Summary GCSE Edexcel History Crime and punishment notes
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Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History Crime and punishment through time, c1000-present Student Book
Concise summary notes for Edexcel GCSE History covering Crime, Punishment and Law enforcement in Medieval England (including Anglo-Saxons and Normans) from the years
GCSE Edexcel History Crime and Punishment Whitechapel notes
GCSE Edexcel History Crime and Punishment 1900- Present Notes
GCSE Edexcel History Crime and Punishment Notes 1700-1900
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1.1 Crime, punishment, and law enforcement in Anglo-Saxon England
-In 1000, about 90% of people lived in the countryside and few lived in towns
-These communities were very vulnerable to the effects of warfare, bad weather, poor harvest and diseases
-A powerful king and nobility made the law, but village communities and family ties were also strong and helped
enforced the law at a local level
-The Christian Church was an important influence on ideas about crime and punishment
-During the Anglo-Saxon period there were important trends in crime and punishment:
The Power & influence of the King over crime and punishment grew. Penalties were increasingly decided by the
king rather than local communities
The role of the Christian Church increased. The Church was concerned with giving those who had committed
crimes opportunities to save their soles
The use of punishments (e.g capital punishment) increased. This was to help boost the visible power and
authority of the king across the land
King: Rules the country, decides new laws
The role of Anglo-Saxon kings and issues codes of law. Responsible for
-(From 978-1016) King Ethelred ruled England. In c1000, Ethelred attacked some keeping the king’s peace
Viking settlements and also tried to stop Viking attacks by making alliances with Nobles: Given land by the king- wealthy and
Normandy. This gave him more control over the kingdom. powerful. Some can advise and persuade the
-Previously, communities had made their own laws, so the crime and punishment king when making new laws. They appoint
system was basic and relied on local customs shire reeves to make sure people follow the
-As the authority of the Anglo-Saxon kings and the territory of England grew, it king’s law. Responsible for upholding laws in
was the king who would make and enforce laws. their local area
-The king relied on advisers to help him govern the country, but he held overall Freemen: Rent or own a small piece of land
authority, and it was his duty to keep the king’s peace but have no say in making the law
Serfs: Own no land and have very low pay.
-There was a three-tiered social structure of nobles, freemen and serfs. All 3 No say in making the law
classes were subject to the king’s authority
-Nobles did well because of this social structure, and they played an important King’s peace= the King’s duty to take
role in keeping it going by backing laws. The king gave nobles land in return for care of law and order, so people
their support. could go about their everyday lives
-Actions that threatened this social structure were classed as crimes (such as knowing the law would be upheld
treason- which many saw as the worst crime of all). Crimes of this type are known Treason= Betraying the king e.g
as ‘crimes against authority’ helping his enemies or plotting to
kill/replace him
Crime in Anglo-Saxon communities: towns, villages, abbeys
-In c1000, towns were growing in importance thanks to settled
populations, their trade contacts with Europe, and coined money (which Crimes against the person= Crimes that cause
made trade much easier) physical harm to another person (e.g assault or
-In these communities there were more opportunities to commit both murder)
crimes against the person and crimes against the property. Crimes against the property= Crimes that involve
-It was easier to get away with crime in a busy town as people did not all taking or damaging something that belongs to
know each other well another person (theft, robbery, arson)
-Additionally, as the concentration of trade goods and money increased it Collective responsibility= Being responsible for
meant there were plenty of valuable items to steal the actions of other members of your
-But most people lived in villages were everybody knew each other, community, if someone broke the law it was up
making it easy to identify and catch a criminal to everyone in the village to take action
-Local communities were expected to take collective responsibility for Reeve=A local official, appointed from the
upholding the law community
-each area had a reeve who carried out decisions made by local courts Moral crimes= Actions that didn’t physically harm
-The institution of the Church was powerful and had responsibility for anyone, or their property, but didn’t match
stopping moral crimes and crimes against the Church. The church society’s views on decent behaviour.
punished those who broke Church laws e.g by stealing Church property.
Anglo-Saxon laws
-The kings formally issued codes of law. With each new code, new laws could be introduced,
existing laws could be altered, and laws that were being ignored could be strengthened.
, Anglo-Saxon law enforcement The role of the community
-The way that crimes were viewed was based on Anglo- -Anglo-Saxons believed that it was a victim’s responsibility to seek
Saxon ideas about justice and how society should be justice if a crime was committed (but also that the whole community
organised. Anglo-Saxons believed: should be involved in delivering justice)
The role of the local community was important in -Loyalty to your community was a duty
policing the behaviour of others -English shires were divided into smaller areas called hundreds.
That God was the final judge of innocence or guilt -Each hundred was divided into 10 tithings
The status and position of different groups should -All the men (over 12) in a tithing were responsible for the behaviour
be clear in the law of all the others.
-1 man from each hundred, and 1 man from each tithing had to meet
Taking oaths regularly with the king’s shire reeve. Their job was to prevent crime
-Justice relied heavily on religion when deciding if in their communities (especially cattle theft)
someone was guilty or innocent -These developments made the community important in Anglo-Saxon
-Oaths played an important role in proving innocence. law enforcement
The accused could swear their innocence under oath
Hue and cry
in a public hearing.
-The whole community was responsible for tracking down those
-In most cases the accused walked free. This was
suspected of crimes.
because in such small communities it was unlikely a
-If someone witnessed a crime, they could raise a ‘hue and cry’ which
criminal would get away with a repeat offence
was literally shouting for help
-If someone was a repeat offender, they were not
-Everyone who heard was expected to chase and capture the suspect
given the option of sweating an oath of innocence.
King’s shire reeve= A man appointed locally to bring criminals to
Trial by ordeal
justice, like a sheriff.
-When there was not enough evidence to prove that a
Oaths= A formal declaration of the facts, calling on God to witness
person was guilty, the AS church had an important role
what is said is true.
-The accused could be tried by Church authorities in a
‘trial by ordeal’ which was seen as a way of testing
whether the accused was innocent or guilty in the eyes Trial by cold water
of God -The accused was thrown into water with their arms tied
-The outcome was seen as God’s judgement on their -Anyone who floated was judged guilty
guilt or innocence -Anyone who sank was judged innocent and hauled up again
-Sinking meant they had been ‘accepted’ by the water as pure
Trial by hot water or hot iron
-heat was used to burn one of the accused’s hands, -Christian thinking had an influence on Anglo-Saxon ideas about
which was then bandaged some punishment. For some crimes e.g petty theft, the Church
-If the burn healed well, this was seen as a sign that advised maiming.
God judged the person to be innocent -This type of punishment gave the criminal time to seek
forgiveness from God
Anglo-Saxon punishments Petty theft= stealing small, low-value items
The Wergild
Maiming= Causing physical harm like having a hand or ear cut off
-Was a fine paid to the victim’s family after a murder
-These were seen as compensation for the loss of life Capital and corporal punishment
-The system was intended to reduce blood feuds, in -Some crimes received capital or corporal punishment. These were a
which members of the victim’s family killed the form of retribution but were also a deterrent.
murderer creating an ongoing cycle of violence -Treason and arson were views as very serious as it damaged the
-Wergild was paid directly to a victim’s family and the land and property of the ruling classes, and these were punished by
price was decided by social status. execution
e.g A Prince was 1500 shillings, but a serf was 40 -For lesser crimes, corporal punishments, e.g mutilation, could be
shillings used. Corporal punishment was meant to act as a deterrent, to help
The stocks and the pillory stop other people from committing similar crimes.
-Public punishments, using stock/pillory, were a -Punishments like eye-gouging or removing a hand/foot were seen
combination of physical pain and discomfort and as a more lenient alternative to the death penalty
public humiliation
-The pillory secured the arms and neck, and the
stocks secured the ankles
-They were placed in the centre of the town or village
so everyone could see them
-The public could also add to their humiliation by
throwing rubbish or verbally abusing them
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