This deep dive covers Social & Economic Structure within Trade and Economy for GCSE History. Revise Trade and Economy in Restoration England 1660-1685 for GCSE History with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 14 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

🔑 Social & Economic Structure

Landed gentry: Owned land, collected rents, had political power. Perhaps 20,000 families.

Merchants: Growing wealthy from trade. Could buy land, enter gentry. London merchants especially powerful.

Yeomen & farmers: Owned or rented land. Comfortable if harvests good. Vulnerable if not.

Labourers & poor: Most of population. Worked for wages. No vote, little security. Rural poverty common.

Urban workers: Apprentices, servants, craftsmen. London growing but dangerous (plague, fire showed that).

Practice questions for Trade and Economy

Which company was founded in 1660 and given a monopoly on the English slave trade?

A. The East India Company
B. The Royal African Company
C. The Hudson's Bay Company
D. The Levant Company

1 markfoundation

What did the Navigation Acts of 1660 require?

A. All English merchants to pay a tax on goods imported from the colonies
B. Colonial goods to be shipped to England on English-owned ships
C. The Royal African Company to share its monopoly with other English merchants
D. Coffee houses in London to be licensed by the Crown

1 markfoundation

Quick recall flashcards

What was the East India Company?

English trading company (founded 1600) with monopoly on trade with Asia. Under Charles II it expanded significantly — establishing permanent trading posts (factories) in India at Bombay (part of Catherine of Braganza's dowry in 1661). The basis of England's future Indian empire.

What were the Navigation Acts?

Laws (1651, renewed and strengthened 1660) requiring colonial goods to be shipped on English vessels crewed mainly by English sailors. Protected English merchants from Dutch competition and were the direct economic trigger for the Second Dutch War.

Key Trading Companies

Coffee Houses

Social & Economic Structure