Early Modern England 1500-1700 Flashcards
What is the historical context of Early Modern England?
SOCIETY
- The English Civil War 1642-46
-
population growth
(2.5 m to 6m) - further growth and movement in towns
- further expansion with trade
-
increased poverty
land taken from poor by rich landowners
What is the historical context of Early Modern England?
RELIGION
- The English Civil War 1642-46
- religious conflict between catholics and protestants
-
Oliver Cromwell and Puritan Laws
showed central role of gov in crime and law
What is the religious context of Early Modern England?
CONTINUITY
- religion and the church was still a huge part of lives
- religion still influences crime and punishment
CHANGE
- monarchs control laws and beliefs about religion
What is the nature of crime and laws of Early Modern England?
CONTINUITY
- treason
- 1671 game act
- poaching
- growing towns meant theft and fraud
CHANGE
- Vagabondage/vagrancy
large increase in vagrancy due to the increasing population, falling wages, rising food prices and no support system
1494 vagabonds and beggars act
vagabonds put into stocks and pillory
1547 vagrancy act
branded with ‘v’ repealed
1597 act for the relief of the poor
deserving and undeserving
1601 poor laws
poor relief or correction house
- heresy
- smuggling (social crime)
introduction of import duties led to the rise of smuggling
- Oliver Cromwell and Puritan Laws
showed central role of gov in crime and law
What is the nature of law enforcement and policing of Early Modern England?
CONTINUITY
- collective responsibility
- Hue and cry
- no policing
- law enforcement varied between areas
CHANGE
- witchcraft tried in ordinary courts
- smuggling diffcult to enforce - scoial crime
- town constables
- night watchmen
- thief takers
What is the nature of punishment of Early Modern England?
aim of deterrence and restribution
CONTINUITY
- stocks and pillory
- coporal and capital punishment
- prisons used as a holding ground for those awaiting trial
CHANGE
- the bloody code (1688-1825)
50 crimes punishable by death; strong detterent
- transporation to North America
tough manual labour; alternative to execution
favoured because effective deterrent; no effective prison system; colonies; rehabilitation
vagrant children sent for transportation (duty boys)/ to bridwell prison
- houses of correction (prisons)
early prisons
holding area for those awaiting trial/punishment
unhygeinc and poor conditions
1556- Bridwell prison established; punished and housed poor; hard labour to encourage work
CASE STUDY: The Gunpowder Plot 1605
- strict anti-catholic laws under elizabeth and james I
- 5 November 1605- aimed to set of an explosion to kill king at the state opening of parliament
- 20 october- lord monteagle received warning
robert cecil ordered a search of houses of parliament - Guy Fawkes arrested, tortured and forced to confess; aftewrwards sentenced to death by being hanged, drawn and quatered
REASONS FOR HARSH PUNISHMENT
- committed most serious crime: treason
- no police force to prevent crime; harsh punishment was an effective deterrent
- period of political unstability
- deterred catholic rebellion
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES
- king’s book
encouraged anti-catholic attitudes
- 1605 Thanksgiving Act
banned from legal professions
- 1606 Popish Recusants Act
forced to take oath of allegiance and take part in church services
CASE STUDY: The Witchcraft Hunts (1647) and Mathew Hopkins
- people actively tried to discover witched
- convicted witches were executed by hanging
REASONS
- social changes
war left women widowed and people travelling for work
- economic problems
war led to poor harvests; scapegoats
- lack of authortiy
war weakened control of local authorties; law and order collapsed
- religious change
civil war increased religious differences; puritans believed catholics used witchcraft
- influence of individuals
James !: Demonolgie
Mathew Hopkins: employed by JPS; his prosecutions and pamphlets stirred up mass fear.
