The Problem Of The Poor

Question 1

What was the reason for an increase in poverty in England

Answer 1

Increase population, rising food prices, sheep farming

Enclosure on fields meant less people were employed in farms,

More people were forced to movemto cities for work

International problems such as the Dutch revolt affected trade

Question 2

What were vagabonds

Answer 2

Homeless people who roamed the countryside

Question 3

How was the poor viewed

Answer 3

There was some sympathy for impotent or deserving poor (unable to work due to illness or age)

But able bodied poor were treated more harshly

Question 4

What did the government do about the poverty problem

Answer 4

1563 Statute of Artificers - Collect poor relief money

1572 Vagabonds Act - to deter the homeless

1576 Poor relief act - help abke bodied people find some work

Question 5

Did the governments actions change poverty in England

Answer 5

They had some successbut poverty remained a problem throughout Elizabeths reign.

The most important change was that these laws recognised that unemployment was a problem that needed to be solved

Also people weren’t unemployed out of laziness