Social and Intellectual change 1625-88 Terms

gentry

at 15 000 by mid century. They had growing influence and due to the civil war, became particularly influential in politics. They were educated and by the end of the 17th century owned half of all English property.

nobility

2% of population controlling 25% of the country’s wealth. Over this period they declined in significance however still had the majority in the house of Lords

merchant

64 000 by 1688. They had strong links to the gentry as they were often second sons but whilst they could have equal wealth, they didnt have the same landed wealth or prestige. many entered public office as aldermen and urbanisation increases their signifiance

Professional

As a result of urbanisation and increased living standard there was a higher demand. They were linked to the gentry

emigration

the movement of people from one area to another. we see an increase of this in the 17th century due to urbanisation, and work (trade centres). 75% of people no longer lived at their birthplace

immigration

this is increased due to the establishment of the commonwealth

mortality rate

this decreases due to the population becoming better at isolating epidemics

fertility rate

Marriage ages ebcame lower so this increased

vagrants

the homeless who would travel to find work. They were often viewed as the greater threat.

Bristol

grew to a population of 20 000 due to being a port city

Norwich

grew to a population of 30 000 as it was the centre of the East Anglian cloth trade and saw a lot of migrants

Kentish towns

popular due to their proximity to the coast, employment, and significance in the cloth trade

London

reached a population of 400 000 as it was an industry centre, at the heart of transport and saw the development of markets due to food demand. Also due to the beginnings of the empire

poverty

2/3 of the population lived close to the poverty line as the increasing population meant that there was not enough work.

agriculture

dominated the british economy however small landholders could not afford to invest in their land due to the 1650s inflation so had to sell. amalgamation and enclosure forced out small farmers whilst big farmers could specialise.

poor relief law

created overseers of the poor who would organise poor tax and manage the poor houses

Poor relief act

this act defined the poor and provided settlement certificated which meant they could get relief. without a certificate the poor could be banished. aimed to restrict the movement of the poor and dealt harshly with those who still did e.g. transportation

inflation

the 1650’s saw this and it outsripped wages 2 to 1 so even those working struggled

book of orders

issued to all justices of the peace, it included provisions for the poor and treatment of vagrant likely motivated by fear of riots. however these did not particularly differ from Elizabeth I

Civil war

this allowed women to take on the roles of the men fighting. However this was mainly the gentry and afterwards they were told to go back to their house work

Mary Banks

she led the resistance in Corfe Castle during the civil war

Lucy Hutchingson

She took control of her estate during the civil war

Puritanism

they advocated for the widespread literacy to educate their children in the scripture

Quakers

believed that God’s light was in everyone and were very keen for women to run meetings. They set up 4 schools to educate girls however this was less than half of the 15 they established.

legal changes

Charles II allowed women to act in stage plays and the adultery act punished adultery However only upper class women could afford to act and women were punished more often

Adultery act

this gave the death sentence for adultery however women were punished more often

marriage act

this permitted civil marriages however was generally ignored

Fifth Monarchists

Radicals believing that the second coming of christ would occur in 1666

levellers

A radical group that emphasised popular sovereignty, suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance. they were represented at the Putney debates and were the most successful group, though short lived, they influenced ideas of equality.

Ranters

Pantheistic - believing that god was in every creature. Denied the authority of the church and the laws of the bible. They were known for wild behaviour that was a threat to the stability of government

Heads of Proposals

Drawn up by Cromwell and the new Model army, they demanded some religious toleration, more frequent parliaments and a fair settlement with the royalist however it alienated radical groups who wanted a wider electorate.

Putney debates

This was unique as it was ordinary men discussing good practice of government, how to deal with the king, and the settlement for the new model army. However the grandees fear the popularity of this as well as the radical literature published as a result leading to radicals being put down or shot

Growth of radicalism

thi was due to a number of reasons: A breakdown of social order created space for new beliefs, the collapse of censorship and increasing literacy mesnt that ideas could be spread much faster, there were opportunities for new ideas that made old ones appear outdated, and the sense of living through momentous events that seemed biblical in proportion

Radical groups

Whilst they grew during the civil war period, their ideas were not of interest to the vast majority and their actions pushed governments into being more conservative. However they drew England away from being a confessional state and brought about the collapse of authority in religion as well as the concept of uniformity being questioned.

Thomas Hobbes

argued that the right to rule was not granted by god but through a social contract however believed that the people were guided by a lust for power or fear and that people should give up some liberties for a ruler. supporter of the Stuart monarchy and had influence in richer society

John Locke

opposed the absolute monarchy and the confessional state and argued that a givernment couldnot take away any human rights and that citizns had the right to destroy it. His work had little influence at the time however influenced liberalism and both the French and american revolutions

Francis Bacon

the baconian method of empiricism (evidence to form theorie) and that methods shoul reject preconcieved ideas of the subject. He also aided in founding the royal society

Royal Society

by 1684 was dedicated solely to scientific pursuits. It was respected due to its baconian aim, all knowledge was used for public good and it regularly held public demonstrations, it was funded by wealthy men across europe, and it made science no longer suspicious. However it did not help scientists nor did it affect the landless peasants, poor or women. But it did influence the development of liberal government, permitted the desire to ask questions about accepted systems and traditions, and the scientific methods spilled over into the study of society and politics