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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. To what was street vending an alternative?
(a) Being sent to the military.
(b) Being hung.
(c) Going to the workhouse.
(d) Going to jail.

2. What did one Jewish trader claim to have purchased?
(a) An old cloak belonging to the Queen.
(b) A bishop's miter.
(c) A knight's sword.
(d) An old cloak belonging to the King.

3. Why did some young costers commit petty crimes?
(a) For the thrill of it.
(b) To make a name for themselves.
(c) They were angry at the government.
(d) For a place to sleep and food to eat.

4. How did the renters of low lodging houses eat?
(a) They ate before they came in for the night.
(b) They brought their own food.
(c) Food was included in the rent.
(d) They pooled food with other renters.

5. What percentage of people earning their living on the streets were vendors?
(a) Sixty percent.
(b) Seventy-five percent.
(c) Eighty-five percent.
(d) Fifty percent.

6. Why did Mayhew say many costermongers lived in sin?
(a) They stole merchandise.
(b) They never attended church.
(c) They were unmarried.
(d) They refused to acknowledge the crown.

7. What did the mutual aid societies do?
(a) Protect their turf.
(b) Collect a small amount from each member to take care of them or their families if need be.
(c) Protect their equipment.
(d) Testify for them if they are being cheated.

8. What type of gambling was most popular with costers?
(a) Playing chess for money.
(b) Playing cards or pitching pennies.
(c) Betting on the horse races.
(d) Betting on dog fights.

9. What did one of the young thieves who belonged to a gang tell Mayhew?
(a) The rich don't care about them so why shouldn't they steal from them.
(b) Their parents usually beat them if they didn't bring something home everyday.
(c) That the older boys did most of the thieving.
(d) He's rather earn an honest living if there were a job.

10. To whom did some merchants loan stock at no cost?
(a) Female costers who sold newspapers.
(b) Female costers selling nearby.
(c) Male costers who sold food.
(d) Male costers with families.

11. What kind of selling required the most capital and equipment?
(a) Medicines.
(b) Weapons.
(c) Clothing.
(d) Food and beverage.

12. What did some of the bolder boys do?
(a) Ran errands to nobles who often would have them arrested.
(b) Took the leavings out of the empty coal barges.
(c) Protected some of the more timid vendors.
(d) Collected the leavings out of the empty grain bins.

13. What did costermongers hope to do by dark everyday?`
(a) Sell enough merchandise to feed their family every night.
(b) Steal and fence enough goods for whiskey.
(c) Win big at gambling.
(d) They had no daily goals.

14. What was another name for a patterer?
(a) Montebank.
(b) Riggers.
(c) Speakeasy.
(d) Con artist.

15. What was the name of the vaudeville show costers enjoyed?
(a) The Street Theater.
(b) The Penny Gaff.
(c) The Bawdy Ball.
(d) The Punch and Judy show.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did few adult Jews seldom work as?

2. What did a lodging manager do when a child brought in a stolen item for rent?

3. What percentage of costermongers did not own their stock?

4. Why did some costermonger parents require their children to work?

5. What were the two usual reasons customers bought from patterers?

(see the answer keys)

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