Crime and Punishment (Medieval Period)

Question 1

What type of punishment were the Anglo-Saxons most likely to rely on?

Answer 1

Physical punishment or torture whihc ould inflict pain or cause death to the criminal

Question 2

Why did people trust the King?

Answer 2

They believed in the Divine Right of the King which said that he was chosen by God and therefore everything he said was taken as infallible

Question 3

What was society like during the Medieval Period?

Answer 3

It was structured using the feudal system and there was a large gap between the rich and the poor, they relied heavily on the church and everyone was religious

Question 4

Why did crime and punishment change iver the course of the Medieval period?

Answer 4

There were waves of settlers after the Romans withdrew who brought with them many different cultures and ideas

Question 5

What was trail by ordeal (give an example)?

Answer 5

This was a trial based on religion where a person would go through an ordeal and if they came out unharmed then God had saved them and proven them innocent .e.g. Trial by Blessed Bread or Trial by Fire

Question 6

How did William the Conqueror establish his control?

Answer 6

He built castles to scare peasants, he built large stone churches to remind people of the Normans dominance and he built the Tower of London

Question 7

What did the Forest Laws say?

Answer 7

Trees were not to be cut down, people who lived in forests could not own a dog or a bow and arrow and it was illegal to kill deer (if you did you were blinded)

Question 8

Why were the Forest Laws introduced?

Answer 8

William loved hunting and was worried that if everyone used the forests there would be nothing left for him

Question 9

T/F: William thought that fines should be paid to the victim of a crime

Answer 9

False: He thought that all fines should be paid to him as any crime was a crime against him for distrubing the peace he wanted to obtain

Question 10

What was trial by combat?

Answer 10

The accused and the accuser would fight to the death and whoever was telling the truth was believed to be proctected by God

Question 11

What was the Murdrum?

Answer 11

A fine payed by everyone in a town if one of their people killed a Norman

Question 12

What type of castles did William build?

Answer 12

Motte and Bailey

Question 13

What year was Thomas Beckett killed?

Answer 13

1170

Question 14

Why did Henry II elect Thomas Beckett to be the Archbishop of Canterbury?

Answer 14

He was unhappy with the amount of power the Church had .e.g. sanctuary and therefore he thought that if he elected his friend he would gain back some control

Question 15

Why did Henry II become angry with Beckett?

Answer 15

He truned out to be religious and did not do what Henry wanted

Question 16

T/F: Henry II was devestated to hear of Beckett’s death

Answer 16

True: Henry did not actually want him killed, three knights eager to please their King overheard him say “Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?!” and took it as an order to kill him

Question 17

What role did the nobles play in society?

Answer 17

They advised the King and he gave them land to govern and enforce the laws upon

Question 18

What was a tithing?

Answer 18

A group of 10 men over the age of 12 who were responsible for one another’s actions - if one of them broke the law the others would bring him to court or pay the fine

Question 19

What was the hue and cry?

Answer 19

If someone commited a crime the whole village would have to hunt them down - if someone did not join the whole village had to pay a fine

Question 20

Why was trial by jury untrustworthy?

Answer 20

It was made up of men from the local community so they would be biased to either the accused or the accusser

Question 21

Name four methods of trial by ordeal

Answer 21

Trial by hot iron, trial by blessed bread (only for priests), trial by hot water and trial by cold water

Question 22

Define Wergild

Answer 22

A fining system used by the Saxons, it was not fair as people with higher status were protected by higher fines but it was introduced to make punishment less violent

Question 23

T/F: Corporal punishment is killing someone for a crime that they have committed

Answer 23

False: corporal punishment is the use of physical mutilation or toture as a punishment whereas capital punishment is execution

Question 24

What was the Posse Comitatus?

Answer 24

If the hue and cry failed to catch a criminal the local sheriff would be informed and he would set up a Posse Comitatus which was when the most able bodied men in the village gathered to catch the criminal

Question 25

What was the Murdrum?

Answer 25

A fine introduced by the Normans which meant that if a Norman was killed by a Saxon everyone in the village or region had to pay a steep fine which could not generally be afforded

Question 26

Name and describe a new trial by ordeal that William introduced?

Answer 26

Trial by combat - the accused and the accussee would fight each other and it was believed that God would protect the innocent and would let them win

Question 27

What was the basis of trial by ordeal?

Answer 27

It was believed that God would protect the innocent and would show the people whether they were truly innocent

Question 28

How did the Normans change laws regarding women?

Answer 28

The Saxons had given women a pretty equal share in the law but the Normans were a lot harsher on women meaning that nearly all of their rights were removed

Question 29

What was the difference between church courts and royal courts?

Answer 29

Church courts were separate and used for clergymen, they were usually more lenient whereas royal courts were used for very serious crimes and would have officials representing the King

Question 30

What were the forest laws?

Answer 30

1. No one can live in the forest and own a bow or a dog
2. It is illegal to hunt deer
3. No one is permitted to cut trees down

Question 31

What was the King’s Peace?

Answer 31

If someone committed a crime near the King at any point, the punishment was harsher

Question 32

T/F: Travelling Justices was a system put in place where travellers had to obey the laws of their birth country

Answer 32

False: they were people given power by the King to hear court cases on his behalf and pass the sentence on those found guilty

Question 33

What were County Goals?

Answer 33

The introduction of incarceration as a form of punishment

Question 34

What was a social crime (give an example)?

Answer 34

A crime which people did not think was a bad thing to do, they would turn a blind eye .e.g. breaking Forest Laws or going against the one way system at school

Question 35

T/F: The King liked church courts

Answer 35

False: churches could provide sanctuary and they could provide benefit of the clergy which meant many criminals escaping proper punishment

Question 36

What year was trial by ordeal ended by the church?

Answer 36

1215