However for the poor food remained plain. They lived on food like bread, cheese and onions. Ordinary people also ate pottage each day. Pottage was made by boiling grain in water to make a kind of porridge. You added vegetables and (if you could afford it) pieces of meat or fish.

During the 17th century England became steadily richer. Trade and commerce grew and grew. By the late 17th century trade was an increasingly important part of the English economy. Meanwhile industries such as glass, brick making, iron and coal mining expanded rapidly.

During the 1600s the status of merchants improved. People saw that trade was an increasingly important part of the country's wealth so merchants became more respected. However political power and influence was held by rich landowners.

At the top of 17th century society were the nobility. Below them were the gentry. Gentlemen were not quite rich but they were certainly well off. Gentlemen did not do manual work! Below the Gentlemen were yeomen (farmers who owned their own land). Yeomen lived comfortably but they often worked alongside their men.  Below them came the majority of the population: craftsmen, tenant farmers and laborers.

For the upper class and the middle class life grew more comfortable; but for the poor life changed little. At the end of the 17th century a writer estimated that half the population could afford to eat meat every day. In other words about 50% of the people were wealthy or at least reasonably well off. Below them about 30% of the population could afford to eat meat between 2 and 6 times a week. They were 'poor'. The bottom 20% could only eat meat once a week. They were very poor.

Christians believe that there is only one God, whom they call Father as Jesus Christ taught them.

Christians recognise Jesus as the Son of God who was sent to save mankind from death and sin.

Jesus Christ taught that he was Son of God. His teachings can be summarised, briefly as the love of God and love of one's neighbour.

Christians believe in the Trinity - that is, in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Some confuse this and think that Christians believe in three separate gods, which they don't.

Christians believe that God took human form as Jesus Christ and that God is present today through the work of the Holy Spirit and evident in the actions of believers.

Christians believe that there is a life after earthly death.

While the actual nature of this life is not known, Christians believe that many spiritual experiences in this life help to give them some idea of what eternal life will be like.

Prayer is the means by which Christians communicate with their God.

Sometimes the prayers are formal and part of a ritual laid down for hundreds of years.

Others are personal and spontaneous, and come from personal or group need.

The Christian church is fundamental to believers. Although it has many faults it is recognised as God's body on earth.

The church is the place where the Christian faith is nurtured and where the Holy Spirit is manifest on earth.

The Christian church believes in one baptism into the Christian church, whether this be as an infant or as an adult, as an outward sign of an inward commitment to the teachings of Jesus.

The Trinity

Christian beliefs concerning God

Introduction to the middle class family structure in England during the 1600s. Focus on the first 2 pages.