Riot, Rebellion and Popular Politics in Early Modern England

'A quite superb synthesis of a vast range of secondary literature and a considerable bulk of original archival material. This is the book scholars of popular protest have been waiting for.' - Steve Hindle, University of Warwick 'Wood's book is a thoughtful essay that synthesizes effectively the important work of social, cultural, and political historians...' - Choice 'The book is accessible. Written like a good textbook, it does not assume too much prior knowledge of academic controversy on the part of its readers.' - David Renton, Revolutionary History

Riot, Rebellion and Popular Politics in Early Modern England reassesses the relationship between politics, social change and popular culture in the period c.Riot, Rebellion and Popular Politics in Early Modern England reassesses the relationship between politics, social change and popular culture in the period c. 1520-1730. It argues that early modern politics needs to be understood in broad terms, to include not only states and elites, but also disputes over the control of resources and the distribution of power. Andy Wood assesses the history of riot and rebellion in the early modern period, concentrating upon: popular involvement in religious change and political conflict, especially the Reformation and the English Revolution; relations between ruler and ruled; seditious speech; popular politics and the early modern state; custom, the law and popular politics; the impact of literacy and print; and the role of ritual, gender and local identity in popular politics.