What was England like when Shakespeare was alive?
William Shakespeare lived in England while under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. During this time (1558-1603), England saw a rebirth in national pride, an artistic explosion and appreciation in poetry, literature, and theatre, international expansion, and victories over Spain, a powerful and despised rival.
What was enclosure in Elizabethan England?
Land enclosure meant that the traditional open field system whereby individual peasant farmers could farm their own pieces of land was ended in favour of creating larger and more profitable farming units which required fewer people to work on them.
What were the living conditions like in Elizabethan England?
It included a small but powerful population of wealthy nobles, a prospering middle class, and a large and impoverished lower class living in miserable conditions. In the filthy, crowded neighborhoods of the poor, raw sewage (waste matter) ran through the streets. Disease and crime were widespread.
What was English society like in 1558?
Society in Elizabethan England Elizabethan England was mainly rural. Most of the population lived in farming villages and were engaged in jobs relating to this. Towns were expanding though. Trades were becoming more established and expanding export markets encouraged growth.
What was London like in 1600?
London was a big city even back in the 1660s. A lot of people lived and worked there, but it wasn’t very clean so it was easy to get sick. Overcrowding was a huge problem in London – when people did get sick diseases spread very quickly, and thousands of people died during the Great Plague in 1665-1666.
Where did Elizabethans throw their toilet waste?
Many houses had latrines that emptied into deep cesspits. These cesspits themselves were usually emptied into middens, the early equivalent of landfills, or nearby streams or rivers. At night, people had lidded chamber pots in their rooms to use for convenience; these were emptied into latrines.
Why was Elizabethan England poor?
The population rose by a million during the Elizabethan period. More people meant there was more demand for goods, and so prices rose. Prices for goods rose, but wages fell as there were more people around to do the work. There was a decline in demand and this led to unemployment.
What are the 3 poor laws?
The poor were classified in 3 brackets: a) The able poor who would work b) The able poor who would not work c) The poor who could not work, including children. The 1563 provisions meant that those who could (and would) work received some assistance in their own home: outdoor relief.
How did poor people live in Elizabethan England?
With nothing to do in the countryside, many poor drifted to towns and cities to look for work. Also landlords were moving away from growing crops like corn and turning to sheep farming as a growing population required more clothes and good money could be made from farming sheep.
What was happening in England in the 1590s?
Events from the 1590s in England . Publication of Edmund Spenser ‘s poetry The Faerie Queene and his satire Mother Hubbard’s Tale. Publication of Thomas Lodge ‘s prose tale Rosalynde: Euphues Golden Legacie. 10 April – merchant James Lancaster sets off on a voyage to the East Indies.
What did John Norden do in 1593 in England?
1593. January – John Norden commissioned to make maps of all the counties of England. 23 February – Peter Wentworth imprisoned for raising the issue of succession to the throne in Parliament. 6 April – Witches of Warboys: Alice, John and Agnes Samuel found guilty of witchcraft and hanged.
What was the fashion in England in the 1590s?
In England, the 1590s showcased an even wider, more unbalanced silhouette than the decade before. The inverted triangle of the stomacher—inspired by popular French fashions—became longer and narrower, as can be seen in the portrait of Maria Christina, Archduchess of Austria (Fig. 4).
Why was land enclosure important in the Elizabethan era?
Land enclosure meant that the traditional open field system whereby individual peasant farmers could farm their own pieces of land was ended in favour of creating larger and more profitable farming units which required fewer people to work on them. As the wool trade became increasingly popular, these units were often dedicated to rearing sheep.