early modern c+p

• The Gunpowder Plot (1605)


  Failed attempt of regicide against King James I . 30th October 1605 , Lord Monteagle received a letter telling him not to attend parliament , which was passed on to Robert Cecil . Cecil ordered a search of the houses of parliament . Guy Fawkes arrested and plotters found guilty of treason , and were hung , drawn and quartered
• Witch Hunts 1645-47


  Lead by Matthew Hopkins 'Witch finder General'. he wrote a pamphlet'The discovery of witches'in 1647 which spread quickly due to the invention of the printing press. James I's book 'demolologie' spread belief of witches. idea spread throughout the bible 'the devil makes work for idle hands'. society at the time was incredibly religious so very superstitious
• reasons for the intensity of the witch-hunts

  Economic issues -people looked for scapegoats due to poor harvests and the effects of the civil war

  Religious change - religious differences were increased by the civil war

  social changes- war left many women widowed or on their own

  lack of authority -war weakened some authorities control

  influence of individuals - King James I had always promoted witch hunting
• Vagabondage / vagrancy


  1601 poor laws split them into two categories : the deserving and undeserving poor ,

  . the deserving poor were given relief by the local parish

  . the undeserving were branded , whipped or sent to a correction house
• Significance of transportation

  it provided criminals a chance at rehabilitation while still acting as a deterrence

  . it provided an alternative to execution

  . it provided inhabitants and workers to establish colonies
• Witch Hunts 1645-47


  Lead byMatthew Hopkins 'Witchfinder General'. he wrote a pamphlet'The discovery of witches'in 1647 which spread quickly due to the invention of the printing press. James I's book 'demolologie'spread belief of witches. idea spread throughout the bible 'the devil makes work for idle hands'. society at the time was incredibly religious so very superstitious
• reasons for the intensity of the witch-hunts

  Economic issues -people looked for scapegoats due to poor harvests and the effects of the civil war

  Religious change - religious differences were increased by the civil war

  social changes- war left many women widowed or on their own

  lack of authority -war weakened some authorities control

  influence of individuals - King James I had always promoted witch hunting
• Matthew Hopkins


  .employed by a Justice of Peace to find witches in Essex and East Anglia

  . received money for each witch he caught

  . investigated 300 witches and hanged 112

  . used torture to extract confessions

  . stirred up mass panic
• Evidence of witchcraft

  . unusual marks on the body

  . witness accounts

  . when pricked with a needle they do not bleed

  . when thrown in water the accused floats

  . 'possessed' children acting as accusers