What were the major problems of the poor in the period 1471 – 1626 and how were they alleviated?
             There was a massive increase in poverty and the problems faced by the poor in the period 1471 – 1626, this was due to a number of interdependable social, economic, and monarchical changes throughout the period. There was a high rise in birth rate, causing the population to double between the reigns of Henry VII and Elizabeth I. Along with this, unemployment rose, and rapid price inflation caused the problems of the poor to increase. In addition there was a famine in the countryside that averaged out at once every four years. During the 1530s, Henry VIII's reformation and dissolution of monasteries resulted in, among other things, much Church land being put on the market, thousands of ex-monks being released into society and the caused the end of monastic charity and welfare. Also the reduction of people living in service was reduced causing more problems for the poor, as there was a reduction of jobs that showed a way out of the poverty cycle. There were solutions to these problems, however solutions depended on the type of poor, as the government had defined 3 types, the visible poor, the Able-bodied poor and beggars known as Vagabonds. The Government passed various laws from 1532 to 1601 to help the poor, and prevent vagabonds. Charities also provided help for the poor of the period, thus alleviating the problems of the poor to an extent.
             There were many social problems that caused poverty to worsen during the period 1471 – 1626. There was a massive population increased, the population had "been increasing since at least the1520's, possibly 1470's," with a high birth rate fueling the rise. However the rise in population was not solely enough to cause the mass poverty of the period. In addition to the growing population increasing, there was bad harvests, roughly once every four years, causing p...