The religious , social , economic and political background including moral regulation

Question 1

What was the religious and political background at the time ?

Answer 1

Civil war led to the collapse of central authority

Church courts were disbanded from mid 16th century and had been a prime means of assessing punishment of WC

Question 2

How did the breakdown of traditional authority occur during this period ?

Answer 2

East Anglia was the parliamentarians main hiring ground for troops in the civil war

Traditional authority of church was impacted by the war

Authority of local gentry undermined - many royalists fighting faced threat of arrest

assize courts disrupted as it was dangerous for judges in London

Question 3

What was the religious background of the time ?

Answer 3

Reformation had an impact as Elizabeth I Passed an act to protect her from the dangers of WC

Question 4

How did the civil war of the 1640’s have religious implications ?

Answer 4

Puritans though Charles I was an agent of satan due to his connection to catholics

Retention of elements of popery had allowed WC to take hold across england

East Anglia was a parliamentary controlled area with lots of prots

Those who broke the rules were easy to find and quickly handed to authorities

Question 5

What were the economic crisis like during this period of time ?

Answer 5

Civil war caused economic stagnation and increased poverty levels - Puritans did not like vagrancy which made east Anglian society scared of outcasts

Accusations were easy to appear in communities :

-Region faced crop failure 1640s
-Changing land use created inequality
as common land was enclosed and the
rich bought more land
-Civil war caused inflation and povety

Question 6

How was moral regulation used in this time period ?

Answer 6

Absence of assize judges made communities take matters into their own hands and punish those who broke social norms

Explaining how Hopkins and Stearne were popular when legal was in low supply