Other
AQA A Level History, Tudors Notes, Elizabeth I, Poverty and Discontent
- Module
- Tudors, Elizabeth I
- Institution
- AQA
In depth a level aqa tudor history notes
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Elizabeth I: Poverty and Social DiscontentComparison with Predecessors
Henry VII:
- In late middle ages, english economy mostly agricultural→ 95% population living off land
- Black death of mid-14th century had reduced the population by approx ⅓.
- approx 2 million 1450
Henry VIII:
- Debasement
- Enclosure dealt with ineffectively
- Rural unemployment
- Changing social order due to dissolution
-
Edward VI:
- Debasement
- Year of revolts 1549
- 2.9 million
Mary I:
- Flu
- 2.9 million
Elizabeth
- 4 million
Population Growth
- London 1520: 60,000
- London 1600: 150,000
- Under Elizabeth the population grew by 35%
- This increase was reflected across urban England
- Life expectancy 35
- Infant mortality 134/1000
- Poor harvests endangered life and were often combined with sweating sickness or flu
- Bubonic plague and pneumonic plague were the biggest killers in Tudor England
- In the first half of the 16th century, 5-25% population dies in a series of epidemics
following years of bad harvests
The Wealth and Poverty Gap
Wealth Poverty
- 14% national income belonged to - 50% families were labouring poor -
1.2% of families received 20% national income
, - Great lords owned 17% of all - 10% in countryside/20% in towns
cultivated land were in absolute poverty
- South east and london much richer - Popular perception that poverty was
- 23/25 richest towns were in the south increasing leading to gov legislation
- Richest 23% owned 55% taxable
wealth
- Increase in prosperity led to
unprecedented scale of building
Causes of Poverty
- Prices rose as more people moved to the cities. They weren’t producing food anymore, a
relied on a dwindling countryside population
- Food prices rose as a result of harvests not matching a rising population. Grain prices
(bread) rose quickest
- Wages did not rise as fast as prices as labour became cheaper with more people looking
for work .
- Rent prices for land increased and tenants had to pay entry fees when they took over
some land.
- Sheep farming increased, as 80% of Elizabethan exports was wool. However, sheep
flocks were often over 2000, only affordable to the richest and ate a huge amount of
crops – at a time of rising grain prices.
- Enclosure of land (fencing it off) effected the poorest as the richest fenced of common
land. Also, less labour was needed with more efficient methods therefore leading to
more unemployment.
- Flood of Spanish silver, from the new world, which increased the supply of money
→inflation in 1590s
- Rise in government costs resulting from war with Spain and rebellion in Ireland
- Lack of support for impoverished people due to dissolution
Important Legislation
Social Legislation
1563
Act Details Significance
Act of - All land which had been - Against depopulation
Maintaining under tillage for 4 years - Gov fear over number of tenants
Tillage since 1528 must remain so available for military service
- No land currently under
tillage could be converted
to pasture
Statute of - Attempt to regulate industry - Recognised right to work
Artificers and agriculture - Focused on young, single,
- Fixed max not min wage full-time labourers
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller rubydowling1. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £2.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
78310 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now