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England changed religion 4 times under the Tudors. Queen Elizabeth introduced a law that all people must go to church on Sunday or be fined. Church had been the main educator but now schools appeared. Merchants sponsored many, 131 were set up in Elizabeth’s reign. Children learnt Arithmetic and Latin grammar, so schools were known as grammar schools and only for boys. School was 6 days a week, starting at 6.00am, 7.00am in winter, and finishing at 5.00pm. Well-off children would also learn music, The popular instruments were the recorder, the lute or the virginal, which is a keyboard instrument a bit like a harpsichord. These schools were only for the rich, the poor learnt a trade, Theatres became centres of entertainment. By 1595, 15,000 people a week were watching plays in London. The wealthy would support actors or playwrights like Shakespeare or Marlowe. All parts in plays were played by men or boys. In 1512 a law was passed banning ordinary people from playing dice, cards, bowls or backgammon. It was designed to make people work more. Nobles could play these games and would also fence or play tennis; but not like the tennis we know. Henry VIII loved tennis. Some lords would create deer parks for hunting. The poor would play football or practice wrestling. Parishes would have fairs or jousting competitions. People would also use the fairs like a job centre to hire labourers. Children's toys would be wooden dolls, toy animals and hobby horses. They would use pebbles to play jacks, and have skittles and play hopscotch. They would blow up a pig's bladder to make a football. Girls could marry after the age of 14.

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