Crime & Punishment is a core part of GCSE History. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts
WergildAnglo-Saxon system of compensation paid to victim's family for crimes; varied by social status of victim.
Bloody Code 1688-1815Period when over 200 offences carried death penalty, including theft of goods worth more than 5 shillings.
TransportationPunishment of sending convicts to colonies, mainly Australia from 1787; abolished 1868 after 162,000 transported.
Robert Peel 1829Home Secretary who founded the Metropolitan Police; officers nicknamed 'peelers' or 'bobbies' after him.
Pentonville Prison 1842Model prison built on separate system: solitary confinement with hard labour to encourage reflection and reform.
Derek Bentley 1953Hanged for murder despite Craig firing the shot; controversial case that fuelled campaign against capital punishment.
Common mistakes to avoid
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
Has Britain always had a professional police force?✗ Yes, organised police have always existed. ✓ No — the Metropolitan Police began in 1829; before that, parish constables and watchmen kept order.
Have crimes and punishments stayed the same through history?✗ Yes, they have never changed. ✓ No — they changed with society, religion and government.
Practise Crime & Punishment — free games
Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:
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