Elizabethan Poor Law and Vagrancy

Why did the number of vagrants increase during Elizabeth I's reign?

• Overpopulation and insufficient jobs

• The dissolution of monasteries

• Poor harvests and rising food prices

• All of the above

What was the impact of the dissolution of monasteries on poor people?

• It reduced access to education.

• It destroyed places that previously provided charity and shelter.

• It created new job opportunities.

• It encouraged more people to become farmers.

Which groups of people were classified as vagrants during this time?

• Beggars, wanderers, and traveling performers

• Landowners without tenants

• Merchants who traded without licenses

• Soldiers returning from wars

Why were vagrants often feared or disliked by the public?

• They were believed to spread disease.

• Many thought they were lazy and unwilling to work.

• They were sometimes associated with crime.

• All of the above

What was the purpose of the 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law?

• To punish vagrants with imprisonment

• To provide structured relief for the poor

• To encourage farmers to hire more workers

• To increase taxes on the wealthy

Under the Elizabethan Poor Law, how were the “deserving poor” treated?

• They were offered financial support or work.

• They were sent to workhouses regardless of their situation.

• They were required to leave their parishes.

• They were imprisoned.

How were the “undeserving poor” treated under the Elizabethan Poor Law?

• They were provided with jobs.

• They were punished, sometimes through whipping or imprisonment.

• They were relocated to new parishes.

• They were offered charity by the church.

What role did local parishes play in supporting the poor?

• They collected taxes to provide relief.

• They built large shelters for vagrants.

• They created farming programs for unemployed people.

• They sent the poor to London for assistance.

Why were harvest failures a significant problem during this period?

• They led to increased food prices and starvation.

• They caused unemployment among laborers.

Which of these outcomes was a long-term effect of the Elizabethan Poor Law?

• It created the foundation for future welfare systems.

• It permanently eliminated vagrancy.

• It ensured all poor people were treated equally.

• It led to the abolition of taxes.