The countries population boomed during Elizabeths reign, growing from around three million to four. However a third of the population was under 15 and half under 25.
With Elizabeth in power, a once Catholic nation ruled by her sister Mary had been returned to The Church of England. An establishment founded and run by her father Henry VIII. However religion was highly looked upon by people at the time and it was something people felt very strongly about, so many people continued to practice their faith in secret.
Before Elizabeth's reign, reading was a very uncommon subject in society and was mainly put into practice for Bible study. Elizabethan times saw the rise of a strong merchant class, led by weavers and cloth makers. With this, merchants could expect to accumulate wealth and the have the ability to purchase property. Also with literacy becoming far more common under Elizabeth's reign,it enabled apprentices, husbandmen and tradesmen to better ply their crafts.
Theatre had a lot of controversy surrounding it at this time and was only attended by people of high class and women who could disguise themselves with masks. Shakespeare was a playwright for the Globe Theatre during Elizabeth's reign, but it was located across the Thames River from London, outside the city, where at the time theatre was banned.
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