Links to videos for the lessons you will teach

The end of the Bloody Code

Transportation

Prisons

Prisons

Police

Investigation task November 2011.

During the 19th century there were big changes in the way crime was dealt with.
What were these changes and why did they happen?

Your starting point is here.

Crime and Punishment Assessment 1

Your first assessment will be an actual GCSE question about riots in London through history.
It will be a 'What can you learn from?' question from the June 2010 paper for 4 marks.
You will have 20 minutes to answer this question, although in the real exam you will need to spend only about 5 minutes on it.
In the GCSE paper questions like this are the first question on the exam paper.

You need to know

• the different reasons for riots over the last 500 years
• how riot control has changed over time

To see a list of London riots over the last few hundred years, click here.
What is a 'What can you learn from?' question?

You will have 2 sources. One is a picture and the other is short text.
Source A will be about an earlier period we have studied; Source B will be about a later period.
The question will be 'What can you learn from Sources A and B about changes in.............?'

1 or 2 marks: Level 1 answer (grade F or G) - simple statements about what is in the sources.
3 or 4 marks: Level 2 answer (grade D or E) - you make an inference and you support it with evidence from both sources.

What is an inference? It is something you can work out from the sources even though they do not actually say it.

How to prepare for this at home. In class you will study the first example and your teacher will show you how to answer it.

Look at these pairs of sources. Think about the changes they show. Then  spend no more than 20 minutes answering each question.

Example 1


SOURCE A
A 19th century painting of soldiers opening fire on rioters during the Gordon Riots in 1780

SOURCE B

The courts dealing with rioters appear to be sending them to jail for longer than expected. There has already been clear evidence of some long sentences... Many of the looters have been convicted of burglary which carried a maximum sentence of 14 years. Consultation  (with the public) said that burglars should normally be jailed because of their impact on victims...The longest sentences are reserved for those who go equipped with weapons.

                                                                                                             (BBC News 23 August 2011)

Question:

What can we learn from Sources A and B about changes in how the authorities have dealt with riots ?                                                              (4 marks)

Example 2

SOURCE A

Gracious God! what's the matter now? I was obliged to leave off--the shouts of the mob -the horrid clashing of swords--and the clutter of a multitude in swiftist motion--drew me to the door--when every one in the street was employed in shutting up shop.-- It is now just five o'clock-- , S--h, and N--h,--Lord S--h narrowly escaped with life about an hour since; the mob seized his chariot going to the house, broke his glasses, and, in struggling to get his lordship out, they somehow have cut his face--The guards flew to his assistance--the light-horse scowered the road, got his chariot, escorted him from the coffee-house, where he had fled for protection, to his carriage, and guarded him bleeding very fast home.

                                                    from the diary of Ignatius Sancho during the Gordon Riots 1780

SOURCE B

                                                                                     Aftermath of the Brixton Riots 1985


Question:
What can we learn from Sources A and B about the actions of  rioters  in the 18th and 21st centuries?

                                                                                                                                            (4 marks)

Example 3 (Three sources this time!)

SOURCE A

Two days before the riot, a number of young men of the City engaged in a series of sporadic attacks against foreigners. ‘Some were stricken and some buffeted and some thrown in the canal’, reports Hall. As the malefactors were seized and jailed, rumours abounded ‘that on May Day next the City would rebel and slay all aliens’

                                  Graham Noble in History Review (2008), writing about 'Evil May Day' in 1517.

SOURCE B

1915: London crowds attack a German business premises in Poplar High Street in the East End of London.

SOURCE C

A cartoon published around the time of the 1981 Brixton riots.


Question:
What can we learn from these three sources about the causes of riots in London in the 16th, 20th and 21st centuries?                                           (4 marks)

"Let Him Have It, Chris!"

For a copy of the task sheet go here. When you reach the page, click on Derek Bentley.
Links to film material on the Derek Bentley case:

Let Him Have It - 1991 feature film on You Tube - for the whole film
Storyline - 1993 documentary following the Home Secretary's refusal to grant a pardon
Storyline continued
Newsnight - BBC2 coverage following the final pardon 1998
Let Him Dangle - song by Elvis Costello about Derek Bentley

Other coverage:
Stephen's Study Room - a very clear account of the story. It is not clear who Stephen Stratford is but his home page takes you to 'References' where he says what sources he has used.
BBC On This Day - Bentley's execution
BBC News 1998 - the pardon
The Death of Iris Bentley
To Encourage the Others - poem by Michael Taylor
Bentley and Craig - song by Ralph McTell

If you want to go deeper into the case of Craig and Bentley, here are some links:

Wikipedia - not always reliable
Bentley's police statement
An article that does not sympathise with Bentley
The hanging of Bentley in the words of the executioner Albert Pierrepoint
The decision of the Court of Appeal 1998
The Guardian reports the pardon 1998
Memorial service for Bentley after the pardon 1999

Investigating the history of capital punishment in this country.
On these pages, click on the documents and images for more information and examples. There are also tasks and games.
Capital Punishment in the UK - Wikipedia
History of Capital punishment - Stephen Stratford's site (see Stephen's Study Room above)
The Middle Ages - read and then click on Capital Punishment
The Early Modern Period - read and then click on The Bloody Code
The Industrial Period 
The 20th century - read and then click on Abolition of Capital Punishment

Why were the police unable to catch Jack the Ripper?

You will find the coursework sources, links to primary evidence and lots more at the

George Mitchell Year 10 wiki

What do you think? Which of these comments do you agree with?

"The police were to blame for the murderer never being caught."

Detection failure.
Police weakness.
Press criticism.
Sir Charles Warren explaining about the graffiti.

"It wasn’t the fault of the police. There were other reasons why the Ripper was never caught."

Why did the Whitechapel murders attract so much attention in 1888?

You will find the coursework sources, links to primary evidence and lots more at the

George Mitchell Year 10 wiki

What do you think? Which of these comments do you agree with?

It’s the fault of the press! Without them the murders would never have caused so much fuss.

You can use these primary sources as evidence:

Press reports worded so as to cause fear.
Images dsigned to attract readers.
A cartoon about all the posters advertising rival papers.
Circulation figures for the Star.
Press coverage of the Polly Nichols murder.
Press coverage of the Mary Kelly murder.
The letters sent to the police - were they written by journalists?

The press are not to blame. They didn’t cause the fuss, they just reported it.

You can use these primary sources as evidence.

The double murder.
The inquest into Catherine Eddowes's murder.
The postmortem on Mary Kelly.
The real enemy is poverty and neglect.