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HVIII - English Society (p1) - Coggle Diagram
HVIII - English Society (p1)
Society in Transition
Major changes in
16th cent
- shape of structure
changes
little but by mid 16th cent. it was more
competitive /individualistic
Very
rural
+ retained characteristics of
feudal system
- one of most important signs of change was
increasing
social mobility between
various classes/social groups
Rise of Urban Elites
H.'s reign saw
rise
in status, wealth, power w/
rural
elite - citizens of
burgesses
of large town/cities - merchants, retailers + craftsmen who made
wealth
by trade
Returned to parl. in
increasing
nums. - gave them
political voice
Commoners
Changes were happening in
rural
lower orders - decline in
economic/political
power of great
landowners
brought disappearance of
selfdom
/about services during
15th cent
.
All peasantry theoretically
free
(still serfs in some parts until end of
16th cent.
) - could move about country
freely
Elites
Economic
decline
during 15th cent. -
aristocratic
landowners had to
sell/lease
(up to
99yrs
), parts of land - immediate impact of this was temp.
lowering
of social
privileges
of
nobility
Could no longer afford great
households
+ service to crown become attractive to ambitious of lesser
elites/gentry
Sale/leasing of estates created
active
land market - more land - distribution of land meant
rise
in gentry
Monasteries
had much land - diss. in
1530s
- crown took
estates
but in
1540s
to pay for wars a lot of it was sold to
gentry
- had impact on future pattern of land
ownership
Prices/rent rose after
1500
by improving
industrial/commercial
conditions - gentry
benefitted
- aristocracy can't get real
profit
for estates until long leases ran out at end of
16th cent.
- then they could
repossess
Changes in Structure of Peasants Society
Big changes about peasant society -
smallholders
described as
husbandmen
, sell
sufficient
small holders - about
12-16 hectares
of land
Customary tenures
replaced by new form of tenancy for lifetime of holder (
copyhand
) - for which
rent
was paid in cash
Many of former peasants took
advantage
of availability of land +
amassed
holdings of about
80 hectares
- become commercial
farmers
- joined ranks of
yeoman
- commoners w/
skills/trade
move to towns - build businesses