living standards in Elizabethan England

• Gentry incredibly wealthy- compete to build biggest stylish homes

• Gentry houses- symmetrical, neat, grande

• Expensive food chosen for gentry’s

• Gained wealth from land, owned 50% land, political power

  • Rise up to gentry through purchasing land

• Middling sort- independent tradesmen and craftsmen

• Farmers owned over 50 acres of land, still luxurious homes, two floors, chimneys and glass windows new addition

• Drank beer, ate meat and bread

• Labouring pour made up ½ population, lived in worst conditions, farming work seasonal- large stretches of time- struggled to buy food or pay rent- reliant on good harvest

Gentry, incredibly wealthy, competed to build the largest and most stylish homes, characterized by symmetry and grandeur. They gained wealth from land ownership, holding 50% of land and wielding political power. The middling sort, consisting of independent tradesmen and craftsmen, included farmers who owned over 50 acres with luxurious homes featuring two floors, chimneys, and glass windows. They typically consumed beer, meat, and bread. The laboring poor made up half the population, lived in poor conditions, faced seasonal farming work challenges, and struggled to afford food or pay rent, relying on good harvests for survival.