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The organisation of society and the nature of everyday life continued to affect the nature of crime and punishment in this period.

The people

Britain’s population increased from roughly 2.4 million in c.1500 to almost 6 million by 1750. Most people lived and worked in the countryside.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, bad harvests could still lead to famine, such as the ones that hit Britain in the 1590s and 1620s.

People were still divided into a social hierarchy, although this had started to break down slightly:

• Nobles owned vast amounts of land. They held a lot of power and sat in the House of Lords.
• The gentry were also wealthy landowners, although with smaller estates than the nobles. They were often Members of Parliament (MPs) or Justices of the Peace (JPs).
• Merchants, lawyers and doctors were part of a growing class of people usually referred to as the 'middling sort'. They earned their wealth in ways other than through owning land. They usually had important roles in town authorities, as mayors or aldermen.
• Commoners ranged from yeomen to craftspeople to labourers who worked for wages. Though many people continued to live in poverty, they were no longer villeins who had been treated of as the property of their lord.

Poverty

Although England grew wealthier between 1500 and 1750, life for poor labourers was still tough. Between 1550 and 1650, poor harvests and a growing population meant food prices rose while wages fell. Many people left their villages and became vagrants, travelling the country to seek work.

In the early 18th century, hundreds of thousands of men and women turned to gin as a quick escape from the problems of life. By the 1720s, the Gin Craze had become a serious problem in London.

Growth of towns

By 1750, towns had grown as many people had moved to find work. However, the scale of growth was minor compared to later changes. Only around 20 per cent of people lived in towns. London was the largest city in Europe in this period. Its estimated population grew from 120,000 in 1550 to over 700,000 by 1750.

Growth of trade

There was a rise in international trade. In the 17th century, England established its first overseas colonies in North America, where enslaved people were traded in the transatlantic slave trade. Across the Atlantic, metal goods, sugar and tobacco were traded, while new spices and fabrics came from India. Increased trade led to the growth of important ports such as Bristol. From the late 1600s, governments placed very high taxes - called duties - on certain goods imported from abroad.

The Reformation

By 1600, England had become a Protestant country. This period became known as the Reformation. Although some people in England were still loyal to the Catholic faith, the monarch expected people to follow the official state religion.

Puritans

By 1600 there was a large group of Protestants called Puritans. They believed that people should very strictly follow the Bible. Puritanism was particularly strong in some areas of the country. In those places, constables and JPs tried to enforce stricter Christian standards by punishing ‘moral’ crimes such as drinking and swearing.

Power

This was a period of huge change in the monarch’s power. In the 16th century, Tudor monarchs such as Henry VIII increased the power of the government over the people. Then, between 1642 and 1651, the English Civil War was fought between Charles I and Parliament over how England should be ruled. Parliament won and the king was executed in 1649. The civil wars were hugely destructive and disruptive.

Although the monarchy was restored in 1660, Parliament was far more powerful than it had been in the Middle Ages. However, only around 3 per cent of the population had any say in choosing MPs.

Printing

The printing press was introduced. This made the work of government and officials more efficient. It also allowed new ideas to spread quickly, especially as more people were learning to read and write. Daily newspapers had emerged by 1750.

Work and travel

Lots of people moved around in this period, often searching for work. Traders took animals, cloth and other goods to towns to sell. In the 1600s, more roads were built and more people began to travel by stagecoach. Stagecoaches followed regular routes between two places, stopping at inns along the way. Richer people travelled inside with their valuables, while poorer people paid less to travel on top of the coach.