Success criteria Explain the causes of poverty in

Success criteria • Explain the causes of poverty in 1900 • Describe the life of the poor in 1900 • Explain the importance of the poverty cycle

Poverty around 1900 Today we will identify causes and problems of social class and poverty around 1900 in Great Britain

Poverty in Britain • Britain was a very rich country but around a third of the population lived in poverty • Remember that there were few social services available for the poor • There were different reasons why a family might slip into poverty • The idea of the poverty line was developed as a minimum income which was necessary for a decent standard of

What were the causes of poverty? Think, pair, share 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Some causes of poverty • • • Unemployment Illness/ death of the wage earner Too many children Unexpected bills Old age Wasted money

Booth and Rowntree • Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree carried out a study in York at the turn of the century • They found that 30% of the population was living without adequate food, clothing and shelter • Old age, unemployment and casual labour were found to be the main causes of poverty • Another reason was that wages for full time employment were too low

The poverty trap First married, couple both working First children go to work, bringing in income and mother can again work Poverty line Children born, expenses up and mother quits work These children leave home to begin own families; old age spent in poverty