Early Modern Period - Crime and Punishment
Context
Beliefs and Attitudes
The rich would often mistreat the poor, who also had a great deal of problems, such as
widespread famine, and many would starve to death, leading to much more crime of survival.
After the protestant reformation, priests were seen as corrupt by the people and the Catholic
Church was no longer as trusted as the Church of England set up by Henry VIII in the 1530's.
Wealth and Poverty
Prices were forced up by 30% and the widespread famine killed many of the poor, and
increased the rate of petty theft in the era. Despite this, some lords may hand out food to the
poor, as the king did still not have enough resources to run a stable government.
Urbanisation
London had grown to one of the biggest cities in the world and the population had doubled,
resulting in many people moving to the cities, despite this many people lived in the
countryside, and in seaside towns, because of this there are a much higher rate of serious theft
(over 12d) of exotic goods.
Crime
Vagrancy
The illegal movement of people between manors, looking for work and food. The invention
of the printed pamphlets, warned people of the problems of vagrants, giving innocent people
a bad name.
Highway Robbery
Due to the rapid rate of urbanisation and the little amount of banks, people travelling on
roads, would have lots of money soon their body, increasing the opportunity for highway
robbery to increase. People engaged in highway robbery became more violent.
Witchcraft
The exercise or invocation of alleged supernatural powers to control people or events,
practices typically involving sorcery or magic. People of the time were scared an confused
there was little to no knowledge of the time of science, people and the government needed
someone to blame and scape goat. Anyone could be accused of witchcraft, anyone with
moles, scars and animals, could all be arrested for witchcraft. Matthew Hopkins was the
Context
Beliefs and Attitudes
The rich would often mistreat the poor, who also had a great deal of problems, such as
widespread famine, and many would starve to death, leading to much more crime of survival.
After the protestant reformation, priests were seen as corrupt by the people and the Catholic
Church was no longer as trusted as the Church of England set up by Henry VIII in the 1530's.
Wealth and Poverty
Prices were forced up by 30% and the widespread famine killed many of the poor, and
increased the rate of petty theft in the era. Despite this, some lords may hand out food to the
poor, as the king did still not have enough resources to run a stable government.
Urbanisation
London had grown to one of the biggest cities in the world and the population had doubled,
resulting in many people moving to the cities, despite this many people lived in the
countryside, and in seaside towns, because of this there are a much higher rate of serious theft
(over 12d) of exotic goods.
Crime
Vagrancy
The illegal movement of people between manors, looking for work and food. The invention
of the printed pamphlets, warned people of the problems of vagrants, giving innocent people
a bad name.
Highway Robbery
Due to the rapid rate of urbanisation and the little amount of banks, people travelling on
roads, would have lots of money soon their body, increasing the opportunity for highway
robbery to increase. People engaged in highway robbery became more violent.
Witchcraft
The exercise or invocation of alleged supernatural powers to control people or events,
practices typically involving sorcery or magic. People of the time were scared an confused
there was little to no knowledge of the time of science, people and the government needed
someone to blame and scape goat. Anyone could be accused of witchcraft, anyone with
moles, scars and animals, could all be arrested for witchcraft. Matthew Hopkins was the
