Growing prosperity and the rise of the gentry

Question 1

What is a description of the gentry living standards before the golden age ?

Answer 1

• Most owned an estate of a few hundred acres
• They ran local
  governments as JPs
• They might also be knights or lawyer

Question 2

How did the gentry’s living conditions improve during Elizabeth’s reign ?

Answer 2

• They became very wealthy, but less wealthy than nobles
• Some built
  large country houses which were far more comfortable and richly
  decorated than before

Question 3

What is a description of the Merchant’s living conditions before Elizabeth’s reign ?

Answer 3

• Tended to live in towns and made their money through trade

Question 4

How did the Merchant’s living standard improve during the golden ages ?

Answer 4

• They get in wealth, power and influence

Question 5

What is the description of the Yeomen’s living standards before Elizabeth’s reign ?

Answer 5

• Often owned lazing of more than 50 acres
• They rented some of their land to tenant farmers
• They employed farm labourers

Question 6

How did the Yeomen’s living standards improve during the Golden ages ?

Answer 6

• They homes were improved by the introduction of chimneys and glass windows- these made homes lighter and warmer
• They usually atte well but they could not afford the fine wines and feasts that the gentry enjoyed

Question 7

What were the living standards of Crafts people and labourers before the golden ages ?

Answer 7

• In towns, they worked in trades such as textiles and leather industry
• In the countryside, they mainly worked on farms

Question 8

Did craftspeople and labourers living standards improve during Elizabeth’s reign ?

Answer 8

No - life remained a struggle

Question 9

What were crafts people and labourers life like during Elizabeth’s reign ?

Answer 9

• Many were forced into poverty by bad harvests, rising prices and unemployment
• Farmers only employed labourers when they needed them
• They struggled to pay their rent and buy food for their families
• Their cottages we’re usually very small, no upper rooms, no chimneys, no glass windows and a bare earth floor

Question 10

What acronym do you use to remember why the gentry grew richer and more
powerful ?

Answer 10

PERM:

P - politics and patronage

E - Economics

R - religion

M - Marriage