1500 - 1700 Flashcards
How did population change?
There was a steady increase and hence, lower job opportunities
What did landowners encourage?
Laws defending their rights
When did the English Civil War occur?
1642-49
When was printing invented and what did this mean?
1400s which meant more pamphlets to spread ideas
Why was there great religious unrest?
Each person on the throne kept changing the religion of the country
Was the majority of England rich or poor at this time?
Poor
When did heresy become a crime?
1534
How many were burnt at the stake in Mary’s reign?
300
What was it called to take back your beliefs to escape punishment?
Recanting
How many Protestants were forced to flee in Mary’s reign?
800
Who came up with the original idea of the Gunpowder Plot?
Robert Catesby, Jack Wright, Thomas Percy and Thomas Winter
What was the main aim of the Gunpowder Plot?
Overthrow the monarchy, kidnap Elizabeth, make her Queen and cause a Catholic uprising
When did the Gunpowder Plot occur?
1605
How did James I find out about it?
Lord Monteagle received a letter with leaked info and informed James’ advisor, Robert Cecil
How did the Plot help the King?
It showed the risk that Catholics brought to the country and showed the King in a positive light.
How many vagabonds were at the London Bridewell in 1560?
69
How many vagabonds were there in London by 1600?
555
How many cases of vagabondage were there in Salisbury before and how many are there by 1598?
20 then 98
What happened to the population from 1500-1650?
It doubled
What did bad harvests result in?
Increase in number of vagabonds
What group of people were also forced to be vagabonds?
Demobilised soldiers
What were enclosures and how did they help to increase the number of vagabonds?
Privatised land. This meant there was less common land for the poor to earn money.
When was the Dissolution of the Monasteries and how did this affect vagabondage?
- This is where nuns and priest used to live and have food and money out to the poor.
Who was ‘A Caveat for Common Cursuitors’ written by and when?
Thomas Harman in 1567
How many different types of vagabonds did ‘A Caveat for Common Cursuitors’ describe?
23
Who are sturdy beggars?
Those who choose to be vagabonds when they could find work instead
Who was the ‘Abraham Man’?
Fake lunatics who went around with a stick and bacon on the end of it
Who was the ‘Angler’?
Thieves with hooks to pinch clothing and valuables
Who was the ‘Clapperdudgeon’?
Used arsenic to make skin bleed so that people would feel bad for him
Who was the ‘Counterfeit Crank’?
Pretended to have seizures and sucked on soap for froth
When was the Vagabond & Beggars Act formed and what did it say?
- Vagabonds were placed in the stocks for 3 days and sent to their place of birth.
What 3 different versions, in what years, of the Vagrancy Act were there? In what years were they repealed?
1531 - Tied to a cart naked and were beaten
1547 - 2 years slavery for first offence, life sentence for second
1550 - 1547 Act repealed
1572 - whipping and ear burnt for first offence, life sentence for second
1593 - 1572 Act repealed
1598 - whipped and sent home. If no change, execution/banishment
When was a House of Correction built for every county?
1576
What Act was made in 1597 and what did it do?
The Act of the Relief of the Poor, which classified the impotent poor and sturdy beggars
When were the Poor Laws introduced and what did it include?
- Parishes were expected to provide financial assistance
What were parishes also responsible for?
Maintaining roads and raising taxes
Why did food prices increase?
Fewer crops were formed and there were now more people to feed.
Who were not paid enough for their huge workload?
JPs and constables
What were the working hours in the House of Correction
5am - 8pm (15hrs)
When did Matthew Hopkins start searching for witches?
1645
Who did Matthew Hopkins work with?
John Stearne
3 points about MH:
- Failed to be a lawyer
- Devout Puritan
- Jobless
How many cases ended in execution between 1645 and 1647?
100 to 250
Who was the exception to most women being accused of witchcraft normally?
The local vicar
What 2 things showed someone was a witch?
- A Devil’s mark
- A familiar
How were people forced into confessions?
They were made to stand up awake for days
In what year did MH disappear from records?
1647
Why were there accusations that people were witches? (2)
There was increased tension between the wealthy and the poor, as they had to give away more money. It was their way of explaining religious upheaval and uncertainty from the War.
In what year did witchcraft become an offence?
1542
Up to how many people were executed for witchcraft over the next 200 years?
1000
What percentage of the accused were elderly widows or unmarried women?
80%
Why did landlords create enclosures?
To graze more sheep for profits
Which Act deemed poaching illegal?
1671 Game Act
How did poaching become a social crime?
The poor thought it was unfair and hence did not report it.
When were import duties introduced?
1600s
Why was smuggling a social crime?
No one wanted to pay for import duties
What years was Oliver Cromwell the leader of England?
1649 to 1660
What religion did Oliver Cromwell follow?
He was a devout Puritan
What moral crimes did he introduce? (3)
- Most sports were banned
- Inns and theatres were shut down
- Swearing was punished by fines and could result in prison
What number did London’s population increase to from 1500-1700?
50,000
Who was the hue and cry led by and who helped to search?
The constable and the local posse helped.
State 4 things about constables.
- Part-time job
- No weapons/uniform
- Dealt with every day crimes
- Could inflict some punishments
State 3 things about town watchmen and sergeants
- Poorly paid
- Dealt with drunkards and vagabondage
- Enforced market regulations
Who were thief takers?
They apprehended thieves and returned stolen goods for large rewards
Who were JPs usually and what type of court cases did they judge (assisted by constables)?
Rich landowners who judged manor court cases. The max sentence they could give was a death sentence.
Whose responsibility is it to get an arrest warrant and deliver the criminal to the constable, if robbed?
The citizen’s
What crimes did manor courts deal with?
Minor crimes
What were County Assizes?
Royal judges who visited twice a year for minor crimes
Could benefit of the clergy still be claimed in Church courts?
Yes
What were Quarter Sessions?
JPs met with each other 4 times a year
When was the Bloody Code introduced and how many crimes were punishable by death at this time.
- 50 crimes were punishable by death.
After what event did cases of heresy fall?
The Reformation
