Researching Elizabethan England

The role of women in Elizabethan England
Women had smalls roles in society and they were classed as non-important, they were normally housewives. They couldn’t get jobs.
Class distinctions in Elizabethan England
Elibethan time was cut into four social classes they were; the nobility, the gentry, the yeomantry and the poor. The nobility were born into royalty and it usually stayed that way their whole lives, they were very wealthy. The gentry were peasants who had made a lot of money and owned a lot of land. They were usually promoted to the nobility. The yeomantry were peasants. They had enough money to have food on the table and be comfortable but at anytime they could be pushed into poverty. The poor were at the very bottom and frequently didn’t have enough money to feed their family.
Entertainment in Elizabethan England
In Elizabethan time they didn’t have such things as television so they had;
§ Jesters - A fool or buffoon at Elizabethan courts
§ Mummers - A masked or costumed merrymaker or dancer especially at a festival
§ Minstrels - Travelling musician who sang of legends (declined in the Elizabethan era)
§ Troubadours - Travelling musician who sang of courtly love (declined in the Elizabethan era)
§ Acting Troupes - Travelling actors
§ Jugglers - Also used tricks, deception, or fraud
And they also held many activities.
§ Feasts - A large, elaborately prepared meal, usually for many persons and often accompanied by court entertainment. Often celebrated religious festivals
§ Banquets - A ceremonial dinner honoring a particular guest
§ Fairs - The Annual Summer Fair was often a bawdy affair
§ Plays - Starting as plays enacted in town squares followed by the actors using the courtyards of taverns or inns ( referred to as Inn-yards ) followed by the first theatres ( great open air amphitheatres built in the same style as the Roman Coliseum ) and then the introduction of indoor theatres called Playhouses
§ Mystery Plays - Re-enacting stories from the Bible
§ Festivals - Celebrating Church festivals
§ Dancing - Elizabethan dances enjoyed by the Upper Classes, Royalty and Nobility included the Cinque-pace, Galliard, Pavane, Roundel, Tordion and the Volta
§ Jousts / Tournaments - A series of tilting matches between knights
§ Games and Sports - Sports and games which included archery, bowling, cards, dice, hammer-throwing, quarter-staff contests, quoits, skittles and wrestling
§ Animal Sports - Including Bear and Bull baiting. Dog and Cock fighting
§ Hunting - Sport followed by the nobility often using dogs
§ Hawking - Sport followed by the nobility with hawks
Education in Elizabethan England
Girls weren’t educated in Elizabethan by schools is they wanted to be literate they had to get tutors and there was only schools for boys.
Fashion in Elizabethan England
Elizabethan Clothing for Women
Underclothes!
Smock or shift, also calleda chemise made of linen
Stockings or hose
Corset or bodice
Farthingale - a hooped skirt
A Roll or Rowle
Stomacher
Petticoat
Kirtle
Forepart
Partlet
Over Clothes!
Gown
Separate sleeves
Ruff
Cloak
Shoes
Hat
Elizabethan Clothing for Men
Underclothes!
Shirt
Stockings or hose
Codpiece
Corset
Over Clothes!
Doublet
Separate sleeves
Breeches
Belt
Ruff
Cloak
Shoes
Hat

The monarchy in Elizabethan England
The Elizabethan people loved their Queen Elizabeth I and they thought she was a great leader. She backed this up by making some amazing and inspirational speeches. Her leadership brought feelings of security and stability to the people. She never married which meant she never brought a foreign prince to power.
Love, Marriage and Courtship in Elizabethan England
Marriages were quite often arranged and because of pregnancy, Shakespeare for instance, his wife gave birth 2 months after they were married. A daughter was only good for a dowry in there time, bride prices were illegal but a dowry was seen as a wedding gift so it was sneaked under the radar.
Social etiquette in Elizabethan England
As a woman you couldn’t say anything and you were expected to just cook and clean