English Social Structure in 1600s-Seyade

The social structure of England has many levels. At the top are the king and queen. Next in line were the hereditary. Hereditary occupied honorific positions in local government, and were also local magnates. They inherited huge county estates even for today’s standard, and the power was passed from father to oldest son. Peers were right under them. Peers were the military class of the nation. In the counties peers held the office of lord lieutenant, and they also served at court. At the beginning of the century their power was local, but later the power was more central. Gentry were next in line. Gentry weren’t rich, but pretty well off. Sir Thomas Smith defined gentry as “He that can bear the port and charge of a gentleman.” They didn’t do manual work, but served as deputy lieutenants, militia captains, and justices of peace. Gentry made up five percent of the rural population. They were expected to provide hospitality for their neighbors, and treat their occupants paternally. Yeomen were after gentry. Yeomen were farmers who owned their land. They lived okay lives, but had to work with their men. Craftsmen, tenant farmers, tradesmen, and shopkeepers were at the bottom. They were called the middling sort. The middling sort had a hard time putting food on their plate and lived crowded lives. Their children were sent to local employers to become apprentices. Merchants were respected, but weren’t really part of the social structure. In 1601 overseers of the poor were appointed districts. They made people pay taxes to help the poor. Anyone who refused was whipped or sent to a house of correction. People who were disabled or old and couldn’t work didn’t have to pay. Anyone could rise or fall in the social structure, only a few things were passed from father to son. And that is the social structure of England.