Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-1-population [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history.md) › [Edexcel](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel.md) › Population # Population History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603, topic 4.2.1 ## Population Growth in Tudor England Over the 16th century, England saw a dramatic increase in the size of its population. ### Population growth ![Population growth](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/d31f3560-cc61-48cc-b9a3-d7a9c178a034/india-crowd-busy-population-.jpg) - At the beginning of the Tudor period, the population totalled 2.2 million. - By 1600, the population was 4.1 million. - Data from this period comes from parish registers (from 1538) and tax records. ### Reasons for population growth ![Reasons for population growth](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/4db0e5f7-eab2-4739-8c18-0c709f2675a4/ageing-population-pyramid-.png) - Population growth is due to two factors: rising fertility and declining mortality levels. - However, England did experience mortality crises. - E.g. plagues, famine (1588 and 1597). - Wrigley and Schofield (1981): Population growth can be attributed mainly to the rise in fertility. - England did receive a number of immigrants from France, the Netherlands and Belgium. - E.g. Huguenots who were persecuted for being Protestants. ### Impact of population growth ![Impact of population growth](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/ae7be92e-5af5-4806-afb6-615d155a7f03/poverty-bread.jpg) - Population growth is fundamental for understanding social change in the Tudor period. - Those at the bottom of society faced a decline in living standards. - More people meant there was greater demand for food, causing food prices to rise. - More people led to increased competition for land, causing rent to increase. - More people also meant more people could work, causing wages to fall. - Poverty grew. - Population growth also capacitated the rise of yeomanry. ## Urbanisation Over the 16th century, people increasingly migrated from the countryside to cities. ### Growth of the metropole ![Growth of the metropole](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/c8fdd8d7-55f2-425e-b57e-e0e11ce218de/westminster-abbey-london-.jpg) - Under Henry VIII, 80,000 people lived in London. - By 1600, 200,000 people lived in London. ### Urban growth ![Urban growth](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/1db090a7-3860-405a-9bad-2c3ca7ff31c0/Fast-Car-Speed-Quick-Blur-Light.jpg) - There was a period of stability in towns in Elizabeth’s reign until the return of high taxation and bad harvests led to social unrest in the 1590s. - London grew faster than anywhere else. New urban centres began in some places (e.g. Manchester, Plymouth). Some towns declined (e.g. Winchester). - New urban centres grew because of manufacturing, although it was still small-scale. Examples of cottage industry: soap, nails, hosiery. - House building and entertainment did well in many towns. ### Impact of urban growth ![Impact of urban growth](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/4.1.1%20Photosynthesis/money.jpg) - Employers, merchants and professionals became wealthier. Ordinary workers and labourers saw real wages fall and living standards decline. ## Growth of the Professional Classes The Tudor period saw the rise of the professional classes. This included a group of lawyers and bureaucrats. ### Lawyers ![Lawyers](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/71be2eab-a3fe-4ec0-a683-1d5c0f8678fa/Lawyer-Writing-Paper-Gavil-Law.jpg) - The legal profession developed under the Tudors. - The legal profession grew due to the rise of legal tribunals, such as the Star Chamber. - A high proportion of MPs were lawyers. - E.g. under Elizabeth I half of Parliament was either lawyers or educated at university. ### Bureaucrats and administrators ![Bureaucrats and administrators](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/756817ba-7f4f-4ddd-9f12-818e4805f9bf/privy-room-house-.jpg) - Elton (1953): There was an administrative revolution under Cromwell, during Henry VIII’s reign. Cromwell was the architect behind a bureaucratic government run by civil servants. - The Privy Council became increasingly professional. ## Test yourself on Population - What did population growth capacitate? - Under Elizabeth I, how much of Parliament was either lawyers or educated at university? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/c32e8aa5-abeb-44ce-b7ad-e2162a2d0658/section/9a2bc8ee-184b-42f5-939d-93d2d90d55cd/session) - Previous topic: [4.1.2 Exploration & Trade](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-2-exploration-and-trade.md) - Next topic: [4.2.2 Dissolution of Monasteries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-2-dissolution-of-monasteries.md) ## History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603 contents ### 1 Monarch & Government - 1.1 Tudor Monarchs - [1.1.1 Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-1-henry-vii.md) - [1.1.2 Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-2-henry-viii.md) - [1.1.3 Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-3-edward-vi.md) - [1.1.4 Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-4-mary-i.md) - [1.1.5 Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-5-elizabeth-i.md) - [1.1.6 Succession Disputes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-6-succession-disputes.md) - 1.2 Changing Role of Parliament - [1.2.1 Parliament & Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-1-parliament-and-henry-vii.md) - [1.2.2 Parliament & Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-2-parliament-and-henry-viii.md) - [1.2.3 Parliament After the Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-3-parliament-after-the-reformation.md) - 1.3 Principal Servants to the Crown - [1.3.1 Principal Servants to the Crown](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-3-1-principal-servants-to-the-crown.md) ### 2 Religious Changes - 2.1 Tudor Monarchs & Religious Change - [2.1.1 The Henrician Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-1-the-henrician-reformation.md) - [2.1.2 Impact of Religious Change Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-2-impact-of-religious-change-under-henry-viii.md) - [2.1.3 Religious Change Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-3-religious-change-under-edward-vi.md) - [2.1.4 Religious Change Under Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-4-religious-change-under-mary-i.md) - [2.1.5 Elizabethan Settlement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-5-elizabethan-settlement.md) - 2.2 Catholicism & Survival - [2.2.1 Popular Attitudes to Catholicism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-1-popular-attitudes-to-catholicism.md) - [2.2.2 Catholicism Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-2-catholicism-under-henry-viii.md) - [2.2.3 Catholicism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-3-catholicism-under-elizabeth-i.md) - [2.2.4 Catholic Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-4-catholic-nobility.md) - 2.3 Protestantism & Puritanism - [2.3.1 Protestant Influences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-1-protestant-influences.md) - [2.3.2 Protestantism Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-2-protestantism-under-edward-vi.md) - [2.3.3 Protestantism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-3-protestantism-under-elizabeth-i.md) ### 3 State Control & Popular Resistance - 3.1 Tudor Control of the Country - [3.1.1 Councils](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-1-councils.md) - [3.1.2 Role of Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-2-role-of-nobility.md) - [3.1.3 Justices of the Peace](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-3-justices-of-the-peace.md) - [3.1.4 Lord Lieutenant](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-4-lord-lieutenant.md) - 3.2 The State & the Poor - [3.2.1 Reasons for Growth of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-1-reasons-for-growth-of-poverty.md) - [3.2.2 Punishments for Paupers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-2-punishments-for-paupers.md) - [3.2.3 Role of Charities](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-3-role-of-charities.md) - 3.3 Resistance to Tudor Rule - [3.3.1 Resistance to Tax & Subsidies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-1-resistance-to-tax-and-subsidies.md) - [3.3.2 Uprisings Against Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-2-uprisings-against-henry-viii.md) - [3.3.3 Uprisings Against Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-3-uprisings-against-edward-vi.md) - [3.3.4 Uprisings Against Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-4-uprisings-against-elizabeth-i.md) - [3.3.5 Decline of Popular Resistance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-5-decline-of-popular-resistance.md) ### 4 Economic, Social & Cultural Change - 4.1 Patterns of Domestic & Foreign Trade - [4.1.1 Wool & Cloth](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-1-wool-and-cloth.md) - [4.1.2 Exploration & Trade](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-2-exploration-and-trade.md) - 4.2 Changing Structure of Society - [4.2.1 Population](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-1-population.md) - [4.2.2 Dissolution of Monasteries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-2-dissolution-of-monasteries.md) - [4.2.3 Enclosure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-3-enclosure.md) - 4.3 Cultural Change - [4.3.1 Education & Literature](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-1-education-and-literature.md) - [4.3.2 Impact of Religious Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-2-impact-of-religious-change.md) - [4.3.3 Patronage](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-3-patronage.md) - [4.3.4 The Arts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-4-the-arts.md) - [4.3.5 Cult of Gloriana](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-5-cult-of-gloriana.md) ### 5 Historical Interpretations - 5.1 Significance of Threats to National Security - [5.1.1 Spain](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-1-spain.md) - [5.1.2 The Spanish Armada](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-2-the-spanish-armada.md) - [5.1.3 Ireland](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-3-ireland.md) - 5.2 Court Politics - [5.2.1 Court Factions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-1-court-factions.md) - [5.2.2 Essex's Rebellion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-2-essexs-rebellion.md) - 5.3 Elizabeth & Parliament - [5.3.1 Conflict with Parliament](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-3-1-conflict-with-parliament.md) - 5.4 Social Distress in the 1590s - [5.4.1 Social Distress in the 1590s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-4-1-social-distress-in-the-1590s.md)