Crimes

Question 1

Describe crimes against authority

Answer 1

Betraying your king/lord

Question 2

Describe crimes against property

Answer 2

Crimes like theft, robbery and arson that involved taking or damaging something that belongs to someone else

Question 3

What was a moral crime?

Answer 3

Actions that were frowned upon by society

Question 4

What was the murdrum?

Answer 4

It held everyone in the hundred reponsible for the death of a Norman

Question 5

Why was the murdrum fine introduced?

Answer 5

To establish Norman control by making murdering a Norman severely punishable

Question 6

What was the Statute of Laborers?

Answer 6

It became a crime after the black death to ask for more money as a worker now that there were much less people.

Question 7

Why was the Statute of labourers introduced?

Answer 7

The upper class were worried about the lower class becoming more rich and powerful

Question 8

Why was treason considered the highest crime throughout the medieval period?

Answer 8

The King remained very powerful

Question 9

What was the forest laws?

Answer 9

30% of land would now be protected Royal Forests, controlled by the new forest laws. Breaking any forest rules, poaching animals or damaging vegeation was punishable.

Question 10

Why were the forest laws created?

Answer 10

It was a symbol of William I’s dominance

Question 11

What was heresy?

Answer 11

beliefs that opposed the official teachings of the church

Question 12

In what period heresy become a crime?

Answer 12

Late Medieval Period

Question 13

Why did heresy become a crime?

Answer 13

To protect the Church

Question 14

Describe the main differences between Catholic and Protestant Beliefs

Answer 14

Catholics thought that the Pope was the head of the Church, the bible services should be in Latin and that churches should be colorful and lavish.

Protestants believed Jesus Christ was the Head of the Church, the bible services should be in English and churches should be plain.

Question 15

How did heresy and treason become interlinked?

Answer 15

All monarchs from Henry VII onward, besides Mary I, were head of the Church of England. Opposing the monarch now meant you were opposing God.

Question 16

What monarch wanted to create a middle way between the two religions?

Answer 16

Queen Elizabeth I

Question 17

What religion was Oliver Cromwell?

Answer 17

Puritan (extreme Protestant)

Question 18

What religious changes did Oliver Cromwell make?

Answer 18

He made activities and entertainment illegal

Question 19

Why did vagabondage become a crime in 1500-1700?

Answer 19

More and more people were moving out villages and into towns looking for work; they became beggars, tramps and vagrants.

People believed that vagabonds were lazy and the Puritan religion taught that everyone should be working hard.

Question 20

Why were there changing definitions of heresy in the period 1500-1700?

Answer 20

The definition of heresy changed continuously due to the constant changing of established beliefs as the monarch changed.

Question 21

Why did smuggling become a crime 1500-1700?

Answer 21

Economic Reasons

The government had introduced import duties on items like alcohol and tea. This meant people would try and avoid these taxes and sell the good for cheaper than the government.

Question 22

Describe the rise of poaching in the period 1500-1700

Answer 22

The 18th century enclosure movement meant many small farmers lost their land which also meant their food supply. They saw poaching as a remedy to which they were entitled

Question 23

What was the attitude towards witches in the years 1500-1700?

Answer 23

• People of all backgrounds believed in witches
• They were believed to have made a pact with the devil in exchange for powers
• Witches were sometimes identified by their association with domestic animals (familiars)

Question 24

What was it hard to catch a poacher?

Answer 24

Neighbours wouldn’t report poachers since the law was seen as unfair

Question 25

By the end of the Early Modern Period, what was the attitude towards witchcraft?

Answer 25

They were seen as foolish and muddled; trickers trying to take advantage of others

Question 26

Explain why there was a rise in accusations of witchcraft

Answer 26

• Religion was an important part of life. After Henry VIII led the break from the Catholic Church, people feared the old religion and decided to cleanse society

Question 27

What was the role of Matthew Hopkins in the Witch Hunt?

Answer 27

The witchfinder general, was a witch hunter in 1645. He ensured ‘witches’ gave him a list of other ‘witches’ that he could try.

Question 28

Why did witchcraft accusations decline?

Answer 28

• People demanded clearer evidence
• Scientific ideas were becoming more prominent
• King Charles II supported scientific beliefs
• People stopped believing in witches
• Executions stopped
• More rational thinking

Question 29

Why did smuggling become more problematic in the industrial period? (give examples)

Answer 29

Smugglers started to work in gang. For example, Hawkhurst Gang controlled smuggling around long stretches of the South Coast

Question 30

What were society’s view towards smuggling?

Answer 30

Many people benefitted from the cheapers good and didn’t see it as a crime

Question 31

What problems did the authorities have in stopping smuggling?

Answer 31

Smugglers would’ve often worked at night, hiding in coves.

Question 32

When did this happen?

Answer 32

It become much less profitable as import duties were reduced in the 1780s then against in the 19th century.

Question 33

Why did Poaching become more problematic in the Industrial period?

Answer 33

There was a rise in large scale gangs, similar to smuggling

Question 34

What were society’s view towards poaching?

Answer 34

The laws were heavily resented because they were viewed as unfair.

Question 35

Why did poaching eventually decline?

Answer 35

• Harsh punishments

- Poverty declined

Question 36

Why did the death penalty result in the decrease of highway robbery?

Answer 36

The capital punishment acted as a deterrent thus less people would commit the crime.

Question 37

Why did the problem of highway robbery increase in the industrial period?

Answer 37

• Increased wealth and trade meant that people carried
  large sums of valuables and cash.
• Urbanization meant more people people into towns, isolating countryside which was where the robberies would take place

Question 38

Who were the tolpuddle martyrs?

Answer 38

A group of farmers in 1834 who were transported to Australia for creating a trades union

Question 39

Why were the Tolpuddle Martyrs arrested?

Answer 39

The authoritise were threatened by a union as they felt the union would interfere with the way they run their business. They were arrested for taking illegal oaths.

Question 40

Why did the tolpuddle martyrs not serve their full sentences?

Answer 40

People were outraged at their imprisonment and campaigned to get them back. Public opinion heavily influenced authorities.

Question 41

What was the attitude towards Domestic Violence in the 19th century?

Answer 41

The common view in soceity was that men were the dominant partners; if they were violent towards their partners it was their business and the authorities had no business interfering.

Question 42

What was the attitude towards Domestic Violence in the 20th century?

Answer 42

The attitude was changing. Women had gained a more valued place in society after WW1 and WW2 and they now had the right to vote. Society wanted equality so significant new laws were created

Question 43

When was the Domestic Violence act passed? What did it say?

Answer 43

The domestic violence act was passed in 1976.

It gave victims the right to ask for a court order against an abusive partner.

Question 44

What was illegal before 1967 and how was this crime carried out?

Answer 44

Terminating a pregnancy was illegal; if a woman wanted to end a pregnancy she’d resort to a ‘backstreet abortion’ from someone untrained

Question 45

What led to a change in the laws about abortion?

Answer 45

Growing liberalisation of attitudes in the 1960s led to protests

Question 46

Why was a new law needed for race crimes?

Answer 46

In the 1950s, many people from from commonwealth countries moved to Britain for work.

Question 47

When was the Race Relations Act put into place? How was it extended in 2006?

Answer 47

In 1968, the Race Relations Act made it illegal to refuse someone jobs/housing/services on basis of their race.
In 2006, this was extended to spreading religious hatred.

Question 48

What act decriminalized homosexuality? In what year?

Answer 48

In 1967, the sexual offences act decriminalised for men over 21 due to growing liberal attitudes.

Question 49

When was homophobia made illegal?

Answer 49

2005

Question 50

Describe 3 old crimes that have new opportunities in Modern Britain

Answer 50

• In the 18th century, organised smuggling criminal gangs smuggled goods into the country to avoid import duties. Now, drug smuggling is a multi-million pound industry.
• Selling of poor girls into prostitution was a problem in 19th century cities, now human trafficking is a problem where people from LEDCs are brought into the country and forced to work for lower wages.
• Driving a horse-drawn coach while drunk was madeillegal in 1872, similarly in 1967 a new law set the maximum limit for the amount of alcohol a person can have in their system and drive a car.