Pre-industrial sport in Britain

Question 1

describe social class in Pre-industrial Britain.

Answer 1

• Upper class (Aristocracy or gentry who were hereditary land owners)
• Lower class (peasants, manual work on the land)

Lower class:
- activities had few rules and often violent e.g. Mob football, dog fighting

Upper class:
- activities had complex sets of rules and more sophisticated e.g. fox hunting and real tennis.

Both classes:
- Pedestrianism and cricket.
- Cricket had professionals (lower class) and amateurs (upper class)

Question 2

Describe gender in Pre-industrial Britain.

Answer 2

Women seen as the weeker sex and therefor activities had to suit this and not be too strenuous or dangerous.