Order of Hierarchy

Materie:	Riassunto
Categoria:	Inglese
Download:	23
Data:	17.04.2007
Numero di pagine:	1
Formato di file:	.doc (Microsoft Word)

Order of Hierarchy

The society of 16th century was organized according to a pyramidal hierarchy. The sovereign was on the top; only Privy Councillors had the right of access. Nobles were very rich, they had great proprieties and servants but also many responsibilities. They had to serve the State but they became members of the upper House of Parliament. Below the nobility, there were the knights, made by the sovereign or by her deputy, like a general on a campaign. Below them, there were the gentlemen, born in well-to-do families and had a complete education. Indeed they were magistrate, members of parliament. The Yeomen were landowners who began to devote themselves to the creation of industries of coal, iron, clothing. Then there were the poor people whore condition became worse when the landowners began to enclose the common land. The crowning crops were substituted by the pasture of the sheep, so the people were compelled to beg until beginning became prohibited. The man was the ruler of the family. The women had very few rights indeed after the marriage, the women’s goods passed to their husbands. The women after died prematurely because 8 to 15 children. However the unmarried women suffered most: before the reformation they could became nuns but, with the Tudors, they were compelled to be servants in rich houses or, if they were lucky, they remained in their families.