Annette Donaldson (author) from Northern Ireland on October 11, 2011: Ghaelach, thank you for leaving your insightful comment. After the Anglican Church, the English poor-law was the most long-lasting of Elizabethan achievements. Theme. A census was compiled which detailed the name, age and status of every citizen in order to provide an accurate overview of the population. Population Growth Land enclosure meant that the traditional way of small landowners tending their own small plots of land was ended in favour of creating larger and more profitable farming units. Indeed we have lost a great deal of the values once bestowed upon us when we were much younger. Life in Elizabethan England was hard. The first in a series of Acts was introduced in 1563 to minimise dangers and to make provisions for the needy. But Elizabeth 1 was probably the best sovereign that England ever had and we have much to be thankful for now. They signalled an important progression from private charity to the development of a welfare state. I just had to read this story again... Annette Donaldson (author) from Northern Ireland on March 21, 2011: Hi Leelee, how are you keeping my friend, miss you too. Okay I just received an e-mail saying that someone else had posted a comment. People who had lived and worked in the countryside for their entire lives found that they no longer had the means to support themselves, and were in many cases, evicted from their homes. Reasons for the Increase in Poverty and Population Displacement Main Task Using Mervyn pp88-89 and your Edexcel photocopy of unit 3.2 pp77-80, annotate your A3 sheet, explaining/summarising the events and issues that led to an increase in poverty and vagabondage. The first was the impotent or deserving poor. This resulted in the rise of food prices and in many cases, starvation. I loved this hub. In 1560 Elizabeth replaced the debased coins with new ones, thus restoring the country's currency to it's original values. Please email [email protected] if you have any problems. This includes Explaining why Elizabethans were worried about Vagabonds. Government and ecclesiastical (Church) action to help the poor by giving money. When I was young, your door was never locked nor your heart empty to help another person. Task: Read Worksheet 3 in order to complete a spider diagram below that summarises the reasons for poverty in Elizabethan England (make sure you look closely at the graphs – they contain very useful information) Resources needed: Worksheet 3 Reasons for the Increase in Poverty and Vagabondage Title: The Problem of the Poor Reasons for Poverty in Dramatic population increase (43% from 1550-1600) led to higher inflation and lower wages. Embed. Any list of the 'stacks of statutes' which the Tudors imposed on the shoulders of justices of the peace will include the acts of 1563, 1572, 1576 and 1598, which were concerned with the relief of the destitute and the punishment of vagabonds, along with related legislation aiming to regulate the lives and behaviour of the 'commons', such as the Statute of Artificers of 1563. Options. Social welfare and regulation were matters of increasing public concern between 1558 and 1603. As changes in agriculture led the way to people leaving the countryside, the population of towns grew alarmingly. Buy Online Access  Buy Print & Archive Subscription. During the reign of Elizabeth I, the population rose from three to four million people. Elizabethan Poverty (Causes, attitudes and policies) STUDY. Understanding the reasons for the development of the poor-law, one of the most long-lasting of Elizabethan achievements. B. from Southern California on March 19, 2011: Madam: You are MIA.... Did the Leprachons get you on the 17th??? This hub was great - wish I'd run across it earlier! These people were found deserving 'social support.'. I have missed talking with you. I am unsure on this topic, but I have researched some possible reasons: The Mass groups worried Elizabethans due to the peasants revolts becoming a possibility. It had been usual up until now that private benefactors would have left money in their will to establish, for example, an almhouse to provide shelter for the local poor. Mrs. J. Write. The underserving poor were the people who often turned to crime in an effort to support their families, such as the highwaymen and pickpockets, migrant workers who roamed the countryside to look for employment and the individuals who begged for a living. During the reign of Elizabeth 1 the population rose from 3 million to 4 million people. Test. ... Find out more poverty in Elizabethan England … Unlike today, there was no Welfare State to help out those who had fallen on hard times. Task that involves categorising the causes of poverty using the character Francis. A shortage of food resulted in higher prices. The poor became poorer, and the sight of vagabonds and beggars was becoming alarming. The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief in England and Wales that developed out of the codification of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws in 1587–1598. This again put increasing pressure on the limited amount of food available. Leaderboard. 1556332. Flashcards. aim to include at least 3 causes and remember, the answer will always give you two stimulus points to work with. Mrs J.B you are so correct. The streets were filled with alehouses, gambling dens and brothels, and the public was entertained by street performers, playhouses and bear baiting. I know what you say about poverty is true but she really put England back on the map. These poor were people who were unable to work due to being ill, disabled or simply being too old. In the last years of Henry V111 reign, the coinage was debased, which meant that the proportion of gold and silver in the coins was reduced. For example, 'Explain why there was an increase in poverty in early Elizabethan England'. Interesting hub. BrightMeadow from a room of one's own on March 19, 2011: This is very interesting and well done. Whilst enclosure has its own study note, the other three are detailed here. Life is much harder to live now, in as much as the good old days of friendship and sharing are well out of the window. The Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII had resulted in the closure of monasteries. A specific section has a parapet, and you can from there, look down onto the street below and also see some sections that remain from the original castle grounds walls. In Tudor England about a third of the population lived in poverty. There were two types of poor in England at the time of Elizabeth. The few reasons for this poverty were the breakdown of the Feudal system, Dissolution of the monasteries, few moral changes in the religion, Land enclosures etc. A series of poor harvests also led to food prices increasing. These people where considered a danger to the rest of society, and became the 'deserving unemployed' and were physically able to work for a living, but unable to do so. Trying to imgagine the place back in Queen Liz's time is difficult in some parts of town, but totally do-able in other parts where some of the city's first establishments are still standing, including a good bit of the castle, which I was told was the first Royals seat and built by Normans. More. Poor relief. A look at the reasons why poverty increased during Elizabeth's reign. Population increase – 43% increase between 1550 and 1600. Learn. After the Anglican Church, the English poor-law was the most long-lasting of Elizabethan achievements. During the years leading up to Elizabeth's accession, a process known as land enclosure changed the face of the landscape. With this increase in poverty, all charities operated by the Catholic Church were abolished due to the impact of protestant reformation. End of the Elizabethan Era to 1750 ... England's major manufacture and export" caused a larger fraction of the population of England to fall under poverty. Many of these farms became dedicated to rearing sheep. Elizabethan England was faced with a huge economic problem. So let's say we meet halfway, become roomies and live out our lives as happy women.. Log in required. Farming sheep was profitable because of the wool trade. Monasteries had been the main source of support for the poor. SINGLE and loving it. Causes of Poverty. The poor-laws also played a major part in Elizabethan government. Causes of Poverty in Elizabethan England. SMILE, The Role of Religion in History & Society. Lesson 24: Attitudes towards poverty Lesson 25: The causes of the increase in exploration. Edit Content. Challenger and Chernobyl, Cold War Catastrophes. There were a number of reasons for the poverty and the increasing numbers of the poor in Elizabethan England, some of the reasons dated back to before the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Elaborate responses to poverty, dearth and disease were perhaps the most striking elements of Elizabethan social policy, but they were not the only symptoms of contemporary interest in social regulation and control. Reasons for Poverty - The Poor in Elizabethan England - Breakdown of the Feudal System The … Rising population. Percentage of income spent on just food in a poor household. While some people believe that the life was great in that era, but they are mistaken. Norwich, for example, was the largest city outside London, and had a serious problem with poverty. Match. Drastic measures where introduced in 1563. Reasons for poverty in Elizabethan England. My good friend JJ and I have traipsed for miles and miles all over that city when I lived there, and he was always so kind to share the history of the city. Terms in this set (51) 80%. Life for the poor in Elizabethan England was very harsh. Explanation. The increasing number of people led to many households being unable to support themselves, and as the standard of living dropped, the problem of vagrancy got worse. Mrs. J. PDF Printables. There were a number of reasons for the poverty and the increasing numbers of the poor in Elizabethan England, some of the reasons dated back to before the reign of Queen Elizabeth. b) Explain why there was an increase in poverty in early Elizabethan England. Annette Donaldson (author) from Northern Ireland on March 19, 2011: Hi Peg thank you for stopping by and leaving me a lovely comment. During the Elizabethan England era there was an outburst of poverty. :). I have missed your encouragement to no end. An amazing hub, but don't you think it's sad that in our day and age they let all the good work that E.1 did fall by the wayside. • Write an account of the ways in which Puritans posed a challenge to Elizabeth and her regime. The population rose by a million during the … The responsibility of each town was to provide for it's needy and the poor, In this way the poor were given pratical assistance whilst fulfilling a useful role in the community, meaning that all responsibility of a town's inhabitants became the local groups responsibility, and not the entire community of tax payers. As the situation got worse, it became clear that individual philanthropy was no longer enough.Lord Burghley, one of the Queen's most able ministers, was extremely concerned about the large number of homeless and unemployed people could present a serious threat to the Law and Order. My friend JJ and I were standing on it one morning, and as people passed below us, JJ exclaimed, "Look Femme! Big problem in Elizabethan England caused by changes in the countryside and the decline in the cloth trade. ", I still struggle with my grasp on Brit humor. The Poor Laws passed during the reign of Elizabeth 1 played a very important part in the country's welfare. The povety, the beggers, the tricksters, the vagabonds are still here the trouble is a now a lot come from the poor eastern countries of Europe and their ways are harder these days. Created by. When I saw Norwich listed in the content as the largest city outside London, I felt a twang of homesickness for life across the pond. Population growth Inflation and the economy Agricultural Problems Share Share by Damistress. It is hardly surprising that with the amount of country people flocking into towns that London was by far the largest city in Europe with between 130,000 and 150,000 inhabitants.London became a colourful metropolis, ofering the best and the worst of city life. Their suffering always increased after bad harvests. When I was researching this piece I found so much similarity to today's issues, we have such a lot to thank old Lizzy for. x. Mrs. J. In simple terms this meant that the country's resources had to be shared by a greater number of people. fphistory_edexcel. Reason. Bad harvest: 1954-58 = food shortages; Enclosure = keeping sheep on land + not crops = fewer workers needed; Unemployed farm workers migrated to urban areas - not enough jobs; Actions of previous monarchs. Annette Donaldson (author) from Northern Ireland on March 20, 2011: Thank you for leaving your comment BrightMeadow, nice to hear from you again. Huge pressure on resources, particularly food and jobs were more difficult to come by. B. from Southern California on March 20, 2011: I am so glad to see you on hubs. Poor Laws were very progressive for their time, and what was needed was an established framework of laws which would last the test of time. To day the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. There were two types of poor in Elizabethan England. As the years wore on the population continued to increase, the provisions made to protect the poor were stretched to the limit, but however, they became a lasting tribute to the Acts of 1597 and 1601, and endured until the nineteenth century. © Copyright 2021 History Today Ltd. Company no. During the 16th Century the population rose dramatically and this, added to other economic pressures, meant that an increasing number of people were unable to support themselves. There were the 'deserving poor' who were made up of the elderly and very young, the infirm and families finding themselves in financial difficulties. • Write an account of the ways in which Elizabeth and her government enforced the religious Gravity. Peasants! Why can Francis not afford to feed his family? During the Elizabethan England era there was an outburst of poverty. How did sheep farming lead to an increase in poverty? Some of the punishments seem a bit harsh-- whipping or burning the right ear? Understanding the reasons for the development of the poor-law, one of the most long-lasting of Elizabethan achievements. As finally codified in the legislation of 1601, it persisted without fundamental alteration until 1834 and played a major part in Elizabethan government. London was filthy but intriguing, lively and dangerous, and in addition to it's own poor, the city became a magnet for beggars, thieves and tricksters from all over the country. Hi Lady Blue :) - I just found this, and wow, incredibly interesting! Plus she took no crap from a man.. As finally codified in the legislation of 1601, it persisted without fundamental alteration until 1834.