Pre Industrial Britain Flashcards
What was life like in Pre Industrial Britain?
- class division (upper and lower class)
- people lived in countryside/ rural areas.
- limited free time - free time was dedicated by the agricultural season
- cruel for lower class, comfortable and luxurious for upper class
- widespread illiteracy
- communications and transport was limited
Key Terms:
Feudal System
Popular reacreations
Feudal system - broadly defined, it was a way of structuring society around a relationship derived from the holding of land in exchange for service of labour.
Popular recreation - the sport and pastimes of people in Pre- Industrial Britain
What did long hours mean for the lower class?
Long hours of work for the lower class meant that popular recreation activities were occasional and therefore restricted to annual events when the agricultural calendar allowed their participation (e.g. festivals or holy days)
How did limited transport affect people?
Limited transport available meant that popular recreations activities were local and specific to each community, the area they lived in the countryside and natural resources available.
How did the widespread of illiteracy affect people in sport?
Literacy was low among the lower class in society so any rules were very basic and applied to a particular community - unlimited number of players, no time limits and no official were the norm in mob games.
Who played Mob Football in Pre-Industrial Britain?
Lower class in society, reflecting the clear division of society into two tiers
Where was Mob Football played?
It was localised - due to limited transport and communications
How was Mob Football played?
In the fields using natural resources (e.g pigs bladder)
When was Mob Football played?
Occasionally due to long working hours for the lower class.
What was Mob Football like?
It was male dominated and very violent and often unruly in nature, which reflected the harsh conditions in society. There were few rules and regulations - due to widespread illiteracy.
Who played Real Tennis?
It was an exclusive activity, played by upper class males.
Henry VIII had a real tennis court in Hampton Court
How was Real Tennis played?
It was played to a high moral code so it lacked violence and was played in a civilised manner, opponents mutually respected each other.
When was Real Tennis played?
People in Upper class had plenty of leisure time so they would play it on a regular basis. Expensive facilities using expensive specialist equipment
Where was Real Tennis played?
The upper class had the ability to travel to play real tennis so it was non-local in nature.
What was Real Tennis like?
It was a skilful game with difficult technical demands, which enabled the upper class to show their ‘superiority over the lower class.
