, and running.
-Some set up to meet needs for merchants, craftsmen and yeomen and provided practical subjects (preparing for scholarships)
Outline punishment in grammar schools
-Harsh discipline ; two students were selected to monitor the other boys and would report on behaviour in and out of school. They would be questioned at 9am in Mondays. Punishments could include losing break time, expulsion, exclusion, being on report and corporal punishment like caning
Outline universities
-At ages 14/15 boys who could afford it would move onto university
-Only universities were Oxford and Cambridge
-They would study geometry, music, astronomy, medicine, law and divinity
-QE founded Jesus college in 1571 and Sir Walter Mayhew found Sir Emmanuelle College to increase numbers of Protestant clergymen
-Nearly 2/3 of all graduates weren’t nobility or gentry (e.g. Christopher Marlow won a scholarship to study at Corpus Christ College, Cambridge)
Outline education for the poor
Little opportunity for formal education. They learnt what they needed on the job. For may families they could not afford to send their children.
What sports did nobility participate in
-Nobility could afford to hunt with dogs, hawks (hawking), and go fishing. QE was a fan of hawking so it was popular
-Noble men could participate in fencing and real tennis
What sports did everyone participate in
-All classes would partake in wrestling and swimming but never together
-High class wrestling was done in private
What sports did the lower class participate in
-Partook in football and hunting (but for things such as rabbits)
Outline spectator sports
-Gambling was popular amongst everyone, they would gamble on things such as bull and bear baiting, wrestling and cock fighting. Bears wouldn’t be killed because they were expensive.
-Puritans were against gambling and activities that occurred on a Sunday which was supposed to be a day of rest for God
Outline what plays were put on during the Elizabethan era
-At the start stories from the Bible and miracle plays on temporary platforms in markets places and inn yards
-Theatre then turned to secular plays due to saints in the plays being Catholic and kept in the publics imagination
Why did actors find it hard to perform? And what helped them
-Local authorities thought travelling groups were a threat to law and order and should be punished as vagabonds. People would also them and walk around in the audience
-Powerful people protected the, by giving financial and legal supports so their plays could continue to be performed
-For example, the Earl of Leicester set up his own acting company called “Leicester’s Men”
-QE set up her own company called “The Queen’s Men”
What was done when plays popularity increased
-Acting companies set up
-Theatres set up (e.g. The Red Lion Theatre in 1576, The Curtain 1577, The Rose in 1578)
-They were built in London due to its large population so more money would be made
Who could go watch the theatre and why did people enjoy it
-All classes could go watch the plays due to cheap entrance fees
-They liked the complex characters, gripping plots, written by playwrights such as Christopher Marlow
What opposition did theatres have
-People believed it would encourage idleness, spread disease and create unrest
-The Lord Mayor asked the Privy Council to control the theatres
-QE was worried about opposition to her government so censorship was introduced
How did QE feel about theatres
-She liked watching plays and tipped actors £3
-Worried the plays could have negative messages they could effect her politics
Why did changes in sheep farming cause poverty in the Elizabethan period to increase
-Grew in popularity because it was more profitable for farmers as they didn’t have to employ land labourers to work the land. Meaning lots of labourers lost their jobs and homes.
-Land rent was also increased so farmer couldn’t afford it and had to move towns to find work
Why did enclosure farming cause poverty in the Elizabethan period to increase
-When farmers enclosed their land with hedges so they could put sheep on it rather than crops
-Bad sequences of harvests so sheep farming was more profitable and less money would be spent on employees
Why did harvest failure cause poverty in the Elizabethan period to increase
-Poor harvests meant there was large food shortages which meant the price of bread went so it was less affordable for the poor, aswell as other foods
Why did population growth/urbanisation cause poverty in the Elizabethan period to increase
-By the 16th century the population started to increase after it had fallen massively from the black death as more people were having children.
-Population in towns and cities grew the most, meaning more jobs were needed so more people were unable to find them.
Why did inflation/rising prices cause poverty in the Elizabethan period to increase
-All across Europe prices were going up, meaning lower wage people struggled to afford basic food
-Money was worth less as Henry VIII ordered all coins to be melted down and took a lot of silver/good so the new ones were worth less
Why did monasteries closing cause poverty in the Elizabethan period to increase
-Closed by Henry meant more people had to wander the roads and towns to find work because there was less help for the poor because less food and shelter was able to be provided
-1536
