1. Romeo and Juliet By: Eric Bailey, Erin Logue, and Melanie Lewis Historical and Social Context

2. The Queen of England When Shakespeare began to write Queen Elizabeth 1,was ruling. After Queen Elizabeth passed away in 1603 Jane Grey Took over.

3. The Elizabethan Period is the time period between the years 1558-1603. The Elizabethan Period

4. Social Classes of the Time The Nobility- 55 Noble families in England at the time(royal families). The Gentry- Knights, squires, gentleman and gentlewomen who did not work with there hands for a living. The Yeomanry- Yeomen, tradesmen, and craft workers who usually had apprentices. The Poor- People who can not afford much, the sick and disabled are also classified in this group.

5. The Status of Women During the time of William Shakespeare, the majority of women had very limited rights in England. Despite the fact that England was ruled by a female monarch for over four decades, most women had little power over the direction of their lives. Chattels of men, whom they must obey. They were restricted in what they could do - they could not act in Shakespeare's plays for instance.

6. PrimogeniturePrimogeniture Primogeniture- the state of being the first born male child(from the same parents); an exclusive right of inheritance belonging to the eldest son In the Elizabethan time period male primogeniture was a rule, stating that the eldest son inherits everything(even if the oldest child is a girl). On rare occasions, such as when there were no sons, the title and land could pass on to a daughter. This didn't happen often though because most of the time if there were no sons everything would be passed on to a male cousin.

7. The Bubonic Plague and How it Affected Everyone The Bubonic Plague o The Bubonic Plague was supposedly caused by rats. o It killed 1.5 million people in two years. o It began with lumps on the arms and legs and then ending with fever almost killing all its victims o Most doctors had very little knowledge of the disease. How it affected Society o People could not tend to their animals and fields because there was not enough people in the villages, therefore forcing all the other people into starvation since there was no food. o In some parts of England prices of food went up by four times of normal price.

8. Elizabethan Food Elizabethan Food and Drink varied according to status and wealth. In the early Medieval era meat was a sign of wealth. But as the population rose, this was supported by improving agricultural techniques and inventions. The Elizabethan era also saw the introductions of different food from the New World. Increased cultivation of fruit trees and bee hives was also seen during the Elizabethan era increasing the range of foods available.

9. Socialization of Elizabethan Times Women:Elizabethan women were seen as inferior to men. They were expected to obey the men in their lives, as disobedience was against their religion. The women were illiterate due to the fact there were no schools for women or girls. For this reason there were no careers for women. Men:Elizabethan men had all the power and made all the decisions. A variety of jobs were available for men, and through these jobs they were expected to support there family. Children:Elizabethan children were raised to obey their parents. Because infant mortality rates were very high children were cherished and therefore given toys, such as dolls, toy soldiers, hobby horses and other such things.

10. City Life, Hygiene, and Crime of Elizabethan Life City Life Very crammed and narrow streets in most cities. There was no drainage systems so all runoff and disposals were on the streets. Lots of loud noise from the horses and wagons. No one drank water everyone drank ale. Hygiene Most people bathed about once a week. The water in the baths were definitely not fit to drink. There was no indoor toilets so people usually used pots and also used hay and grass for cleaning instead of toilet paper. Crime Most people were either put in the Tower of London or beheaded if they murdered someone. Common traitors were usually hanged, drawn, and quartered.

11. Elizabethan Homes The homes of the Elizabethan family were clearly dictated by wealth. The daily hours of Elizabethan families were dictated by daylight - very much early to bed and early to rise. The architecture and building of New Elizabethan homes were built in the distinct half-timbered, black and white styles. The interiors had separate rooms and levels. The flooring was still strewn with rushes in many houses. There were wooden floors but slate or marble floors were only for the very wealthy families.

12. The End This powerpoint is brought to you by Eric Bailey, Erin Logue, and Melanie Lewis.We hoped you enjoyed our presentation of the historical and social context of Romeo and Juliet.