Crime and Punishment (Early Modern Period)

Question 1

What effect did population growth have?

Answer 1

Higher unemployment and poverty rate

Question 2

T/F: crime was increasing in the early modern period

Answer 2

False: people got the false idea that it was increasing due to the introduction of the printing press when studies actually show it was decreasing

Question 3

What was the country’s economic state in the Early Modern Period?

Answer 3

Overall England was wealthier but the wealth was in the hands of a few rich individuals, poor people were very vulnerable and when Henry VII made it illegal for anyone else to own an army many men were left unemployed

Question 4

What was the bloody code?

Answer 4

A series of laws that made over 205 crimes punishable by death

Question 5

What key historical event occurred in the early modern period?

Answer 5

The English civil war where the people beat the King and executed, this caused a feeling of unease

Question 6

What key religious event occurred in the early modern period?

Answer 6

The reformation

Question 7

What is a vagabond?

Answer 7

Someone with no job who travelled the country for money

Question 8

Why were people so opposed to vagabonds?

Answer 8

They thought that vagabonds were un-Christian and associated them with crime as it is thought that that was what they did for money, people did not want to have to pay for vagabonds when they already had to pay money to the King and the church to help the poor

Question 9

How did people deal with vagabonds?

Answer 9

Whipping, slavery, branding, execution and houses of correction

Question 10

Who were many vagabonds?

Answer 10

Ex-military men who had been injured or discharged and could not get re-employed

Question 11

Under Henry VIII who was allowed to beg?

Answer 11

Henry VIII separated those living in poverty into the ‘undeserving poor’ who were not allowed to beg and the ‘deserving poor’ who could

Question 12

Key Knowledge:

Answer 12

Edward VII was very harsh on vagabonds where as Elizabeth I’s laws included the ‘poor rate’

Question 13

What were some continuation in the early modern period?

Answer 13

Minor crimes such as: petty theft, owing money, selling underweight goods, cheating at cards and major crimes such as: murder, theft or assault

Question 14

Who were parish constables?

Answer 14

They were the main defence against crime, they had no uniform or weapons but were allowed to whip vagabonds and were expected to detain suspects until they were tried

Question 15

Why was the hue and cry less effective in the early modern period?

Answer 15

Villages and towns grew bigger meaning it was much easier for criminals to hide

Question 16

What did town watchmen and sergeants do?

Answer 16

They were expected to arrest drunks and vagabonds as well as enforcing general law and order

Question 17

What role did citizens play in early modern law enforcement?

Answer 17

If someone committed a crime it was down to them to get the required arrest warrant from a magistrate and arrest the suspect

Question 18

Who were Justices of Peace?

Answer 18

They were established in the middle ages but became more relied upon in the early modern period, they heard local/minor court cases at manor courts and could pass minor punishments such as fines, public humiliation or whipping

Question 19

What were quarter sessions?

Answer 19

4 times a year all the JPs would meet to discuss more serious crimes and it was here that they were able to pass the death penalty

Question 20

What were County Assizes?

Answer 20

When Royal Judges would visit local courts twice a year to handle the most serious offences

Question 21

Why was Benefit of the Clergy ended?

Answer 21

In the 1600s most people could read and so they were able to cheat the benefit of the clergy

Question 22

When was the Habeus Corpus passed and what does it mean?

Answer 22

1679 - translation ‘you have the body’

Question 23

What did the Habeus Corpus do?

Answer 23

This act made it illegal to lock up a person indefinitely without any evidence that they were guilty but some people would make up evidence to cheat it

Question 24

Why were executions carried out in public?

Answer 24

Deterrence

Question 25

How many crimes were punishable by death in 1815?

Answer 25

225

Question 26

What was the pillory?

Answer 26

Criminals had their head and arms locked in a wooden block all day whilst people threw rotten food and mud at them, if they really disapproved of their crime they would throw rocks sometimes leading to death

Question 27

What were Houses of Correction?

Answer 27

Also known as ‘bridewells’ they were earl prisons where inmates were made to do hard labour

Question 28

What sort of people were Houses of Correction used for and why did they have to do hard labour?

Answer 28

People in bridewells could include vagabonds, unmarried mothers and repeat offenders - they had to do hard labour to teach them the value of work

Question 29

What were goals?

Answer 29

These were used to keep prisoners before their trial - not used as a punishment

Question 30

Define carting

Answer 30

A form of punishment where the criminal is put into a cart and dragged around town whilst people scolded and threw stuff at them - used as a form of public humiliation