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Keith Wrightson, English Society 1580-1680
Although everyone must read the entire book, groups of two or three of you will be responsible for answering questions in class concerning a specific chapter of the work. Look below for your name and the chapter for which you are responsible.
In class, all of you will be responsible for answering questions about the introduction and conclusion.
Introduction: What is Wrightson's main argument? What are the important historical implications of this argument?
(Tonie, Carol, and Isaac) Chapter 1: Degrees of People: What is the main question that Wrightson investigates in this chapter? According to Wrightson, what was the basis of social distinction? Did the same standards apply to everyone? If you had to draw a diagram of the different layers of English society, how would you draw it? Who would you include and where would they sit in relation to others?
(Carmen and Matt) Chapter 2: Social Relations in the Local Community: what is the main question that Wrightson investigates in this chapter? To what extent did kinship hold society together? What was neighbourliness and how did it work? How did paternalism and deference differ from neighbourliness? How did people enforce the bonds of community while minimizing conflict?
(Melissa and Emlyn) Chapter 3: Family Formation: What major factors influenced marital behavior? How did this behavior vary? What were the criteria for a match?
(Sarah, Sydney, and Jake) Chapter 4: Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children: What was the ideal relationship between husband and wife? How did the relationship actually work out? What was the relationship between parents and children? How did the English family of this period differ from the American family of today?
(Tami, Tim, and Rose) Chapter 5: Population and Resources: What were the great social and economic changes that took place between 1580 and 1680? In what ways did society polarize? What groups improved their standing and why? What groups fared poorly and why? What kind of chronology of crisis and recovery does Wrightson describe? What kind of impact might these changes have had on politics?
(Kari, Rachel, and Kristin) Chapter 6: Order: Why did the crime rate appear to have increased during this period? What kind of relationship existed between the central authority, the Justices of the Peace, and the local community? How did the JP's maintain a certain balance between the centrality and the locality? What strategies did the local authorities and the leading men of the community pursue in an attempt to maintain order? What was the purpose of rioting?
(Andrew, Claire, and Aimee) Chapter 7: Learning and Godliness: How was the polarization of wealth and poverty reflected in the polarization of culture and education? In what ways were the poor more distinctive than ever before?
Conclusion: What is the broad significance of the changes outlined above?
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by Hugh Dubrulle, 2001
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