Elizabethan Age The Renaissance

1. Elizabethan AgeThe Renaissance

2. Unit Essential Questions: • Why are we still reading Shakespeare’s plays today? • In what ways did the Elizabethan time period affect Shakespeare's writing?

3. Family • Most families had 12-15 children • There were no cars, postal service, phones, no pre-made butter or bread • Girls helped their mother with serving, while boys helped their father hunt

4. Food • Upper class ate roast and boiled meat, chicken and fish • The use of sugar became popular • Spices were used • First meal of the day was breakfast (porridge) like oatmeal

5. Dinner was around 11-12:00 and supper was between 6-9:00pm • Bread, cheese and fruit were popular • When meat was available, they ate duck, geese, chicken, and rabbit • They also ate a lot of vegetables (more than we do today)

6. Each person carried his own knife and that was what they used at the dinner table—no forks. • People drank ale and cider. Water was not healthy due to poor sanitation • Dessert was fruit, pies, tarts and custards

7. Clothing • Clothing represented people’s wealth and social position. • Girls were heavily dressed. They wore stockings, a leather corset, a waist petticoat and a gown on top. • Girls always covered their heads with a hat or scarf • Boys wore shirts, fitted jackets, tights and breeches

8. Entertainment • All music was performed live. • In upper class society, playing a musical instrument was expected. It was a sign of culture. • In wealthy homes, musicians were hired to play songs during dinner. The upper class favored the lute, the cello and the recorder.

9. The lower class enjoyed music too. They would go to the town square and listen to musicians play. They favored the bagpipe and the fiddle. • Hearing literature read aloud was a form of entertainment.