Elizabethan Bull Baiting

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Felix Lin Mr. Smith English II Honors, Period 4 16 October 2014 TOTS Research Topic: Elizabethan Bear and Bull Baiting Summary: (394) During Elizabethan times, bear and bull baiting was a popular sport. It provided opportunities for members of all classes to gamble, even members of the royal family. Large amounts of money were pooled and betted on for each round that occurred. It was introduced to England during the 13th century and was prevalent until the 17th century. This entertainment lasted until the 19th century during 1835 when it was finally forbidden by the Parliament as a cruel activity. Many bulls and bears were kept purposely for the sake of the baiting events. Bull baiting consisted of tethering a bull by its horns to a stake…show more content…
Noblemen were pressured by each other to collect and be caught up with the newest forms of art to display their wealth and power. Scholars developed a fetish for ancient, long ignored texts as a result of the different views many began to develop on their philosophies. The invention of the printing press during this time by Gutenburg during the mid-15th century also contributed, exponentially increasing the amount of writing that could be distributed throughout Europe. The Black Plague, which also swept over the continent during the 14th century, took the lives and wealth of almost a third of Europe’s population, giving many people of the lower classes more wealth. This newfound prosperity provided the opportunity for many to explore their interests in subjects outside of their work, also spreading the rediscovered, classical ideas, arts, and literature of the Europeans even further. Finally, a sustained period of peace after war offered a productive environment for many scholars and fanatics. A race to learn and discover new concepts and arts among all social classes led to the development of the Renaissance Period, truly embodying the meaning of Renaissance,…show more content…
The symptoms of the disease included weakness, fever, headaches, chills, and their signature swelling of the lymph nodes which produced large, black sores from which blood and pus leaked out, hence giving it its name, the Black Plague. The unsanitary conditions during the 14th century spread the plague quickly. No one knew of any way to effectively treat the disease, let alone cure it. The English attributed the disease to the divine punishment by god to the people of Earth for their sins. They attempted many extreme techniques to cure it including whipping themselves and drinking poisons. Some doctors used leeches and boil lancing methods which were obviously not of any use. Most who were contaminated with the disease died within a day while very few survived for even four days. Professional officials and business owners such as lawyers and doctors abandoned their clients to escape the contagion, only creating more disorder. Only after three years of endurance from 1347 to 1351 did the plague gradually subside for unknown
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