Key Individuals

Test yourself

Robert Catesby and the Gunpowder Plotters

Robert Catesby and the Gunpowder Plotters committed Treason attempting to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.

James I

James I became King following the death of Elizabeth I in 1603.
Many Catholics hoped that they would be able to continue to worship freely, but there were members of James’ government that felt strongly anti-catholic.
Laws were tightened and life for Catholics became difficult as these new rules were enforced harshly.

Robert Catesby

Robert Catesby created a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament, kill King James I and replace him with a Catholic monarch.

The plotters

In total 13 plotters, including Guy Fawkes filled the basement under the Houses of Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder in order to complete their plan.
However, an anonymous letter was sent to a member of parliament, Lord Monteagle warning him not to attend the state opening of parliament in the coming weeks.

Foiling the plot

The basement beneath Parliament was searched and Fawkes was arrested and tortured until he revealed the names of his fellow conspirators.

Punishing the plotters

The other plotters escaped but government soldiers tracked them down further north.
A number of the group were killed and the others returned to London for trial and were executed.
The plotters were hanged, drawn and quartered, the punishment for Treason.
- This severe punishment was designed to send a clear message to others.

Matthew Hopkins

Matthew Hopkins led the witch-hunts of 1645-1647.

Witchcraft

During the early modern period, witchcraft became a serious crime.
During the period of 1645-47, there was an unusual rise in the number of accusations made against witches.
- One of the causal factors was Matthew Hopkins.

Hopkins in East Anglia

Hopkins began searching areas of East Anglia for witches, finding and naming 36 women. He proceeded to collect evidence against them.
Many were charged with using harmful magic against their neighbours, resulting in harm to animals or poor crop growth.

Torturing witches

The suspects were often kept awake all night in order to exhaust them and obtain a confession.
Sometimes they were made to remain standing and other times they were forced to move around continuously.

Familiars

If there was an animal found with the accused Hopkins claimed that was their ‘familiar’.
A familiar was considered to have been created by the Devil and worked for the witch.
The familiar then sucked the blood of the witch through any scars, spots, or birthmarks on the witch's body.

Witchcraft accusations

The increasing number of accusations by Hopkins led to fear of witches spreading and other villages called upon Hopkins to come and remove them of witches too. Hopkins, of course, was making quite a lot of money as a result.
The majority of accusations were made against women, but there are cases of men being ‘swum’ as witches too.
A local vicar was accused based on the fact that ‘Devil Marks’ were found in his mouth.
It would be possible that these were simply mouth ulcers, which was a sign of poor diet.

Hopkins disappearance

Hopkins is thought to have died in 1647. After this date, he was never seen again.
The cases of witchcraft in East Anglia reduced as a result.

1Medieval England, 1000-1500

1.1Changing Definition of Crime in Medieval England

1.1.1Early Medieval Society

1.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

1.2.1Enforcing the Law in Medieval Society

1.2.2Punishments in Medieval England

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Early Medieval Society

1.3Case Studies From 1000-1500

1.3.1The Church

1.3.2End of Topic Test - The Church

1.3.3Grade 9 - Medieval England

2Early Modern England, 1500-1700

2.1Changing Definitions of Crime

2.1.1Early Modern Society

2.1.2Crime in the Early Modern Period

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Early Modern Crime

2.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

2.2.1Punishments in Early Modern Society

2.2.2Law Enforcement in Early Modern Society

2.2.3End of Topic Test - Early Modern Law Enforcement

2.2.4Grade 9 - Early Modern England

2.3Case Studies From 1500-1700

2.3.1Key Individuals

2.3.2End of Topic Test - Case Studies 1500-1700

2.3.3Grade 9 - Case Studies From 1500-1700

318th & 19th Century Britain

3.1Changing Definition of Crime in Industrial Britain

3.1.1Society in Industrial Britain

3.1.2Crime in Industrial Britain

3.1.3End of Topic Test - Crime in Industrial Britain

3.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

3.2.1Punishment in Industrial Society

3.2.2Punishment in Industrial Society 2

3.2.3Policing in the Industrial Period

3.2.4End of Topic Test - Punishment

3.3Case Studies From 1700-1900

3.3.1Changes to the Prison System

3.3.2End of Topic Test - Case Studies From 1700-1900

3.3.3Grade 9 - 18th & 19th Century

4Modern Britain, 1900-Present

4.1Changing Definition of Crime in Modern Britain

4.1.1Society in Modern Britain

4.1.2Crime in Modern Britain

4.1.3End of Topic Test - Crime in Modern Britain

4.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

4.2.1Punishment in Modern Britain

4.2.2Attitudes Towards Punishment

4.2.3Capital Punishment

4.2.4End of Topic Test - Punishment in Modern Britain

4.2.5Grade 9 - Modern Britain

4.3Case Studies 1900-2000

4.3.1Modern Britain Case Studies

4.3.2End of Topic Test - Modern Britain Case Studies

4.3.3Grade 9 - Case Studies 1900-2000

5Whitechapel Local Study

5.1The Geographical Area & Living Conditions

5.1.1Accommodation in Whitechapel

5.1.2Living Conditions

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Whitechapel Local Study

5.2The People of Whitechapel

5.2.1Alcohol & Immigration

5.2.2Prostitution

5.2.3Racial Tensions

5.2.4End of Topic Test - The People of Whitechapel

5.2.5Grade 9 - Whitechapel

5.3Policing in Whitechapel

5.3.1The Police Force in Whitechapel

5.3.2Jack the Ripper

5.3.3Challenges Facing the Police

5.3.4End of Topic Test - Policing in Whitechapel

5.3.5Grade 9 - Policing Whitechapel

Jump to other topics