Law and Sexual Misconduct in New England, 1650-1750

Steering Toward England

Nonfiction, History, Modern, 17th Century, Reference & Language, Law, International
Cover of the book Law and Sexual Misconduct in New England, 1650-1750 by Abby Chandler, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Abby Chandler ISBN: 9781317107798
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: April 15, 2016
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Abby Chandler
ISBN: 9781317107798
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: April 15, 2016
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

Having arriving in the Province of Maine in 1641 with a brief to create both government and law for the fledgling colony, Thomas Gorges later recorded his policy as having ’steared as neere as we could to the course of Ingland’. Over the course of the next century the various colonial administrations all consciously measured their laws against that of England, whether their intention was imitation of or conscious opposition to, established English legal system. In order to trace the shifting and contested relationships between colonial laws and English laws, this book focuses on the prosecution of sexual misconduct. All crimes can threaten orderly society but no other crime posed quite the same long term implications as illicit sex resulting in the birth of illegitimate children who became their own social challenges. Sexual misconduct was, consequently, a major concern for early modern leaders, making it a particularly fruitful subject for studying the complex relationship between laws in England and laws in the English colonies. Political and ecclesiastical leaders create laws to coerce people to behave in a certain fashion and to convey wider messages about the societies they govern. When those same laws are broken, lawbreakers must be tried and punished by a means intended to serve as a warning to other would-be lawbreakers. In this book the two-part analysis of changing sexual misconduct laws and the resulting trial depositions highlights the ways in which ordinary New England colonists across New England both interacted with and responded to the growing Anglicization of their legal systems and makes the argument that these men and women saw themselves as taking part in a much larger process.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Having arriving in the Province of Maine in 1641 with a brief to create both government and law for the fledgling colony, Thomas Gorges later recorded his policy as having ’steared as neere as we could to the course of Ingland’. Over the course of the next century the various colonial administrations all consciously measured their laws against that of England, whether their intention was imitation of or conscious opposition to, established English legal system. In order to trace the shifting and contested relationships between colonial laws and English laws, this book focuses on the prosecution of sexual misconduct. All crimes can threaten orderly society but no other crime posed quite the same long term implications as illicit sex resulting in the birth of illegitimate children who became their own social challenges. Sexual misconduct was, consequently, a major concern for early modern leaders, making it a particularly fruitful subject for studying the complex relationship between laws in England and laws in the English colonies. Political and ecclesiastical leaders create laws to coerce people to behave in a certain fashion and to convey wider messages about the societies they govern. When those same laws are broken, lawbreakers must be tried and punished by a means intended to serve as a warning to other would-be lawbreakers. In this book the two-part analysis of changing sexual misconduct laws and the resulting trial depositions highlights the ways in which ordinary New England colonists across New England both interacted with and responded to the growing Anglicization of their legal systems and makes the argument that these men and women saw themselves as taking part in a much larger process.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Integral Community Enterprise in Africa by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Academic Keywords by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Sexual Moralities in France, 1780-1980 by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Organisational Capital by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Intra-Jewish Conflict in Israel by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book The Work of Daniel Lagache by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Management: The Basics by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book The World-System as Unit of Analysis by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book The Music of Mauricio Kagel by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Dissident Writings of Arab Women by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book The Ethics of Tourism by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Teacher Education and Professional Development in TESOL by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book The United States and Europe by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Mao Zedong and Workers: The Labour Movement in Hunan Province, 1920-23 by Abby Chandler
Cover of the book Justice before Reconciliation by Abby Chandler
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy