Education & Leisure in Elizabethan England

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WhatwereattitudestoEducation?• Itwasbecomingmorevalued,butstilllimited• Stillastricthierarchystructure• Educationaimedtosupporttheexistingsocialorder,notforsocialmobility• Anyeducationyouhadwastoprepareyouforthelifeyouwereexpectedtolead– practicalskills• Onlyasmallpercentageofboyswenttoschool• Basicliteracywastaughttotheseboys• Mostpeoplewerestillfarmers,especiallyinthecountryside,noeducationwasneeded

Whatdoessocialmobilitymean?[1]

Whatwasthemainpurposeofeducation?[2]

Whowenttoschool?[1]

Whatinfluenceswerethereoneducation?

• Humanists believededucationwasimportantinitsownright,notjustforpracticalreasons.Theystudiedtheancientsandmaths (Renaissance).• Theybelievededucationwouldstoppeoplebeingsuperstitious• Protestants believedpeopleshouldbeabletoreadthebibletohavearelationshipwithGod• Expandingtradeandbusinessmeantpeopleneededatleastabasiceducation,especiallyinthetowns

Wherecouldyougotoschool?

1) NOBILITY@Home:

• Childrenofthenobilitylearnedavarietyofsubjectssuchasforeignlanguages,Latin,Greek,History,philosophy,Government&Theology.• Evennoblegirlsat7yearsoldhadaccesstothesesubjectsjustlikeElizabethhad.Theyalsolearnedvaluableskillsexpectedofupperclassladiessuchasmusic,dancing,needlework,horseriding&archery• Boysalsolearnthorseriding,fencing,swimmingandwrestling.• Childrenwereoftensenttoothernoblefamiliestofinishtheireducation,eldestsonswouldinherittheirfather’stitlessoneededtolearnhowtobeanoble.Girlswouldweresenttomakesocialcontactsperfecttheskillsofanoblewoman

Thinkaboutallofthewaysyoucanbeeducatedtoday…

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Wherecouldyougotoschool?2):MiddleClasses@GrammarSchool:

• ThebiggestchangeinElizabethaneducationwasthecreationofGrammarSchools(42in1560’s+30in1570’s)• Thechurchhadpreviouslyprovidedthemostbasicofeducationtosomechildrennowtherewasmuchmoreaccessformoremiddleclass‘bright’boys• GirlscouldNOTattendgrammarschools,theywerestillathomebeingpreparedformarriedlife• Feesdependedonhowmuchpropertytheboy’sfamilyowned.• Somepoor‘bright’boyswerefundedbymoneypeopleleftintheirwillstoeducatepoorboys

GrammarSchoolsinfoforrevision

Differentschools/Summary

University@Cambridge/Oxford• Forthoseableto,theywouldgotoUniversityatage14/15andcouldstudy:Geometry,Music,Astronomy,Philosophy,LogicandPublicSpeaking(Rhetoric),Medicine,Law&Religion

• ElizabethfoundedJesusCollegeinOxford1571toeducateWelshboys,hercouncillor SirWalterMildmay foundedEmmanuelCollegeinCambridgein1584– ThiswasinordertoeducatemoreprotestantclergymentoincreasethenumbersofwelleducatedProtestantclergy

• InLondon,theInnsofCourttrainedLawyers

Createaschoolprospectus:

• Readtheinformationonthisppt …

• Createaninformativeprospectusforagrammarschool,youneedtosellitandwriteinthefirstpersonitshouldincludeasaminimum• Subjectsyouwilllearn&activities• Timetable/Holidays• Discipline&punishments• AlternativeroutestoGrammarschoolforpoorerboys

ImpactofeducationonElizabethansLiteracyRates Men Women

1558 20% 10%

1603 30% 10%

WhatdoesthissuggestabouttheimpactofeducationinElizabeth’sreign?

Rememberthepopulationhadalmostdoubled

• Themainobstacletoeducationwasit’scost– whichlimitedtheimpact,notonlyfeesbutthelossofincomewiththechildrennotworkingtheland,butatleastpeoplewerebeginningtothinkaboutfairnessandimportanceofeducation.

• Attitudesfromnormal/poorpeopletoeducatingtheirdaughtersneverchanged,theywereexpectedtogetmarriednotworkoutsidethehome.

• Boyswereexpectedtofindpaidemploymentandsupporttheirwivesandchildren,alittleeducationatleastcouldhelpfindabetterjob.

DifferenteducationalexpectationsofElizabethanchildren