Social Social differences in differences in 16th century 16th century

BritainBritain

1.Hierarchy in 1.Hierarchy in societysociety

KING

CHURCH NOBILITY

Archbishops GENTRY

Bishops YEOMEN TOWN CITIZENS

Clergymen LABOURERS VAGRANT/BEGGARS

NOBILITYNOBILITY

-55 noble families-55 noble families

-duke, baron or earl-duke, baron or earl

-noble either by birth -noble either by birth or by grant from or by grant from the Queen or Kingthe Queen or King

GENTRYGENTRY

- the most important the most important social class in social class in Tudor timesTudor times

- 6 % of population 6 % of population was a gentrywas a gentry

- famous famous exoponents: exoponents: Francis Drake, Francis Drake, Francis BaconFrancis Bacon

YEOMEN/TOWN CITIZENSYEOMEN/TOWN CITIZENS

- freeyeomen, freeyeomen, leaseholders, leaseholders, copyholderscopyholders

- characteristic for characteristic for English societyEnglish society

- lived more simply than lived more simply than gentrygentry

VAGRANT/BEGGARS/LABOURERS – VAGRANT/BEGGARS/LABOURERS – THE POORTHE POOR

- the poor embraced the poor embraced the vagrants, the vagrants, beggars, beggars, sick,disabled, old, sick,disabled, old, feeble, soldiers feeble, soldiers unable to work and unable to work and labourerslabourers

- poor submitted to poor submitted to their rich lordstheir rich lords

Rich vs. Poor : a) Houses, clothes, foodRich vs. Poor : a) Houses, clothes, food

RichRich- huge, half-timbered huge, half-timbered

mansions with chimneys mansions with chimneys and glass windows; and glass windows; profound furnitureprofound furniture

- elaborate clothes, elaborate clothes, embroidered with silk, gold embroidered with silk, gold or silver threador silver thread

- fat meals, with little fat meals, with little vegetablesvegetables

PoorPoor- simple huts, floors made of

clay, very basic furniture- hardwearing, practical

clothes made of coarse wool

- mainly ate bread, cheese and onion

b) Pastimes and workb) Pastimes and work

RICHRICH- sspenpentt most of time on most of time on

pastimespastimes- ffalconry, hunting, alconry, hunting,

billards, bowls, billards, bowls, attending attending perfomances in perfomances in theatre, reading bookstheatre, reading books

POORPOOR- sspenpentt most of time most of time

working ( 6 working working ( 6 working days)days)

- ggambling, playing ambling, playing draughtsdraughts

- wwatching public atching public executionsexecutions

c) Education and languagec) Education and language

RICHRICH wide access to the wide access to the

education ( grammar education ( grammar schools, universities)schools, universities)

„„correct“ London correct“ London pronunciation – educated pronunciation – educated

personperson

POORPOOR learning a trade, or learning a trade, or

expected to workexpected to work Continuation of using the Continuation of using the

local dialect local dialect

In the beginning of the Tudor period

English was spoken in a number of

ways asremiders of Saxon,

Angle, Jute and Viking invasion

After Chaucer London English

becomes ‘correct’ English

d) Enclosures, Poor Law, Laws against Povertyd) Enclosures, Poor Law, Laws against Poverty

- Enclosures- Enclosures – resulting in – resulting in massive unemploymentmassive unemployment and and poverty among labourerspoverty among labourers

- Dissolution of the Monasteries – the church Dissolution of the Monasteries – the church institutions lose their significanceinstitutions lose their significance

- „„Pilgrimage of Grace“ ( 1536 ) as a protest against Pilgrimage of Grace“ ( 1536 ) as a protest against dissolution of the monasteriesdissolution of the monasteries

- Poor Law ( 1601) – introduced by Queen Elisabeth I to Poor Law ( 1601) – introduced by Queen Elisabeth I to cope with the poverty and unemployment. First cope with the poverty and unemployment. First government-sponsored welfare program. Three goals government-sponsored welfare program. Three goals of Poor Law:of Poor Law:

a)a) tto put those unable to care for themselves in o put those unable to care for themselves in hospitals and orphanageshospitals and orphanages

b)b) tto find the work for able-bodied in the workhouses o find the work for able-bodied in the workhouses established in the townsestablished in the towns

c)c) tto punish permanently unemployed in order to o punish permanently unemployed in order to discourage them from commiting the crimesdiscourage them from commiting the crimes

Town and countryTown and country

Towns having 3,000 people – London 60,000 by Towns having 3,000 people – London 60,000 by 15001500

Prices increase between 1500 – 1600Prices increase between 1500 – 1600 Growth of population from 2,2 million to 4 millionGrowth of population from 2,2 million to 4 million 1536 London1536 London 7, 000 thieves hanged by Henry VIII7, 000 thieves hanged by Henry VIII Efforts made in 1547Efforts made in 1547 In 1601 Parlaiment passed the ‘Poor Law’In 1601 Parlaiment passed the ‘Poor Law’

Végh István 11

ConclusionConclusion

- during Tudor times England became a more - during Tudor times England became a more peaceful and richer place to livepeaceful and richer place to live

- increase of the prices of goods, fall of wages by half- increase of the prices of goods, fall of wages by half

- increasing population- increasing population ( from 2,2 to 4 million) ( from 2,2 to 4 million)

- England as the most comfortable place to live in - England as the most comfortable place to live in Europe in 16th centuryEurope in 16th century