Kett's rebellion Flashcards
(46 cards)
what was enclosure?
the surrounding of land acting as a barrier, it was done amongst the rich tenants too stop the commonwealth and poor people from using their land so they could become more profitable.
why was enclosure a key factor in sparking Kett’s rebellion ?
people believed it was the main cause for poverty and social and economic hardship, especially in the north.
what was rack renting?
a term used to describe how landlords increased their rent to such extortionate rates that tenants were unable to afford their land and therefore it could be enclosed.
what was the role of the “common wealth” ?
the commonwealth were a group of “thinkers” such as politicians, intellectuals and clergymen. they had strong beliefs on social reform and promoted equality - not in the sense of complete equality but they wanted a godly commonwealth.
what was a godly commonwealth?
represented the “common good” in England, they believed that wealthy Christians had a duty to look after the poor.
why were the common wealth incorrect about the source of poverty?
because enclosure was not the reason for increased economic hardship, in fact it was due to the growing population and lack of resources such as jobs. q
who was the Duke of Somerset?
committed protestant and was attracted vto the idea of creating a godly commonwealth.
what did somerset do regarding enclosure?
he protected copyholders of his own land from enclosure.
appointed John hales to oversee social reform
and tried to enforce a series of bills and reforms.
why did the reforms fail to go through?
because the majority of parliament reflected the landed elites who benefited greatly from enclosures.
what successful policy did go through?
a new sheep tax in 1549.
what did hales and somerset do with the appointing of commissioners?
they were appointed to investigate into illegal enclosures however couldn’t do anything about them.
what direct action did somerset take?
he ploughed down illegal enclosures and in April 1549, issued a commission saying that illegal enclosures would be destroyed. - this wasn’t a legal bill.
what unexpected and unwanted consequences did Somerset’s bills cause?
- he was alienated from the landed elite.
2. the rebels saw him as the “good duke” and therefore believed he would condone any of their actions.
when did the rebellion break out?
1st July 1549 in East Anglia riots against illegal enclosure broke out.
where did the first incident of Kett’s rebellion begin?
at the market town of Wymondham (Norfolk) where the local community had met together for a traditional feasting and celebrations.
what happened at the feast in the town of Wymondham?
the festivities got out of hand and drunken crowds began destroying the enclosures of an unpopular local landowner Sir John Flowerdew.
who was Flowerdew?
he was a lawyer who has been in a dispute with the people of Wymondham over the fate of the local abbey. - he started to demolish the Abbey even though the local people had purchased it.
how did Flowerdew react to the rebels attacking his land?
he tried to turn them against another landowner who also used the practice of enclosure, Robert Kett.
how did Kett react to the rioters at Wymondham?
he sided with them and he agreed that he had illegally enclosed his land and ordered for his own hedges to be torn down.
what did Kett’s actions towards his own enclosures and the rioters at Wymondham cause?
him to become the leader/figurehead of a widespread anti-enclosure movement.
Kett decided to March on Norwich, what had happend by the 12th of July?
the rebels and Kett had set up a camp on Mousehold Heath a hill which looked over Norwich.
why was Norwich an obvious choice for Kett and his rebels
- it was the 2nd largest city in England after London.
- although it was a rich town, about 6% of the population owned 60% of land and goods.
- this meant there was a sharp divide between the rich and the poor which Kett though could be exploited in gaining support from the townspeople.
- key administrative centre and was a good place to gain the governments attention.
what did News of Kett’s arrival in Norwich cause?
it sparked the townspeople to tare down some local enclosures .
what other camps were set up that where inspired by Kett’s own at Mousehold Heath?
- Downham Market
- Bury st. Edmund’s
