Causes Of Crime

Question 1

What years were the medieval years from?

Answer 1

500 - 1500

Question 2

What years were the early modern years from?

Answer 2

16th & 17th century (1500s & 1600s)

Question 3

What years was industrial era from?

Answer 3

18th & 19th century. (1700s & 1800s)

Question 4

What years was the modern century from?

Answer 4

20th & 21st century (1900s + 2000s)

Question 5

Name the 5 main causes of crime in the medieval era.

Answer 5

1. Poverty
2. Famine
3. Disease
4. Increased taxation.
5. Warfare.

Question 6

Explain how poverty was a cause of crime.

Answer 6

• Many people lived in extreme poverty, especially peasants. When food or money was scarce, some were driven to steal just to survive.
• Crimes like theft, poaching, and begging were common because people had no legal way to support themselves during poor harvests, illness, or harsh winters.

Question 7

Explain how famine was a cause of crime.

Answer 7

• When harvests failed and food became scarce, people had to steal food to stay alive.
• For example, this happened during the Great Famine of 1315–1317.

Question 8

Explain how disease was a cause of crime.

Answer 8

• Diseases such as the Black Death, which started in the 1340s, killed lots of people and left land unfarmed.
• When this happened, people were at risk of starving, so they sometimes stole to stay alive.
• Additionally, when people died and buildings became abandoned, this gave criminals places to hide.

Question 9

Explain how increased taxation was a cause of crime.

Answer 9

• When taxes were increased on people who were already very poor, this sometimes caused them to revolt against the authorities.
• This happened with the 1370s poll tax, which led to the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381.

Question 10

Explain how warfare was a cause of crime.

Answer 10

• sometimes battling armies stole the food they needed from the local area they were based in.
• This led to people stealing food.
• This happened in military campaigns from the Norman Conquest in the 11th century through to the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century.

Question 11

What were the 2 main causes of crime during the 16th and 17th centuries?

Answer 11

Poverty & Religion.