Henry VIII - Economic Developments Under Henry VIII Flashcards
(39 cards)
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What happened to the volume of English Trade in the first half of the 16th century?
It increased (with occasional downturns)
What industries saw a continuous rise?
Cloth exports, exports of hides and tin
What market declined?
Raw wool
Which export almost doubled in Henry’s reign?
Woollen cloth
What does the increased import of wine suggest?
That the spending power of the more prosperous classes increased
What was the leading route for exports from England?
From London to Antwerp, from which it was often sent to customers in Central Europe and the Baltic
Where was exported cloth often travelling through and what problems did this cause?
An increasing proportion of cloth was travelling through London. This had a negative effect on other ports, particularly Bristol, and some other east coast ports such as Hull or Boston and traders found it hard to compete with their London rivals
Where else enjoyed a boom in trading?
Southampton, especially with trade with Venice
What was the biggest change in the cloth industry?
The increase in cheaper fabrics such as kersey
What was kersey?
A coarse woollen cloth which was lighter than the traditional English broadcloth and which took its name from the village of Kersey in Suffolk. Its lightness broadened its appeal
What percentage of cloth exports were transported by English merchants?
about 70% from the 1550s
How did the woollen industry operate?
largely on a domestic basis, with children carding the wool, women spinning and men weaving it. This was then sent for specialist treatment such as fulling or dyeing which appeared in specialist units around the country
Which areas saw the greatest growth in the cloth industry?
- West Riding of Yorkshire - East Anglia (especially south Suffolk) - Parts of the West Country (especially Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Devon)
Which people were able to make great profit in the cloth industry?
- Rich and entrepreneurial clothiers - They were not only able to acquire huge wealth, but they also were able to enhance their social status
Who is a good example of someone who was able to enhance their lives with the cloth industry?
- William Stumpe - He became MP for Malmesbury, high sheriff for the county, wealthy landowner and beneficiary from the dissolution of the monasteries
What industry did see some growth?
The mining industry
Which tin remained a prize export?
Cornish Tin
Where was lead mining growing in importance?
- Northeast of England - Newcastle supplied an increasing amount to the trades of London
How many blast furnaces were there by the middle of the century?
- 26 - these produced an increasing amount of iron ore in Kent and West Sussex
What was Henry VIII fairly uninterested in compared to his father?
Exploration
What was Robert Thorne involved in at this time?
An Iceland and Newfoundland fishery