The Poor and English Sailors

3.3 THE POOR - reasons for poverty, attitudes to poverty, government action, seriousness of poverty

Poverty increased during Elizabethan times for many reasons;

• More silver in Europe

          - Spain had conquered areas of Central & South America , silver mines found   

          - 1540, huge quantities of silver were shipped to Spain

          - Mines in Europe also produced silver, melted to make coins

          - Trade spread it throughout Europe

• Henry VIII lowering the value of money (“debasement”)

          - 1540s - Henry was short of money to pay for wars

          - Melted down old coins to issue new ones - less silver and gold

          - Made a profit of £1 million - but coins were debased

          - Elizabeth called in the debased coins and issued new ones with higher          

            proportions of metal

• Bad Harvests

          - Several bad harvests

          - food shortages and prices increased which threatened starvation

• A rising population

          - Population fell in the 12th century due to the black death

          - rose again in 16th century, more food, clothes, houses, jobs but still not

            enough

• Inflation

          - wages didn’t keep up with rising prices

          - poor people struggled

          - Food cost more and more, leaving nothing for other necessities

          - shortages meant a bigger demand

Elizabeth was very worries about poverty as beggars often turned to crime, robbing…