Social Classes In Elizabethan England

Even though English society was hierarchical, it was easy to move up or down from one generation to the next. Most people got their status from birth and land ownership. England changed a lot during the 16th century. There were several internal changes in England which affected England’s class system. The respect for the middle class grew and the Gentry class grew.

During this time the social class depended on how much land you owned. Royalty in your Kings and Queens was part of the upper class; the noble lords and vassals followed the

In the English colonies there were six social classes. From the richest to the poorest, these were the gentry, the middle Class, poor whites, indentured servants, free africans and slaves. The people that made up these classes ranged from the most powerful to those with the least amount of rights, if any.

The social class for the Elizabethan Era was unique because of the different ways it was set up than from today. This social class has a very different type of hierarchy than any other social class that was ever made. Even though this social class was unique, it still needed the opportunity for improving the flaws. Certain levels of hierarchy needed a possibility for demotion for their class to move up in the rankings so they can get treated and respected better. The lower levels of the social classes didn’t have the best ways of living and suffered cruelty. The social class in the Elizabethan Era had a different type of hierarchy than we do today, the social class had the opportunity for improvement, and the possibility of demotion of the social class; therefore the social class could have had a revolution or change in the system.

The upper, middle, and lower class. The upper class streamed from the aristocrats of earlier time periods. The middle and lower classes were the working classes. The middle class however had jobs with better pay, a better standard of living ,and better sanitation then the lower class but still had struggles with day to day necessities. The lower class were very poor and had difficult lives. Many children worked in the lower class. This relates to A Brave New World as the lower classes were not focused on in society very often, and had difficult jobs and less access to resources from their conception, this caused the lower classes to in general have low

The following class, which was by far the largest, was the middle class. (Population and Social Rank) This included owners of small stores and businesses, small farmers, and craftsmen. (1727: Colonial America) They were mostly educated, and lived successful lives. They also had very high moral standards and some were deeply religious. (Population and Social Rank) Most middle class men could vote, but few held public office, as the gentry used their wealth and influence for political control. Middle class women ran self-sufficient households, and made their own clothes, candles, cheese and soap. Few were educated. (1727: Colonial America)

During the Middle Ages social class much different than modern day. In a feudal society “nobles were granted the use of land that legally belonged to the king,” (Doc. 1). The nobles, in return, would give the lord loyalty and military services (Doc. 1). As peasants or serfs worked for nobles and knights they received protection and a portion of the harvest to feed their families (Doc. 1).

Queen Elizabeth I was a major political influence from her time and still influences our world today. Elizabeth I was born on September 7th, 1533 in Greenwich, England. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII, the half-sister of King Edward VI and Queen Mary I (Ellis 1). Elizabeth did not only rule the country she had accomplished many other tasks among her lifetime. She wrote her own poems (Women Writers Of Great Britain & Europe 1), she never relied on translators since she had mastered languages like Greek, Latin, French, and Italian when she was a student (Ellis 1). Queen Elizabeth’s greatest accomplishment was being an extraordinary ruler of England. Another massive accomplishment of hers was reestablishing England back to Protestantism. Queen Elizabeth I deserves to be in the History Hall of Fame because she was a successful, popular Queen of England, who reestablished Protestantism to England.

It can also be determined on what you do for a living. The class system in the Elizabethan era was made up of the upper, middle, and lower classes. In each of the three classes there are smaller groups. In the higher class there were the nobility and the monarchy.

Queen Elizabeth the first, was the queen of England for almost 50 years in the 1500s. She was a very interesting person with a huge variety of characteristics. She was cunning, but kind, very smart, and also manipulative. During her reign she had many major accomplishments; she restored the church of England, soothed tensions between England and France, she was also a patron of the arts. She had many accomplishments because she was a strong leader who had many leadership qualities.

Queen Elizabeth I was one of the most influential rulers of England and a large reason why England advanced so much. The time period in which she ruled was known as the Elizabethan era, and it was during this time when England and the English language advanced further. Elizabeth’s fondness for theater enabled more social interaction, as well as allowing poets and playwrights such as William Shakespeare to create more plays. More importantly, however, what made Queen Elizabeth special was her popularity. She was a very popular queen, and during her time in power, she never sparked any major conflicts.

Social classes play a major role in society and shape the roles of the people. Since the Elizabethan period began, the social classes were well structured with many influences, such as prestige or wealth. Many citizens found ways to elevate their status and become more successful citizens in the public. The social class structure in the Elizabethan Era was thought to be strict and very well organized, yet still had many opportunities and flaws which lead to changes in citizens’ lives.

The reign of Queen Elizabeth I is often referred to as "The Golden Age" of English history. Elizabeth was an immensely popular Queen, and her popularity has waned little with the passing of four hundred years. She is still one of the best-loved monarchs, and one of the most admired rulers of all time. She became a legend in her own lifetime, famed for her remarkable abilities and achievements. Yet, about Elizabeth the woman, we know very little. She is an enigma, and was an enigma to her own people.

The Upper Class, the Middle Class, and the Working Class were separate divisions in the population. The Upper Class saw the greatest benefit from the changes occurring during this time. The class was made up of aristocrats, nobles, dukes, and other wealthy families. (1) While they comprised only two percent of the population, they held all the power.

The three Medieval European social classes are Nobles, Clergy, and Peasants. Out of all of the social classes, the clergy is the first class in the society because its sacred character. The people in the Clergy class were members that were in charge of the worship of God and to preach of the Gospel, the most elevated works that had exists. The clergy lays the foundation of civilization because without morals a country has no worth, and it is the Catholic clergy who have all the supernatural and natural means to inculcate authentic morals in a country. Then it came down to nobility, this was a distinctive social group, not all noblemen were originally great men with large hereditary lands.