Shorter than today, with army recruitment looking for tall people for the army, of around 5 foot 5 inches to 5 foot 6 inches. Compare that to today, where most tall people are much much taller than that, with short people around that height. I saw a museum house in Quebec City Canada from the 1800's where the doorway was very short, they explained it because people were shorter back then.
Reasonably we can assume the height difference compared to modern times is due to one : Different eating habits, obviously food was more scarce and probably much less of a variety. They also were unlikely to over eat, unlike us. Health and nutrition was not as advanced today, as we eat quite well and get more food and nutrients than they did.
Two: It is commonly known and theorized as an explanation to our height being taller today because our foods have more preservatives and chemicals in them, such as pesticides which are thought to cause abnormal, or increased growth in us.
As for how tall were people back then, well as was pointed out tall people (to be intimidating in the army) was around 5'5 or 5'6, then it is safe to assume that people were probably an average 15 centimeters (6 inches) shorter.
Reasonably we can assume the height difference compared to modern times is due to one : Different eating habits, obviously food was more scarce and probably much less of a variety. They also were unlikely to over eat, unlike us. Health and nutrition was not as advanced today, as we eat quite well and get more food and nutrients than they did.
Two: It is commonly known and theorized as an explanation to our height being taller today because our foods have more preservatives and chemicals in them, such as pesticides which are thought to cause abnormal, or increased growth in us.
As for how tall were people back then, well as was pointed out tall people (to be intimidating in the army) was around 5'5 or 5'6, then it is safe to assume that people were probably an average 15 centimeters (6 inches) shorter.
