Why were there so many poor people in Tudor England?

Why were there so many poor people in Tudor England?

In Tudor England about a third of the population lived in poverty. Their suffering always increased after bad harvests. A shortage of food resulted in higher prices. This meant that poorer families could not afford to buy enough food for their needs.

What were the differences between rich homes and poor homes in Tudor times?

Only rich people could afford carpets, although they were often hung on the wall because they were too expensive to be placed on the floor. Tudor homes often had some kind of garden as well. For people with less money, a garden would be quite small and was a place where they could grow their own herbs and vegetables.

What type of houses did most Tudors have?

The majority of homes in Tudor times were half timbered. This means that they had a wooden frame and the spaces between were filled with small stick and wet clay. This was called wattle and daub. The most distinctive feature of Tudor houses was their ‘black-and-white’ effect.

What did poor children do in Tudor times?

Poor children weren’t educated because their job was to bring money in for their family. Aged only seven, Tudor children left home to become apprentices or servants for wealthy people. Apprentices took an oath to only work only for their masters, in return; they learnt a trade, received food, accommodation and clothes.

How were poor people treated in Tudor England?

Life for the poor in Tudor times was harsh. The poor had to work hard and struggled to survive. Many poor people lives lived in villages doing farm work or making cloth in their own homes for very little pay. They worked six days a week and only had holy days and public holidays off work.

How did Henry VIII treat the poor?

In the reign of Henry VIII, a number of laws were passed to try to prevent beggars, also known as vagrants, but they simply involved punishing poor people. Elizabeth passed Poor Laws in 1597 and 1601, which said that: Each parish had to look after its own poor.

What were rich Tudor houses like?

Rich houses were often made from brick or stone and tiles. Stone was very expensive and could only be offered by the very rich. Castles and churches were always built of stone. Kirby Hall is an outstanding example of a large, stone-built Elizabethan mansion.

What did Rich Tudor houses have?

Most Tudor houses had a thatched roof, although rich people could afford to use tiles. Very rich people in Tudor times liked to have a large garden, often containing a maze, fountains or hedges shaped like animals. Poor people had much smaller gardens and grew their own herbs and vegetables.

What was a rich Tudor house like?

What were poor Tudor houses like?

A poor Tudor home would have had holes in the wall for windows and some might have had wooden shutters to keep out draughts. Poor people’s houses would have consisted of one single room where all the family lived and slept. The floor would have been earth and the walls and roof would have been straw, mud and dung.

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