Life in Elizabethan Times

History AQA GCSE

Gentry

a social class where power comes from wealth not nobility

why did the gentry gain power?

the dissolution of the monasteries and increasing wealth

enclosure

One of the fenced-in fields, created by wealthy landowners, on land that was formerly worked by village farmers.

the laws strictly controlled the clothing people were allowed to wear depending on their social rank and what year it was passed?

statues of Apparel (1574)

why was fashion important?

Clothing reflected your social rank

The Great Rebuilding

the building boom and development of new ideas in architecture during Elizabeth's reign

building materials used

stone, brick, glass

Hardwick Hall

an elizabeth manor house

what was elizabeth's attitude to building/improving her palaces?

she did have enough money to improve or build her palaces so she liked that she didn't have to spend money to build big fancy places because other people did it for her

what did the layout of the theatre symbolise

the great chain of being

where were the theatres located?

south bank of Thames, located in poorer areas, next to brothels and bear baiting pits

2 famous elizabethan playwrights

Christopher Marlowe- Dr Faustus and Shakespeare- Macbeth

Richard Burbage

the most famous actor in Shakepeare's plays

When did the globe theatre open?

1599

Tiring house

dressing and storage rooms

why did elizabeth promote the theatre?

used theatre and arts to spread propaganda, taught people about great chain of being and the evil Plantagenet monarchs and it was a distraction form the poor

The cult of Elizabeth

refers to promotion of Elizabeth through propaganda

Nicholas Hilliard

artist

Who wrote The Faerie Queen?

Edmund Spenser

Who wrote the Book of Martyrs?

John Foxe

Deserving Poor

Widows, orphans, and the handicapped; were worthy of the care of the community

Idle Poor

Idle beggars and vagabonds. Homeless, seen as dishonest and immoral. The government was unsympathetic towards this group. Often committed petty crimes.

when was the poverty crisis?

1590s

what does WIPA stand for?

War, Inflation, Population, Agriculture

how did war affect the poverty crisis?

taxes increased to fund for wars

how did inflation affect the poverty crisis?

food prices increased by 200% due to poor harvest and wages only increase by 20-50%

how did population affect the poverty crisis?

Population increased by 1.5 million (43%) so less resources were available

how did agriculture affect the poverty crisis?

1556-1596 saw bad harvests. Between 1594-1597 saw 4 bad harvests in a row. Harvests were unreliable

vagabond

a person who wanders from place to place,
without a home or job, begging and stealing

Canting

a coded language the idle poor uses

anglers

idle begger who carry long sticks to steal clothes from washing lines

rufflers

idle beggars who would dress as army officers and rob people and sword point

Clapperdudgeons

would pretend to be badly wounded by chemical arsenic to gain sympathy and charity

doxy

idle beggars who wear a need in their hat and carry a large bag for stolen goods

counterfeit cranks

idle beggars dressed in old rags and chew on soap to mimic epileptic fits to gain sympathy

abraham men

idle poor who would wander pretending to be mad

why did people fear the idle poor?

it could be a possible breakdown of the social hierarchy and possible rebellions, they were also believed to be helping spread disease

when were the 2 sets of poor laws

1597 and 1601

workhouses or houses of industry

places the healthy poor were sent to earn money

poor rate

tax used to set up workhouses and for the deserving poor

almshouses

set up for the old/ sick people

house of correction

First attempt at reforming criminals. Hard labour was supposed to teach them value of hard work.

Overseer of the poor

Helped administer the poor relief.
Appointed by the JP's.
Collected taxes and distributed the money to the poor.

Privateers/ Sea Dogs

a group of naval explorers who were authorised by elizabeth to lead voyages of discovery across the globe

what are the positives of exploration?

resources, free labour, good allies, money and trade routes, discover more land

3 main reasons why exploration is important?

1) to promote trade and wealth
2) to gain glory and power for england
3) to gain territories

what are the negatives of exploration?

competition turns dangerous, risk of death, sailing is hard and scurvy-vitamin C defficiency

John Hawkins

Explorer- Became involved in slave trade in 1562, introduced tobacco in England

Sir Francis Drake

Explorer- Circumnavigated the globe from 1577-1580, nicknamed el darque, defeated spanish armada

Sir Walter Raleigh

Explorer- Explored the New World and colonised North America

Martin Frobisher

Explorer- sailed to North Canada, got 1350 tonnes of iron, found trade routes

James Lancaster

Explorer- Led to BEIC being formed, help treated scurvy

Debasement

devaluing of currency, using cheap materials instead of gold

Cacafuego

the spanish ship, Drake attacked and got most of his money

Astrolabe

a circumnaviagtion tool