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10 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What caused particular concern in the C18th? |
Smuggling, poaching and highway robbery |
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What was highway robbery? |
Stopping a coach and robbing the passengers |
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Why did highway robbery increase in the C18th? |
> Increased wealth. There were no banks so people carried large amounts of cash around. > No police force. Local constables would not bother to search/track highway men across counties. > Roads had improved but not enough to allow coaches to accelerate and escape. > Demobbed soldiers became highway men because they couldn't find work |
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Why was highway robbery a problem for the authorities? |
> Disrupted communication and trade between towns > Committed their crime in broad daylight on the Kings highway > Guns and horses were cheap to obtain > Areas around London became very dangerous e.g Hounslow Health was ideal for highway robbers, with woods to disappear into it. > Authorities saw it as a large problem and large fines were offered for information. |
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Why did highway robbery decline in the C18th? |
> The Bloody Code discouraged highway robbery > High rewards encouraged informers > Mounted patrols were set up around London - highway robbers were more likely to be caught |
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What was smuggling? |
Bringing goods into the country without paying import tax on them. |
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What were the most common smuggled items? |
Tobacco and tea because the tax was so high |
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Why was smuggling a problem for the authorities? |
> Less tax for the government > Many people saw it as a 'victimless crime' - it helped to keep down prices. They did not regard it as a crime. > Local communities often protected smugglers and hid smuggled items > Smugglers formed large, violent gangs like the Hawkhurst gang. Witnesses and magistrates were often too afraid to give evidence or convict. |
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What was poaching? |
Illegally catching birds, animals and fish on another persons land. |
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Why were laws against poaching very unpopular? |
Because many people living in the C18th were poor - especially when bad harvests increased |