A Social History of England 1500-1750

The rise of social history has had a transforming influence on the history of early modern England. It has broadened the historical agenda to include many previously little-studied or wholly neglected dimensions of the English past. It has also provided a fuller context for understanding more established themes in the political religious economic and intellectual histories of the period. This volume serves two main purposes. Firstly it summarises in an accessible way the principal findings of forty years of research on English society in this period providing a comprehensive overview of social and cultural change in an era vital to the development of English social identities. Second the chapters by leading experts also stimulate fresh thinking by not only taking stock of current knowledge but also extending it identifying problems proposing fresh interpretations and pointing to unexplored possibilities. It will be essential reading for students teachers and general readers.