Crime And Punishment In The Early Modern Period

Question 1

What were the religious changes during the reign of Henry VIII and what religion was he?

Answer 1

He was a catholic, but due to his inability to divorce his wife, he created the Church of England. He closed down down Catholic ministries and seized their wealth and land

Question 2

What were the religious changes during the rein of Edward VI and what religion was he?

Answer 2

He was a Protestant. He introduced a prayer book, written in English. He allowed priests to marry and made church interiors plainer

Question 3

What were the religious changes during the rein of Mary I and what religion was she?

Answer 3

She was a Catholic and a strict Catholic who wanted to restore the Catholic Church to England, she made the pope the head of the English church one again

Question 4

What were the religious changes during the rein of Elizabeth I and what religion was she?

Answer 4

She was Protestant and created the religious settlement as a middle way, to appease Catholics and Protestants and made herself head of the English church

Question 5

What were the religious changes during the rein of James I and what religion was he?

Answer 5

He was Protestant and although being tolerant to Catholics at first, but after the gunpowder plot his attitude towards them changed

Question 6

During Henry VIII’s reign, who was punished for crimes against religion?

Answer 6

Both Catholics and Protestants were punished as criminals, Protestants were executed for heresy and Catholics for treason as they would not take oath of his supremacy

Question 7

During Edward VI’s reign, who was punished for crimes against religion?

Answer 7

Some Catholic bishops were imprisoned in the Tower of London and two people were executed for crimes of heresy

Question 8

During Mary I’s reign, who was punished for crimes against religion?

Answer 8

Mary executed almost 300 people for refusing to follow Catholicism during her reign

Question 9

What three acts were introduced by Elizabeth I for the religious settlement?

Answer 9

The Act of Supremacy
The Act of Uniformity
The Royal Injunctions

Question 10

What was the popish recusants act introduced by James I?

Answer 10

It meant Catholics had to swear their loyalty to the king and pay heavy fines for not attending church

Question 11

How did treason and heresy become connected?

Answer 11

It became connected as in the Tudor period from all monarchs from Henry VIII onwards (except Mary) were head of the Church of England

Question 12

What were vagabonds?

Answer 12

Homeless and unemployed people who were forced to turn to crime

Question 13

How did vagabondare become a crime?

Answer 13

There was a growing population, falling wages and rising food prices

Question 14

How were vagabonds viewed?

Answer 14

They were viewed as lazy and people who had brought trouble upon themselves

Question 15

What new action led to an increase in vandalism?

Answer 15

The enclosure of large land areas peasants collected would and food from for rich people’s private use

Question 16

What new law prevented peasants hunting in enclosed land?

Answer 16

The 1671 Game Act

Question 17

What change led to an increase in smuggling?

Answer 17

The import duties tax was introduced in the 17th century for products brought into the country

Question 18

What does puritan Oliver Cromwell change when he took over from Charles I in 1653?

Answer 18

He believed Sundays should be kept holy and believed Christmas should be restricted to reading the bible

Question 19

What was The Bloody Code?

Answer 19

The bloody code meant that even minor crimes like poaching were to be punishable by death

Question 20

Why was The Bloody Code ineffective?

Answer 20

As the punishments were so severe, law enforcement often pardoned them and crimes were still committed out of desperation as people were too poor to feed themselves

Question 21

What was transportation?

Answer 21

It meant being sent away from England to a colony to serve punishment

Question 22

Who were transported to America and how many people were sent?

Answer 22

Vagabonds were often transported and between 50000 and 80000 people were transported to America

Question 23

Why was transportation used?

Answer 23

It was seen as an effective deterrent, it was a good was to free up prison space and was a pod way to establish colonies and set up farms and build communities

Question 24

What were early modern prisons like?

Answer 24

They were unhygienic as there were often bodily fluids on the floor and only contained hay in the corner and in 1566, they were forced into hard labour and housed (not crammed into a tiny cell)