Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

HISTORY > Crime And Punishment > Flashcards

Crime And Punishment Flashcards

1
Q

What years were the medieval period?

A

1000-1500

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What years were Early Modern England

A

1500-1700

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What years were the 18th and 19th century? (Victorian and Industrial)

A

1700-1900

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What years are Modern England?

A

1900–present

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Types of crime…

A
  • crime against the person
  • crime against property
  • crime against authority
  • social crime
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Crimes against the person (Medieval England)

A

Assault, Murder, Public Disorder etc

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Crimes against property (Medieval England)

A

Theft, Poaching, Arson, Vandalism, Counterfeiting coins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Crimes against authority (Medieval England)

A

Treason, Rebeliions, (crimes against government)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How were social crimes viewed by society

A

Most people turned a blind eye to social crimes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Poaching

A

Illegal hunting (without paying for “hunting rights”)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

King as a law-maker (Medieval England)

A

King has power to add new laws and create new crimes (changing definitions to crime).

After 1154, Henry II became king, standard laws were written down meaning there was a uniformed legal system across England

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Forest Laws (William the Conqueror)

A
  • 30% of England became protected as “Royal Forest”
  • This meant that it was illegal to hunt/kill animals or take wood without a license or unless people paid
  • unfair to ordinary/poor people (poor people hunting animals for food)
  • social crime by society, many thought it was unfair
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What did establishing “Forest Laws” do?

A

Established the Normans authority/power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

When was the Norman Conquest?

A

1066

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

“Murdrum”

A

If an Anglo-Saxon murdered a Norman, a large sum of money would be paid as a fine.
This showed that the Normans had more power and murdering a Norman was very serious compared to murdering a Saxon
This also established Williams power.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Crimes in Medieval England

A
  • petty theft (most common)
  • murder
  • poaching
  • religious/moral crime (adultery, not attending church, sex before marriage etc)
  • heresy
  • treason
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What became a crime after the 1348 Black Death?

A

1351, Statue of Labourers made it a crime to demand more pay + moving to find better pay (thus was because farmers (who were in demand) wanted more pay after the death of many people)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is “heresy”?

A

A serious crime against authority (and God).
When a person had a different belief/faith to the church

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is “treason”?

A

Betraying royalty (and lords/nobles)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Hundred

A

An area of land

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Law enforcement in Medieval England

A

Most community and Church based:

  • Tithings
  • Hue and Cry
  • Trial by local jury
  • Trial by ordeal
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Policing vs trials (law enforcement)

A

Policing - methods of preventing/detecting crime or catching criminals

Trials - methods of deciding punishments/deciding if a person is guilty or innocent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Tithings (policing)

A

Community based.

Every male village (over 12) joined the tithing. They were responsible for each others behaviour, if someone committed a crime the others made sure he went to court or payed a fine. This was a way of preventing crime

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Hue and cry (policing)

A

Community based.

Local community expected to help catch the criminal when the victim cried out for help. If people didn’t help they were fined.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Trial by local jury (trial)
Community based. Local jury would decide a persons guilt or innocence. (If they couldn’t decide the person would be handed over to the Church for trial by ordeal).
26
Trial by ordeal (trial)
Church based Included trial by hot water, trial by cold water, trial by hot iron etc Belief that God would reveal if a person was guilty or not based on the outcome from each trial method
27
Trial by combat (introduced by Normans)
Accuser fought the accused. Whoever lost was guilty and hung unless they died during the fight (both make them guilty)
28
Trial by ordeal ended in 1215, why?
Abolished by the Pope because he disagreed with it It wasn’t effective as mostly based on luck and wasn’t legally reliable
29
Local posse (policing)
Group of mean over 21 summoned by the Sheriff to help preserve public peace and help in emergencies
30
Parish constables, (policing)
(Local people chosen by community) Volunteers that protected citizens in a village/parish from crime. Had no uniform or weapons and were unpaid. Could make arrests and punish (e.g whipping vagrants)
31
Courts in Medieval England
- Manor Courts - Royal Courts - Church Courts
32
Manor Courts
Dealt with minor crimes (theft or drunkenness) and added by Normans (relates to feudal system)
33
Royal Courts
Dealt with most serious crimes (by Henry II, 1163)
34
Royal judges
Appointed by the king, visited each county twice a year to hear most serious cases (increased role of King in legal matters)
35
Coroners
Introduced in 1194 by Richard I Their job was to investigate any deaths that occurred from unnatural causes and were appointed by the King
36
Church Courts
Often more lenient, never led to capital punishment Any person who was connected to the Church could claim ‘sanctuary’ or ‘benefit of the clergy’
37
Sanctuary
For criminals escaping arrest (they went to the church for protection). No one could arrest them. The criminal could either agree to go to court or swear an oath agreeing to leave the country.
38
Benefit of the Clergy
To claim 'benefit of the clergy', an individual had to read a verse from Psalm 51 in the Bible (the neck verse).
39
Punishments in 1000-1500
Fines Stocks or pillories Maiming Flogging Hanging Execution Burning at the stake Hanging, drawing & quartering
40
Anglo Saxon punishment
Wergild (money paid as compensation to victims family) Blood feud (victim harms criminals family, goes back and forth)
41
Changes in Norman Punishment
Ended use of ‘Wergild’ - fines paid to king instead Capital punishment/death penalty for poaching (Forest Laws)
42
Purposes of punishment
Removal Reform Retribution Deterrence
43
Types of punishment (capital + corporal)
Capital punishment — death penalty/execution Corporal punishment — physically harmful/painful (whipping, removal of limbs etc)
44
Punishments and social status
Punishments often depended on social status
45
Deterrence
Aims to prevent others wanting to commit crime
46
Removal
Removing the criminal from society
47
Reform
Aims to help to criminal change their behaviour
48
Retribution
Makes criminal suffer for their actions Punishment that is seen as equal to the crime committed
49
Anglo Saxon belief on punishment
Belief that ‘the harsher the punishment the more effective it is as a deterrent’
50
Changes in society + how it lead to crime (Early Modern England)
Population increase— higher unemployment, towns grew, increase of thieves and jobless people Changes in religion (and leadership) — more heresy + high treason Science and technology — advancements in printing (pamphlets spreading news, not always true) Attitudes in society — more superstitious belief (witchcraft) + economic change from English Civil War (political turmoil) + increased crime lead to increased fear resulting in harsher punishments and tougher laws
51
HERESY AND TREASON Henry VIII (1509 - 47)
Killed Protestants for heresy until he used their beliefs to justify his divorce (1534) and he became head of Church. Catholic Pope refused his divorce so being Catholic became punishable by execution for treason
52
HERESY AND TREASON Edward VI (1547 - 53)
Brought up as a Protestant - introduced a prayer book. Imprisoned Catholic Bishops and executed 2 people for heresy
53
HERESY AND TREASON Mary 1st (1553 - 58)
Killed many Protestants as heretics. Was a strict Catholic and tried to restore Catholic Church.
54
HERESY AND TREASON Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603)
Tried to find a “middle way” but executed hundreds of rebels for heresy due to Catholic rebellions
55
HERESY AND TREASON James I (1603 - 25)
Was a Protestant (but tolerant to Catholics until 1605 Gunpowder Plot). Stricter rules for Catholics and any executed for treason
56
High treason
Plotting/acting against the ruler of a country
57
Heresy
(those who committed heresy were HERETICS) Having/ practicing different religious beliefs to the official religion of the country
58
1605 GUNPOWDER PLOTTERS
13 Catholic plotters (including Guy Fawkes). Led by Robert Catesby who plotted to kill the Protestant king ( James 1st) Lord Monteagle recieved a letter telling him not to go to parliament that day Plotters filled parliament cellars with gunpowder in barrels Were caught — Robert Cecill found Guy Fawkes with the gunpowder on Nov 5th The captured were tortured until confession Hung drawn and quartered for high treason.
59
Vagabondage/ vagabonds
Due to population growth unemployment rates increased, many jobless people turned to theft or begging Vagabonds were jobless people who wandered for work Seen as lazy or professional organised criminals Feared in society due to science and tech advancements in printing news (pamphlets).
60
What act allowed vagabonds to be labelled with a “V” and sold as slaves
1547 Vagrancy Act
61
1572 Vagabonds Act
Vagabonds could be whipped and arrested
62
1597 Act for the Relief of the Poor
Split vagrants into deserving (elderly/disabled) and undeserving (fit to work) Deserving were given poor relief, undeserving were punished
63
When was witchcraft made punishable by death?
1542 - made punishable by death 1604 - summoning evil spirits also made punishable by death
64
Reasons for the “1645-47 Witch-hunts”
During English Civil War (1642-51) — period of great upheaval Individuals caused widespread fear — James I book, Mathew Hopkins Social changes — war left many women widowed/ on their own Economic changes (poverty/wealth) — economy worsened, poor harvest, local authorities had less control (law and order collapsed) Religion — Puritans thought witchcraft was used by Royalists who were Catholic (These relate to attitudes in society and superstitious belief)
65
Who was Mathew Hopkins and what influence did he have?
Mathew Hopkins was a lawyer and self proclaimed “Witchfinder General” Employed by Justice of the Peace for East Anglia/Essex Used torture to get confessions Spread fear through pamphlets (science and tech advancements) 112 people hanged for witchcraft
66
What methods were used to identify “witches” (Evidence for witchcraft)
- unusual marks on accused persons body - having a “familiar” (animals sent by devil) - starved until confession - needle prick (if accused didn’t bleed they were guilty) - thrown in water (if guilty they float) - witness accounts (mostly a starting point)

HISTORY (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions