Uploaded September 2018 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Highway robbery saw a dramatic rise in the early 18th century due to a changing environment which created ideal circumstances for the crime. Eventually, it reached the point where the government decided they needed to take action.
#GCSEHistory #GCSERevision #CrimeandpunishmentGCSE
***---Useful resources---***
Quizlet Flashcards: quizlet.com/_598o7w
Practice exam-style questions:
- Explain one way in which highway robbery in the 18th century was similar to highway robbery in the Middle Ages
- Explain why the problem of highway robbery rose and fell in the period c1700-c1900
You may use the following in your answer:
- Urbanisation
- The growth of the banking system
You must also use information of your own.
- ‘The main reason for the growth of the problem of highway robbery in the early 18th century is increased travel’.
How far do you agree? Explain your answer.
You may use the following in your answer:
- Increased travel
- Urbanisation
You must also use information of your own.
Revision Notes:
- Highway robbery was the act of threatening or attacking travellers and forcing them to hand over their valuable possessions
- Had been a problem since the middle ages
- Grew more common in the 18th century
- As trade increased, there was more need to move goods and money (few banks and no cards so people carried around large amounts of money)
- While towns were growing, the countryside became far less populous (much less populated than it is today), so there were many isolated country roads
- Many roads were improved in the 18th century
- Turnpike trusts improved the road surfaces, charging travellers a toll to pay for these improvements
- This led to more travelling inc. regular stagecoach services
- This meant there were many more people (and valuable items to steal) on the roads
- Highway robbers who operated on foot were known as footpads
- Highway robbers who travelled on horseback were known as highwaymen
- Some highwaymen were infamous in the early 18th century
- 'Black Harry' in Derbyshire robbed pack-mule trains
- He was eventually caught and executed at Wardlow Mires
- Highway robbery was seen as highly serious
- It disrupted travel between towns
- It was committed on the king's highways
- It could involve theft of mail bags, which disrupted the postal service
- 1772, in an effort to clamp down on the activities of highwaymen, the death penalty was introduced for any found armed and in disguise on a high road
- Highway robbery continued into the 19th century
- Became less common after 1815
- Last reported case was in 1831
- One factor in this reduction was the use of mounted horse patrols on major roads in the 19th century
- The growth of the banking system meant there was less need for people to carry large sums of cash
FOR FULL VERSIONS OF THE NOTES FOR THIS AND OTHER CRIME & PUNISHMENT VIDEOS, FOLLOW THIS LINK: quizlet.com/_58irn6
Highway robbery saw a dramatic rise in the early 18th century due to a changing environment which created ideal circumstances for the crime. Eventually, it reached the point where the government decided they needed to take action.
#GCSEHistory #GCSERevision #CrimeandpunishmentGCSE
***---Useful resources---***
Quizlet Flashcards: quizlet.com/_598o7w
Practice exam-style questions:
- Explain one way in which highway robbery in the 18th century was similar to highway robbery in the Middle Ages
- Explain why the problem of highway robbery rose and fell in the period c1700-c1900
You may use the following in your answer:
- Urbanisation
- The growth of the banking system
You must also use information of your own.
- ‘The main reason for the growth of the problem of highway robbery in the early 18th century is increased travel’.
How far do you agree? Explain your answer.
You may use the following in your answer:
- Increased travel
- Urbanisation
You must also use information of your own.
Revision Notes:
- Highway robbery was the act of threatening or attacking travellers and forcing them to hand over their valuable possessions
- Had been a problem since the middle ages
- Grew more common in the 18th century
- As trade increased, there was more need to move goods and money (few banks and no cards so people carried around large amounts of money)
- While towns were growing, the countryside became far less populous (much less populated than it is today), so there were many isolated country roads
- Many roads were improved in the 18th century
- Turnpike trusts improved the road surfaces, charging travellers a toll to pay for these improvements
- This led to more travelling inc. regular stagecoach services
- This meant there were many more people (and valuable items to steal) on the roads
- Highway robbers who operated on foot were known as footpads
- Highway robbers who travelled on horseback were known as highwaymen
- Some highwaymen were infamous in the early 18th century
- 'Black Harry' in Derbyshire robbed pack-mule trains
- He was eventually caught and executed at Wardlow Mires
- Highway robbery was seen as highly serious
- It disrupted travel between towns
- It was committed on the king's highways
- It could involve theft of mail bags, which disrupted the postal service
- 1772, in an effort to clamp down on the activities of highwaymen, the death penalty was introduced for any found armed and in disguise on a high road
- Highway robbery continued into the 19th century
- Became less common after 1815
- Last reported case was in 1831
- One factor in this reduction was the use of mounted horse patrols on major roads in the 19th century
- The growth of the banking system meant there was less need for people to carry large sums of cash
FOR FULL VERSIONS OF THE NOTES FOR THIS AND OTHER CRIME & PUNISHMENT VIDEOS, FOLLOW THIS LINK: quizlet.com/_58irn6
