Week 1 - Medieval Crime and Punishment
LO: To explore the causes of crime and the effectiveness of justice in the medieval period.
In this topic, we will be looking at crime and punishment from medieval times to the modern day. Look at this timeline below. Can you find the time periods we will be looking at in this topic (Medieval, Tudor, Victorian, 20th and 21st Century).
Watch this video below for an introduction to crime and punishment through time.
Lesson 1: What were the main causes of crime in the medieval period?
Q: Look at the picture above. What might make people commit crimes in this time?
Watch: Crime and punishment in Medieval Britain - Crime and Punishment: Video playlist - BBC Bitesize
Task: In groups of 3 or 4, sort the causes of crime cards below. Place them in order from 'most likely to cause crime' to 'least likely to cause crime'. Discuss as a class, were your answers the same?
Individual Task: Complete the ranking sheet in your books.
Lesson 2: How effective was medieval justice?
Task 1: Read through the slides to find out more about justice in medieval times.
Task: Let's play... 'Guess the medieval punishment'. Come on down and join us for a very unique gameshow! Can you guess the punishment that would be given for different crimes?
Class discussion: was justice fair for everyone? Rich vs. poor? Men vs. women?
Opinion line: stand on a line to show how fair you think medieval justice was (0 = not fair, 10 = very fair). Explain why.
Lesson 3: What does the legend of Robin hood tell us about medieval justice?
When was Robin Hood alive and was he real? The earliest written accounts of Robin Hood appear in the 14th century, but the oral tradition of the story likely existed before that. Some historians theorise that the legend may have been inspired by real-life outlaws. It's possible that "Robin Hood" was an alias used by different outlaws over a period of time, rather than a single individual. Historians continue to debate whether Robin Hood was a real person or a fictional creation, with arguments on both sides.
Watch: Find out about the legend of Robin Hood.
Task: Sequence the story of Robin Hood. Write numbers 1-9 on each section of the story to show the correct order.
Group Discussion: Is Robin Hood a hero or a criminal? Think about why he was stealing. Was it fair?
Class Discussion: What does the story of Robin Hood tell us about how people felt about justice in medieval times?
Group Discussion: Look at the pictures below. What similarities and differences can you find between courts in medieval times and courts today?