crime in early modern england

Question 1

What period does early modern England cover?

Answer 1

c1500-c1700

Question 2

What social changes occurred in early modern England?

Answer 2

Increase in population, decline of feudalism, urban migration

Question 3

What led to an increase in crimes against the person in early modern England?

Answer 3

Higher unemployment and urbanization

Question 4

What farming change contributed to crime during this period?

Answer 4

Enclosure of land

Question 5

What was a significant religious change affecting crimes against authority?

Answer 5

Changes in the monarch’s religion

Question 6

Which two royal houses ruled England during early modern times?

Answer 6

The Tudors and the Stuarts

Question 7

What types of crimes increased against authority in early modern England?

Answer 7

Heresy and treason

Question 8

What led to more common treason charges during this period?

Answer 8

Disputes about who should rule

Question 9

How did the official religion of England change during early modern times?

Answer 9

From Catholic to Protestant and back

Question 10

Who played a role in charging people with heresy?

Answer 10

Important members of the clergy

Question 11

What is the definition of treason?

Answer 11

The crime of plotting or acting to overthrow or harm the ruler or country

Question 12

What is the definition of heresy?

Answer 12

The crime of having religious beliefs different from the official religion

Question 13

Fill in the blank: Heresy first became a crime in _______.

Answer 13

1382

Question 14

What was a common punishment for heresy?

Answer 14

Being burned to death at the stake

Question 15

What conspiracy is an example of treason?

Answer 15

The Gunpowder Plot

Question 16

During which monarch’s reign were many Protestants executed for heresy?

Answer 16

Mary I

Question 17

What happened between 1558-1603 regarding treason and heresy executions?

Answer 17

Elizabeth I executed many rebels for treason but fewer for heresy

Question 18

What was the impact of enclosure of land on property crimes?

Answer 18

Poaching increased as landowners restricted hunting

Question 19

True or False: The official religion of England remained constant during early modern times.

Answer 19

False

Question 20

What is vagabondage?

Answer 20

Unemployed, homeless person

Vagrancy laws emerged due to societal changes in early modern England.

Question 21

What led to the increase in vagrancy in early modern England?

Answer 21

Increasing population, falling wages, rising food prices, closure of monasteries

These factors contributed to a rise in the number of vagrants.

Question 22

What was the Vagabonds and Beggars Act of 1494?

Answer 22

Vagabonds were put in stocks for three days and nights, then sent back to their birthplace

This act aimed to control vagrancy in society.

Question 23

What did the 1547 Vagrancy Act entail?

Answer 23

Able-bodied individuals without work for more than three days were branded and sold as slaves for two years

This act was eventually repealed due to enforcement issues.

Question 24

What was the purpose of the 1597 Act for the Relief of the Poor?

Answer 24

Split vagrants into ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ categories

This act aimed to provide targeted relief to those in need.

Question 25

How did the 1601 Poor Laws affect the deserving poor?

Answer 25

Provided poor relief by the local parish ## Footnote The 'undeserving' faced punishment such as branding or whipping.

Question 26

What was the societal perception of vagrants during early modern England?

Answer 26

Viewed as lazy and responsible for their own problems ## Footnote This perception influenced the creation of laws against vagrancy.

Question 27

What triggered the increase in smuggling in the 17th century?

Answer 27

Introduction of import tax on goods like brandy and tea ## Footnote Smuggling was seen as a social crime and hard to enforce.

Question 28

Define smuggling.

Answer 28

Bringing goods into the country secretly to avoid paying import tax ## Footnote Often viewed as a minor crime by the public.

Question 29

How did the perception of witchcraft change during the early modern period?

Answer 29

Became a serious offense with new laws passed against it ## Footnote Fear of witchcraft led to stricter punishments.

Question 30

What significant change did Henry VIII make regarding witchcraft in 1542?

Answer 30

Made witchcraft punishable by death ## Footnote This marked a shift in the severity of punishment for witchcraft.

Question 31

What was the impact of Elizabeth I's changes to witchcraft laws in 1563?

Answer 31

Charges of witchcraft had to be tried in a common court ## Footnote This change reflected the growing seriousness of witchcraft accusations.

Question 32

What instruction did James I give regarding witchcraft in 1604?

Answer 32

Death penalty for summoning evil spirits ## Footnote This instruction intensified the witch hunts of the era.

Question 33

True or False: Witchcraft was considered a minor crime in medieval times.

Answer 33

True ## Footnote It was primarily dealt with by Church courts.