Poverty in Elizabethan England

You might think the Elizabethan era was all about wealth and glamour, but life was actually getting harder for ordinary people. The population grew by a million people, which meant more competition for jobs and higher prices for food and goods.

Several factors made poverty worse during this time. Inflation hit hard - prices went up but wages went down because there were more workers available. England's main export, woolen cloth, collapsed, leaving many unemployed. Wars meant higher taxes, and terrible harvests in the 1590s made food incredibly expensive.

Many landlords made things worse by switching from growing crops to keeping sheep, which needed fewer workers. This left even more people without jobs or homes. At first, most people believed poverty was your own fault - a idea reinforced every Sunday at church.

Quick Fact: The population of England rose by 1 million people during Elizabeth's reign, creating massive pressure on resources and jobs.