Modern Britain: The 20th and 21st Centuries · Summer Term

1960s Decriminalisation: Sexual Offences & Abortion

The impact of the Sexual Offences Act and the Abortion Act.

About This Topic

For centuries, public execution was a central part of the British justice system, intended to act as a deterrent. However, by the mid-19th century, these events had become 'carnivals of crime', rowdy, drunken gatherings where pickpockets thrived and the crowd often sympathised with the criminal. This topic examines why the 1868 Capital Punishment Amendment Act moved hangings behind prison walls.

Students will explore the shift in Victorian 'sensibility'. They will look at how the government realised that public hangings were no longer terrifying the public but were instead undermining the 'dignity' of the law. This topic is perfect for a 'Think-Pair-Share' on the 'crowd psychology' of executions and a 'Source Analysis' of Charles Dickens' famous letters against public hanging.

Active Learning Ideas

Source Analysis: Dickens at the Gallows

Students read Charles Dickens' letter to The Times about the execution of the Mannings. They must identify three reasons why he thought the 'crowd' was the biggest problem, not the execution itself.

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

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Think-Pair-Share: Deterrent or Entertainment?

Students discuss why people would bring their children to watch a hanging. They share ideas on whether the 'entertainment' value of the event destroyed its power as a deterrent.

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

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Formal Debate: Behind Closed Doors

One side argues that executions should be public so everyone can see justice being done. The other argues that moving them inside prisons makes the law more 'civilised' and effective.

⏱ 30 min·Whole Class

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Public execution ended because people thought it was 'cruel' to the criminal.

What to Teach Instead

It ended more because of the 'disorderly' behaviour of the crowds. Active analysis of newspaper reports from the time shows that the government was more worried about riots and pickpockets than the criminal's feelings.

Common Misconception

Moving executions inside meant fewer people were hanged.

What to Teach Instead

The 1868 Act didn't change the number of death sentences, only where they happened. A 'Before and After' comparison helps students see that this was a change in 'presentation', not 'policy'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were executions public for so long?

The government believed that 'seeing' the consequences of crime would terrify people into being law-abiding. It was also a way for the state to show its absolute power over the life and death of its subjects.

What happened at a 'hanging day'?

It was often treated like a public holiday. Schools and factories would close, and thousands of people would gather. Street sellers sold 'last dying speeches' (often fake), and the atmosphere was more like a fair or a football match than a somber legal event.

Why did the 1868 Act change things?

The Capital Punishment Amendment Act required all executions to take place inside prison walls, with only a few official witnesses and a black flag raised to signal the death. This was to remove the 'scandal' of the rowdy crowds and make the death penalty feel more 'professional'.

How can active learning help students understand the end of public execution?

By analysing the 'crowd psychology' through primary sources, students understand the social context of the law. They see that the law doesn't exist in a vacuum; it responds to how people behave. Debating the 'visibility' of justice helps them engage with a sophisticated historical argument about the nature of state power and public order.

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