How Much Do You Know About the Elizabethan Era?

While the rich had more food options than the poor, who often starved, their meat and sweets focused diets were lacking a lot of nutrients. Scurvy, caused by a lack of vitamin C, was common.

Back then, people had little knowledge of science or health, and there was no public sanitation. There were no sewers or drains, and people threw trash and anything else unwanted in the streets. This caused the spread of many diseases.

Elizabeth was the daughter of the famous English King Henry VIII, who is known for having had six wives. Her mother was Anne Boleyn, the King's second wife, who he had executed by beheading.

Most cities and towns in Elizabethan England had little in terms of public sanitation. This was an especially big problem in large cities like London, where poor public health practices led to rats, bugs and the spread of dozens of diseases.

While the Spanish and French had been colonizing the New World since the 15th and 16th centuries, England was a little bit behind. Several of its first attempts to colonize the New World, such as the famously vanished Roanoke colony, were not successful.

The English made many exploratory strides during the Elizabethan Era. Sea Captain and Privateer Sir Francis Drake became the first to lead a successful circumnavigation of the globe as Captain. English privateer and seaman Martin Frobisher also explored the Arctic.

Boys from wealthy families were often taught at home by private tutors, which was less common for girls. Boys from even the most impoverished families could receive rudimentary education if they were not needed to work for the family.

William Shakespeare was a famous playwright and poet whose work was popular in the Elizabethan Era and remains influential to this day. He invented many words we still use, such as "bedroom" and "control."

While today eating a plant-based diet is associated with wealth and privilege in the West, back then it was associated with poverty. The rich did not eat many vegetables, as food that grew from the ground was considered lowly peasant food. They mostly ate meat and fish.

Elizabethan Sumptuary Statues dictated who could wear which colors and fabrics according to their class. For example, legally, clothing trimmed with ermine fur could only be worn by members of the royal family.

In 1588, the English defeated the Spanish Armada at the Battle of Gravelines. Due partially to England's raiding of their commerce ships, Spain wanted to conquer England. However, stormy seas delayed them and gave England the edge it needed to defeat Spain and achieve naval dominance.

There were numerous new foods available to the rich as trade continued to pick up around the world. These included things like tea, chocolate, spices, potatoes, oranges and coffee.

It's thought that card games arrived in Europe from the Arab World in Mediterranean port cities, before spreading and adapting. People of all classes in England enjoyed card games. One popular game was called Maw.

Despite being popular in England, Elizabeth was not well liked by Catholics. Numerous groups of Catholics conspired throughout her reign to assassinate her and replace her with a Catholic monarch in order to make England Catholic again.

Elizabethan people were very superstitious. Belief in ghosts was especially common. This is probably why ghosts and the occult feature in many of Shakespeare's most famous plays, such as "Hamlet" and "Macbeth."

Jousting was incredibly expensive, as it required a horse, full armor and a heavy lance. It was a bloody and dangerous sport and many people died taking part in it, including a French King.

In the old days, England's protestant society did not sit well with the rest of Catholic Europe. This is why in the 1570 Ridolfi plot, agents in Spain, Italy and France wanted to kill the Protestant Elizabeth and replace her with the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots.

During the Tudor period, glass was commonly used in homes for the first time. Many wealthy Tudors began to use many and ornate windows in their mansion homes as a symbol of wealth. People who could not afford glass often used cloth or paper.

There was a vast wealth gap in society, and the government spent mostly on wars and colonial projects rather than public welfare. Many men, women and children begged for money in the dirty and dangerous city streets.

Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth never married or had children. She claimed to be married to her country. This is why she is often referred to and remembered as The Virgin Queen.

In this era, there were six main classes: the monarchy, the nobility, the gentry, the merchants, the tradesmen and the laborers. There were also a vast number of people living in incredible poverty, and those deemed to be able-bodied who did not have a job or title could be legally punished.

Especially in cities, water was often contaminated and unsafe to drink, as people would pour trash and waste into rivers. Most people, even kids, drank a lot of beer, cider, ale or wine.

It is estimated that over 90% of all English adults were married during this era. The upper classes tended to get married younger than those in the upper classes, and many English brides were already pregnant at their weddings.

In Europe, witch hunts were sweeping for centuries. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 people were accused of and executed for being suspected witches across Europe. However, only a few hundred suspected witches were murdered in England.

In this era, the wealthy enjoyed pastimes like jousting and hunting. They would often use trained packs of dogs or falcons to hunt different animals. These included foxes, boars and small game.

Today, in many countries, dog fighting, cock fighting and things like that are considered animal cruelty and are illegal. In Elizabethan England, bear baiting, dog fighting and cock fighting were all considered entertainment.

The English government was a monarchy helmed by Queen Elizabeth. However, it also had three bodies, including Parliament, which was split into the House of Commons and House of Lords.

At the beginning of Elizabeth's reign in 1558, about 100,000 people were living in London. By the end of her reign in 1603, historians estimate that the population had doubled to about 200,000 people.

The Babington Plot was a famous massive conspiracy. Like many in England at the time, it involved overthrowing Elizabeth in order to reinstate Catholicism in England. This plot involved intrigue, murder and a double agent.

There is not a lot of historical information specific to the lives of Elizabethan Englishwomen. However, multiple accounts exist from foreign men, who were unhappy with how free and educated upper-class Englishwoman seemed compared to those in their home countries.

About a third of all Elizabethan English people lived in poverty. While the wealthy were supposed to give charity to the poor who could not work, those who were considered able-bodied and poor were treated harshly by the law.

In 1565, the first stock exchange in England opened up. Called the Royal Exchange, it was one of the earliest stock exchanges in Europe. It was founded in London by the merchant Sir Thomas Gresham.

The Jacobean Era covers the reign of King James I. This word is often used to refer to architecture, literature and other types of art that are reminiscent of that particular period.

Some Ancient Greek sources reveal that sugar was considered a medicine, and various misunderstandings of it lasted throughout the centuries. Due to her sweet tooth, and the fact that sugar was used to clean her teeth, Queen Elizabeth had severe issues with rotten teeth later in life.

Elizabeth inherited a country that was almost bankrupt from previous monarchs. She managed to turn this around with frugal policies, and by bringing in money through the African Slave Trade and raiding Spanish treasure ships.