Early Modern: 1500 - 1700 Flashcards
(40 cards)
What is the link between crime and population growth in Early Modern?
Changes in society
As trade started to grow, there was an increase in the population and number of towns. Due to this, it was harder for some to find work. Busy towns made it easier to commit crimes against the person such as petty theft because they were less likely to get caught.
What was enclosure?
Changes in society
When open land and farm became privatised all over England.
What was the act that made it illegal to take food from enclosed land?
The 1671 Game Act.
Many poor people resorted to crimes against property such as poaching because they were unable to provide their families with food.
Name a change that the Church underwent.
In 1534, Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church and declared himself the Head of the Church of England.
How was heresy and treason punished?
Heresy: burnt at the stake
Treason: hung, drawn and quartered
What did Henry VIII do from 1539 - 1547?
- He executed Protestants for Heresy (since he remained a Catholic)
- He executed Catholics for treason since they wouldn’t take the Oath of Supremacy which recognised him as the Head of Church of England.
What did Edward VI do?
- Executed Catholics for Heresy
- Translated the Bible from Latin to English
What did Mary I (Catholic) do?
Killed almost 300 Protestants for heresy.
Under the Tudors was there an increase or a decrease in charges of treason and heresy?
Increase.
What 3 new crimes were introduced in the Early Modern period?
1) Vagabondage
2) Smuggling
3) Witchcraft
What was vagabondage/vagrancy?
The state of being homeless or unemployed.
Why were vagrants resented?
- They lied and stole
- Viewed as lazy and responsible for their own problems
Why did the number of vagrants increase to 30,000 in the Tudor period?
1) Growing population and lack of jobs
2) Falling wages and rising food prices
3) Poor harvests
Explain what the 1547 Vagrancy Act was.
(repealed after)
If an able-bodied vagabond was without work for more than three days, they were branded with the letter V and sold as a slave for 2 years.
What were the 1601 Poor Laws?
The elderly and disabled were the ‘deserving poor’ and received funding from the local parish. The ‘undeserving’ would be sent to a correction house/whipped.
What influenced the Poor Laws to be passed?
1) Attitudes of the people
2) The Church: ‘the Devil makes work for idle hands’
What is smuggling?
When people bring goods into the country secretly to avoid paying import taxes.
What caused people to smuggle?
In the 17th century, there was an increase in luxury goods such as alcohol, tea and herbs. However, the government put import taxes on these goods.
Why was smuggling a social crime?
Because people were happy to buy cheaper goods from smugglers.
Why was witchcraft so feared?
- Unrest and tension from changes in religion
- Poor harvests and death of livestock
What was the Witchcraft Act?
In 1542, Henry VIII made witchcraft punishable by death.
How did the Witchcraft Act change in 1563?
Elizabeth I changed the law so witchcraft had to be tried in common courts rather than lenient Church courts.
What was the Witchcraft and Conjuration Act passed by James I?
In 1604, he instructed that the death penalty should be given to people summoning ‘evil spirits’.
Give examples of continuity in law enforcement.
1) Locals were still expected to join the Hue and Cry
2) A local posse was still used to catch criminals
