Living Standards, Fashion and Social Change Flashcards

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In history, what do we mean by "living standards" in Elizabethan England?

It means how good or bad everyday life was, including food, housing, work and comfort.

How did the living standards of rich Elizabethans differ from those of the poor?

Rich people lived in large houses, ate varied food and had servants. Poor people lived in small, simple homes and often struggled to get enough to eat.

How did population growth in Elizabethan England affect living standards for many people?

The rising population meant more competition for jobs and food. This pushed wages down and prices up, so many people became poorer.

What happened to prices and wages in Elizabethan England, and how did this change living standards?

Food prices rose faster than wages. This meant workers could buy less with their pay and their living standards fell.

How did enclosure affect living standards for some country people in Elizabethan England?

When landowners fenced off common land for sheep farming, some villagers lost grazing land and work. Their living standards got worse.

What were living conditions like for poor people in Elizabethan towns such as London?

Many poor people who lived in towns had crowded, dirty housing with little clean water. Disease spread easily.

How did the diet of rich Elizabethans differ from that of the poor?

Rich people ate lots of meat, white bread and sweet foods. Poor people mainly ate coarse bread and pottage (vegetable stew) and had very little meat.

What did a person’s clothes show about them in Elizabethan England?

Clothes showed a person’s social rank and wealth. People used fashion to display their status.

What were the Sumptuary Laws (or Statutes of Apparel) introduced under Elizabeth I?

They were laws that controlled which colours and materials each social group could wear. They were meant to stop people dressing above their rank.

Give one example of clothing worn by rich Elizabethans and one worn by the poor.

Rich people might wear silk or velvet with big ruffs. Poor people wore simple woollen clothes in dull colours.

How did women’s and men’s fashions change for the wealthy in Elizabethan England?

Wealthy women began to wear stiff, wide skirts called farthingales. Wealthy men wore padded doublets and hose, which made their bodies look very shaped and fashionable.

What was one major social change in Elizabethan England linked to living standards and fashion?

The gap between rich and poor grew wider. Rich people spent more on luxury homes and clothes, while many poor people faced falling living standards.

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