Social and intellectual challenge, 1625-88 Flashcards
Why did the population of Britain increase in the years 1625-88, and what impact did this have?
Population growth (1520-1680).
The expansion was far from equal across regions and the rate of change varied.
Large areas of the North were uninhabited.
Explain how migration had an impact on population growth in the years 1625-88.
Revolution and war (a large number of foreign immigrants arrived in 1651, two years after the Commonwealth was established).
By 1600, migrants made up 35 per cent of the population of Norwich.
More job security would lead to more children being born.
Migration into Kentish towns (1580 and 1640).
Only 5 per cent of the population outside London lived in towns with over 5,000 inhabitants.
Explain how mortality and fertility rates had an impact on population growth in the years 1625-88.
Population came to 1.5 million in the 1450s.
The population had become adept at isolating individuals and containing the spread of diseases.
When death rates were high, fertility was often high.
Late average age of first marriages.
How has population growth had an impact on London?
London - 500,000 (contemporaries)/ 400,000 (modern estimate).
Around 7 per cent of the English population lived in London, increasing to over 9 per cent in 1700.
Close to 400 per cent more grain between 1600 and 1680.
How many towns were there in 1600, and how much had this increased to by 1700?
In 1600, there were eight towns with a population over 5,000, and this had increased to over 30 in 1700.
Why was Norwich the most populous town outside London?
In the first quarter of the 17th century, Norwich was the most populous town outside London, with 30,000 inhabitants, up from 10,000 in 1500.
Centre of the East Anglican cloth industry.
Why did towns like Bristol and Liverpool prosper in the 17th century?
Industrial centres, processing goods imported from abroad.
The North East of England was the centre of the coal extraction industry.
Population growth on smaller market towns had less of an impact.
What was the South East and Midlands important for?
Market towns, where crops could be traded.
What was the North dominated by?
Cattle and sheep farms.
What were the impacts of population growth?
Increase in poverty and the number of people officially classified as vagrants.
Resulted in a shortage of work.
Movement of cloth industry.
The number of poor rose as population increased. Although Norwich was successful, many inhabitants engaged in trades related to the cloth industry, such as tailors, lived below the poverty line.
Describe what society was like during the 17th century.
Rigid hierarchy; although it was possible to move up/ down the social scale.
In what ways did the revolutionary events affect the power of the nobility?
Class directly below monarch (peers).
Many held land, property and titles, which had been inherited in their families for many generations.
2 per cent of the population belonged to the nobility and gentry.
Reached a point of stagnation in the later years of Elizabeth’s reign.
During the 17th century, the nobility arguably started to decline in significance because of?
Reached a point of stagnation in the later years of Elizabeth’s reign.
Inflation.
According to R.H. Tawney, this was because of the demands of a new world of luxury and fashion: “the wealth of some of the nobility, and especially of the older families, was not infrequently more spectacular than substantial. It was locked up in frozen assets”.
Lawrence Stone - poor management of finances.
How wealthy were some members of the nobility?
The Marquis of Newcastle and the Earl of Worcester were in a position to donate £900,000 and £700,000 respectively to the royalist cause in 1642.
How significant was the rise of the gentry in the 17th century?
Growing in importance. For example, their numbers increased by approximately 300 per cent between early Tudor period and middle of the 17th century.
Total number: around 15,000, made up of 3,000 higher gentry and 12,000 lesser gentries.
Half of wealth and property belonged to the gentry, with 15 per cent controlled by the nobility.
