GCSE History | Crime and Punishment in Early Modern Era Britain

History Quiz - Crime And Punishment: Early Modern Britain (Questions)

In GCSE History, students will look at how crime and punishment have changed over the centuries, focussing on different periods. One of these is the early modern era, specifically in Britain.

Crime was a serious problem in Britain during the early part of the Modern Era. The growth of towns and cities encouraged crime, and there was no official police force. Some forms of punishment were harsh: capital punishment was rife, as were torture and transportation. The authorities were frightened of the "many-headed monster" of popular unrest.

Discover more about law enforcement in early Modern Era Britain in this enlightening quiz.

In Mary Tudor's reign heretics (i.e. those who followed the Protestant faith) could suffer the death penalty, and 300 were killed during her reign (1553-1558). What form of execution did they suffer?

[ ]	Hanging
[ ]	Burning at the stake
[ ]	Drowning
[ ]	Beheading

As there was no police force, many victims of crime hired someone to find the culprit - for a fee. What name was given to these bounty hunters?

[ ]	Private detectives
[ ]	Thief-takers
[ ]	Special constables
[ ]	Crime wardens

In 1688 the death penalty could be imposed for no less than 50 different crimes. Why did courts in fact impose so few death sentences?

[ ]	A shortage of executioners
[ ]	Fear of public unrest over frequent executions
[ ]	A reluctance on the part of juries to convict if they thought that death might ensue
[ ]	The compassionate nature of most judges at the time

Witchcraft was taken seriously as an offence in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. What did the witch-finders look for on an alleged witch's body to prove guilt?

[ ]	The taint of the Devil
[ ]	The Devil's mark
[ ]	The Devil's finger
[ ]	The Devil's nose

Transportation overseas was an available punishment. To where were convicts transported until the late 1700s?

[ ]	Australia
[ ]	The North American colonies
[ ]	South Africa
[ ]	New Zealand

What term was used to describe a robber on foot encountered on the highway?

[ ]	A highwayman
[ ]	A footpad
[ ]	A vagabond
[ ]	A vagrant

What was meant by a "bridewell" during this period?

[ ]	A courtroom
[ ]	A prison
[ ]	A work house for the poor
[ ]	The mayor's office

Women accused of witchcraft often had to undertake a "swimming test". How did this establish guilt or innocence?

[ ]	A woman who floated was deemed to be a witch
[ ]	A woman who sank was deemed to be a witch
[ ]	A woman who drowned was considered guilty, but forgiven
[ ]	A woman who swam was considered to be especially guilty

Which crime was regulated as a capital offence under the 1723 Black Act (amongst others)?

[ ]	Vagrancy
[ ]	Poaching
[ ]	Nagging
[ ]	Blasphemy

10.

Some towns and villages did employ constables, but they suffered from a crucial weakness. What was it?

[ ]	They worked only part-time
[ ]	They were unpaid
[ ]	They had no powers of arrest
[ ]	They could not pursue suspects beyond the boundaries of the village or town

History Quiz - Crime And Punishment: Early Modern Britain (Answers)

In Mary Tudor's reign heretics (i.e. those who followed the Protestant faith) could suffer the death penalty, and 300 were killed during her reign (1553-1558). What form of execution did they suffer?

[ ]	Hanging
[x]	Burning at the stake
[ ]	Drowning
[ ]	Beheading

Mary and her advisors regarded the death sentence as an effective deterrent. Capital punishment was - in any event - a frequent occurrence in this period

As there was no police force, many victims of crime hired someone to find the culprit - for a fee. What name was given to these bounty hunters?

[ ]	Private detectives
[x]	Thief-takers
[ ]	Special constables
[ ]	Crime wardens

Poorer victims of crime could be precluded by poverty from seeking redress in this way

In 1688 the death penalty could be imposed for no less than 50 different crimes. Why did courts in fact impose so few death sentences?

[ ]	A shortage of executioners
[ ]	Fear of public unrest over frequent executions
[x]	A reluctance on the part of juries to convict if they thought that death might ensue
[ ]	The compassionate nature of most judges at the time

In fact the number of capital offences actually increased during the following century

Witchcraft was taken seriously as an offence in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. What did the witch-finders look for on an alleged witch's body to prove guilt?

[ ]	The taint of the Devil
[x]	The Devil's mark
[ ]	The Devil's finger
[ ]	The Devil's nose

They were looking for any kind of unusual spot on the skin of the accused

Transportation overseas was an available punishment. To where were convicts transported until the late 1700s?

[ ]	Australia
[x]	The North American colonies
[ ]	South Africa
[ ]	New Zealand

Transportation was not abolished as a punishment at this point: the prisoners were now re-directed to a new destination

What term was used to describe a robber on foot encountered on the highway?

[ ]	A highwayman
[x]	A footpad
[ ]	A vagabond
[ ]	A vagrant

Such robbers were much feared, and they could usually run fast

What was meant by a "bridewell" during this period?

[ ]	A courtroom
[x]	A prison
[ ]	A work house for the poor
[ ]	The mayor's office

Most towns had one of these at this time

Women accused of witchcraft often had to undertake a "swimming test". How did this establish guilt or innocence?

[x]	A woman who floated was deemed to be a witch
[ ]	A woman who sank was deemed to be a witch
[ ]	A woman who drowned was considered guilty, but forgiven
[ ]	A woman who swam was considered to be especially guilty

This procedure was a reminder of medieval and Anglo-Saxon practices

Which crime was regulated as a capital offence under the 1723 Black Act (amongst others)?

[ ]	Vagrancy
[x]	Poaching
[ ]	Nagging
[ ]	Blasphemy

The fact that this was a capital offence did not necessarily mean that all of those found guilty of it would be sentenced to death

10.

Some towns and villages did employ constables, but they suffered from a crucial weakness. What was it?

[ ]	They worked only part-time
[x]	They were unpaid
[ ]	They had no powers of arrest
[ ]	They could not pursue suspects beyond the boundaries of the village or town

Under these circumstances constables could not achieve much