Economic development in the reign of Henry VIII

What was the primary economic pressure on England and Wales after 1520

A sudden rise in population created sustained demographic pressure, leading to inflation, unemployment, poverty, vagrancy, and urban squalor.

What positive outcome emerged despite these pressures

Tudor England, regional crises aside, managed to feed itself.

How did population growth affect the economy overall

It stimulated demand, promoting capitalist agriculture and a more commercialised industrial economy.

How did English trade perform during the first half of the sixteenth century

Trade volume increased, especially in woollen cloth exports, which almost doubled during Henry VIII's reign.

What happened to the market for raw wool

It declined, even as finished woollen goods like cloth saw increased demand.

What other exports rose alongside cloth

Hides and tin.

What import reflected the increased spending power of the upper classes

Wine.

What was the main export route for cloth

From London to Antwerp, with further trade to Central Europe and the Baltic.

How did the dominance of London affect other ports

It negatively impacted provincial ports like Bristol, Hull, and Boston, whose traders struggled to compete.

Which port experienced a temporary trade boom

Southampton, particularly through trade with Venice, though this ended by the mid-century.

What was the most significant change in the cloth industry during this period

A shift from broadcloth to cheaper fabrics like kersey.

What role did foreign merchants play in the cloth trade

Before the 1550s, much of the trade was dominated by foreign merchants, though by the 1550s, English merchants transported about 70% of exports.

How was the cloth industry organised domestically

It operated as a cottage industry: children carded wool, women spun it, men wove it, and more specialised work like dyeing and fulling was done externally.

Where were the main regions of cloth industry growth

The West Riding of Yorkshire, south Suffolk in East Anglia, and the West Country (notably Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Devon).

What was a major risk for workers in the cloth industry

The work was insecure and could lead to poverty.

What opportunity did the cloth trade offer to entrepreneurs

Significant profits and social mobility, as shown by William Stumpe, who became a wealthy landowner, MP, and high sheriff.

Which mining industries grew during this time

Tin in Cornwall, lead in the Pennines, coal in the northeast, and iron ore smelting in Sussex and Kent.

What was the state of iron production by the mid-sixteenth century

There were 26 blast furnaces, but the real boom in iron ore smelting came later in the century.

What does the Crown's reaction to textile workers' hardship over the Amicable Grant suggest

It acknowledged their economic difficulties, showing awareness of widespread hardship in the industry.

What was Henry VIII's stance on exploration

He was largely indifferent and failed to support further expeditions, neglecting the legacy of explorers like John Cabot and the Bristol merchants despite their previous discoveries.

Who continued involvement in overseas trade despite lack of royal support

Robert Thorne, a Bristol merchant, remained active in the North Atlantic fishery, particularly in Iceland and Newfoundland, but struggled without royal backing.

What happened to Sebastian Cabot during Henry VIII's reign

Cabot spent most of the reign in Spain, only briefly returning to England twice before resettling under Edward VI's reign to continue his cartographic work.

Who assisted Sebastian Cabot in mapmaking on his return

He was helped by Robert Thorne's son, also named Robert Thorne, who shared his father's interest in navigation and exploration.

What did John Guy argue about the Tudor economy

Guy suggested England was more economically dynamic and forward-looking under the Tudors than it had been for over a thousand years, despite localised hardship.

What demographic trend began around 1525

The population began to grow rapidly due to improved survival rates, placing new pressure on food supply, jobs, and housing.

How did this affect agriculture

Higher demand pushed up food and land prices, leading to increased farming incomes and the spread of engrossing, which concentrated land into fewer hands.

What is engrossing and what was its impact

It involved combining small farms into larger ones, which improved efficiency but displaced tenant families, often leaving them homeless.

What economic effect did debasement of the coinage have between 1544 and 1546

It caused an artificial surge in economic activity, but devalued currency led to long-term inflation and loss of purchasing power, especially for labourers.

What was a major cause of rising food prices during Henry VIII's reign

A series of poor harvests, especially from 1520 to 1521 and 1527 to 1529, triggered significant spikes in food costs, affecting food security.

How much did food prices change under Henry VIII

Food prices almost doubled over his reign, dramatically increasing the cost of living for working people.

Who was particularly affected by rising food prices

Urban workers suffered the most since their fixed or declining wages couldn't keep pace with food inflation.

What happened to real wages by the end of the reign

They declined sharply due to sustained inflation, particularly following the coin debasements of the 1540s.

What does subsidy assessment data reveal about poverty

It shows widespread urban poverty; for example, over 50% of Coventry's population and about one-third of Yarmouth's had no taxable wealth.

What trend affected rural labourers

As farm jobs declined due to engrossing, many sought work in cottage industries like weaving or migrated to growing urban centres.

How many people were migrating to London annually

Around 5,000 rural migrants moved to London each year, contributing to overcrowding and increased demand for housing and jobs.

What was the social consequence of engrossing

It displaced many rural families, contributing to homelessness and vagrancy, though the full extent is hard to quantify and laws against it were poorly enforced.

What was the impact of enclosure on the poor

It displaced many from their homes as common land was enclosed for private use, reducing access to grazing and leading to homelessness.

How was enclosure viewed morally at the time

It was considered a moral problem, particularly for forcing poorer people off the land they relied on for subsistence.

What action did Wolsey take against enclosure

In 1517 he launched a commission to investigate illegal enclosure and prosecuted 188 individuals who were found guilty.

Where was enclosure most common

It was primarily a regional issue, found most often in East Midlands villages.

What did Thomas More say about enclosure

In Utopia (1516), he condemned enclosure as a cause of poverty and social disorder, portraying it as a betrayal of traditional rural life.

Was enclosure still a major issue after 1485

Most of the damage had occurred before 1485, though further attempts to limit it continued, such as the 1534 legislation against sheep ownership and engrossing.

Why did the 1534 legislation fail

It had little effect due to weak enforcement and resistance from wealthy landowners who benefited from enclosure.

What was the main cause of economic distress during Henry VIII's reign

Population growth placed pressure on food supplies, housing, and jobs, straining resources and worsening poverty.

How did population growth affect wages

Wages stagnated or declined due to an oversupply of cheap labour, reducing the earning power of the working classes.

Who benefited from population increase

Wealthier farmers and landlords profited as rising demand pushed up agricultural prices and rental incomes.

How did agricultural improvement impact society

It spurred economic growth for the rich but worsened conditions for the poor, increasing social polarisation.

What happened to ideals of lordship and social responsibility

These weakened as landlords prioritised profit over duty to their tenants, worsening the divide between rich and poor.

How did the wealthy explain poverty

They increasingly saw it as a result of idleness rather than structural issues, leading to harsher attitudes towards beggars and vagrants.

What kind of farming did most people engage in

Subsistence farming—nine out of ten farmers worked simply to feed their families and produce a small surplus.

What does W.G. Hoskins say about economic growth

He argued that Henrician England saw little or no economic growth, with only scattered examples of large-scale market farming.

How did John Guy describe the effect of economic change

He said it enriched landlords but impoverished wage-earners, dividing society and worsening the living conditions of the poor.

What happened to the diet and housing of the poor

Their diets declined in quality and they often lived in cramped, poorly built cottages or hovels.