Social Classes and Occupations of Elizabethan England
Nobility
- These people were rich, powerful, and owned large houses.
- Split into two different families
- Old families were catholic and new families were protestant
- Many worked in court or parliament
Citizens
Gentry
- This class was made up of merchants, tradesmen, shopkeepers, innkeepers, and people who made products for public consumption
- These people were the equivalent to the urban middle class we have today
Monarch
- This is the highest position in the hierarchy.
- Queen was considered to be a representative of God on Earth.
- Queen Elizabeth was the monarch at this time and her rule was considered to be the golden age of British history.
- These people were aristocrats who owned small parts of land and households.
- They were still considerably wealthy
- People who happened to own large properties were referred to as "gentlemen"
Overview
In the Elizabethan era, people did whatever was necessary to survive. Many jobs were available in a wide variety of purposes. There were very clear and rigid ranks in the social hierarchy.
Traders and Craftsmen
Townsfolk - Those who lived in towns; were mainly merchants and craftsmen
Merchants - Those who owned their own trade or craft and took in apprentices
Apprentice - Teenagers who worked with a Merchant to learn a trade or craft; after seven years they became Journeyman
Clergy - People who work in the Church
Yeomen
Land-Holding Commoners
Freeholders - Those whose land was passed down, but still had to pay rent. Freeholders couldn't be evicted.
Leaseholders - Those who owned land and rented it out to other people.
Copy holders - Those who paid rent to live on land; their rent could be changed and they could be evicted at any time
Some of the royal occupations include:
- Cook - Works in the kitchen and makes food
- Harker - Declares announcements made by the Queen
- Jester - Also known as the fool, entertains the Queen
- Knight - Fights to keep the Queen safe
- Squire - A junior to the knight
- Watchman - Castle security
- These people were the largest class, and were more rural than citizens
- Had three sub-categories: land-holding commoners, traders and craftsmen, and hired help
- The hired help were considered part of the family they were working for
Medical
Occupations
Some medical jobs included:
- Apothecary - Gave out herbal medicines
- Barber - Cut hair, performed surgery, also did dental work and blood letters
- Herbalist - Plants and takes care of medicinal plants
- Physician - Took care of patients and cured people from sickness or injury
- There were a wide variety of occupations at this time
- They could be categorized in many ways but personally they are classified as, medical, royal, and craftsmen
There were many jobs in this category like:
- Blacksmith - Forges weapons, sharpens weapons, and repairs armor
- Bower - Makes bows
- Carpenter - Built houses, furniture, and had knowledge about everything about wood
- Cordwainer - Makes shoes
- Painter - Paints artwork and decorates castle
- Potter - Makes pots and other ceramic goods
- Candle maker - Makes candles
The Poor
Bibliography
- The poor class was made up of beggars, the elderly, sick and other people who were unable to work
- The Poor Laws were created to place unable bodies in a hospital or orphanage, give able bodied people jobs, and to discourage rogues and beggars.
- "Elizabethan England Occupations." Elizabethan Era England Life. 2017. Web. 6 March 2017. http://www.elizabethanenglandlife.com/elizabethan-england-occupations.html.
- "Elizabethan Era Hierarchy Classes Ranks in Society." Elizabethan Era England Life. 2017. Web. 6 March 2017. http://www.elizabethanenglandlife.com/elizabethan-era-hierarchy-classes-ranks-in-society.html.
- "Social Classes in Elizabethan Era Nobility and Gentry." Elizabethan Era England Life. 2017. Web. 6 March 2017. http://www.elizabethanenglandlife.com/social-classes-in-elizabethan-era-nobility-and-gentry.html.
- "Social Classes in Elizabethan Era The Yeoman and the Poor." Elizabethan Era England Life. 2017. Web. 6 March 2017. http://www.elizabethanenglandlife.com/social-classes-in-elizabethan-era-the-yeomen-and-the-poor.html.
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