10 Everyday Activities That Were Once Considered Illegal

It’s hard to imagine that some of our most mundane activities could have been punishable crimes in the past. Yet history is filled with peculiar laws that banned actions we now take for granted. These laws, often born from religious beliefs, cultural norms, or misguided attempts at control, reflect how much societal values have changed over time. From whistling in public to celebrating Christmas, here are ten everyday activities that were once illegal in different cultures and eras.

Related: 10 Ways Life Really Sucked in the Middle Ages

10 Whistling in Public (Medieval Europe)

Whistling may seem like an innocent way to pass the time, but in medieval Europe, it was associated with danger and disorder. In certain regions, particularly in England and France, whistling was thought to summon evil spirits or communicate secret messages between criminals. This superstition led to strict laws prohibiting whistling in public, especially at night. Authorities feared that thieves and outlaws used whistles to signal each other during their illicit activities, which is why the practice was banned after dark.

In some towns, if someone was caught whistling at night, they could be fined or subjected to public shaming, such as being placed in the stocks. The connection between whistling and criminal activity became so ingrained that it persisted for centuries.

Even sailors, who famously used whistling as a way to communicate on ships, faced punishment if they whistled at the wrong time or in the wrong place. Although the law has long since faded, remnants of this superstition still linger, with some cultures believing that whistling indoors or after sunset brings bad luck.^[1]

9 Bathing (Medieval Europe)

In the wake of the Black Death, cleanliness became suspect in medieval Europe, particularly among religious leaders. It was widely believed that bathing, especially in public bathhouses, opened the body’s pores to disease and moral corruption. The idea that water could weaken the body’s defenses led to the widespread belief that regular bathing was harmful. Compounding this fear was the association of bathhouses with immoral behavior, as many were linked to prostitution and sinful indulgences.

By the 16th century, several European regions outlawed public bathhouses altogether, and personal bathing was discouraged, particularly by religious authorities. Instead of washing with water, people were encouraged to clean themselves by rubbing their skin with dry cloths and using heavy perfumes to mask odors. Wealthy families who could afford to bathe privately were careful not to flaunt their hygiene habits lest they be accused of vanity or extravagance.

Ironically, this fear of water likely contributed to the spread of disease, as the practice of “dry cleaning” did little to prevent the spread of bacteria. Bathing wouldn’t become widely accepted again until the 19th century when public health reforms and advances in sanitation helped reverse centuries of misguided beliefs.^[2]

8 Wearing Certain Colors (Elizabethan England)

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, strict laws governed what people could wear based on their social class. These sumptuary laws, designed to reinforce the rigid social hierarchy of the time, dictated that only nobles and royalty could wear certain fabrics, styles, and colors. Purple, for example, was reserved exclusively for royalty, as the dye was extremely expensive and made from the rare murex sea snail. Gold and scarlet were similarly restricted to the upper echelons of society, symbolizing wealth and power.

For commoners, wearing these forbidden colors was not only a fashion faux pas but also a legal offense. Those caught violating these laws could face steep fines or imprisonment. The restrictions extended even to wealthy merchants and landowners who, despite their financial means, were prohibited from dressing above their social station. These laws were enforced not just to maintain the visual distinction between classes but also to prevent the upwardly mobile from encroaching on the privileges of the nobility.

Interestingly, this control over clothing was not unique to England. Many other European countries had similar laws, reflecting a broader preoccupation with maintaining social order through appearance. It wasn’t until the later part of the 17th century that these restrictions began to fade, as fashion became more democratized and the rigid class distinctions of the Elizabethan era began to erode.^[3]

7 Playing Chess (Islamic Caliphates)

Although chess was a beloved game in the Islamic world, it didn’t always enjoy legal status. In the 9th century, the caliph Al-Mutawakkil, who ruled over a large part of the Muslim world, issued a ban on the game. This decree wasn’t without precedent, as many religious scholars at the time viewed chess with suspicion. Some argued that the game distracted from prayer and encouraged gambling—two activities condemned in Islamic teachings. Others believed that chess, with its focus on strategy and competition, promoted idle behavior and detracted from more productive pursuits.

Despite the ban, chess remained popular, especially among intellectuals and rulers who appreciated the game’s complexity and mental challenge. Underground chess clubs and secret matches flourished in many regions, and players found creative ways to disguise their boards and pieces to avoid detection. The tension between the game’s popularity and its legal status led to frequent clashes between religious authorities and the public, with punishments ranging from fines to the confiscation of chess sets.

The ban on chess was lifted in many regions as attitudes toward the game softened, but the tension between religious and cultural values lingered for centuries. Today, chess is celebrated in much of the Islamic world, with its strategic depth seen as a reflection of the intellectual achievements of the civilizations that once sought to ban it.^[4]

6 Celebrating Christmas (Puritan England and America)

For many of us, Christmas is a time for joy, family, and celebration, but in the 17th century, Puritans in England and Colonial America had a very different view. They saw the holiday as an excessive, unholy event with roots in paganism and Roman Saturnalia, and they believed it encouraged sinful behavior. When the Puritans came to power in England during the English Civil War, they banned Christmas celebrations outright. Parliament passed laws in 1647 prohibiting the festive activities associated with Christmas, including feasting, games, and the singing of carols. Anyone caught celebrating could be fined or imprisoned.

In the American colonies, particularly in Puritan Massachusetts, similar bans were enacted. From 1659 to 1681, celebrating Christmas in Boston was illegal, with offenders subject to a fine of five shillings. The Puritans viewed the holiday as a distraction from the more solemn and devout aspects of Christianity, and they sought to eliminate what they saw as the excesses of the holiday season.

The ban on Christmas didn’t last long in England, where it was lifted after the monarchy was restored in 1660. However, in America, Christmas remained controversial for much longer. It wasn’t until the 19th century, with the influence of European immigrants and popular literature like Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, that Christmas began to resemble the festive, family-oriented holiday we know today.^[5]

5 Night Walking (Feudal Japan)

In feudal Japan, the act of walking at night was seen as a dangerous activity reserved for criminals, assassins, and outcasts. Samurai patrols known as “doshin” enforced strict curfews, and commoners who ventured outside after dark without authorization could be arrested or even executed. Nighttime was considered the domain of the yakuza, ninja, and other shadowy figures, and staying indoors after sunset was crucial for maintaining social order and safety.

The fear of nighttime crime was so intense that entire villages would lock their gates at dusk, leaving only a few trusted individuals, such as samurai, to patrol the streets. Traveling merchants and officials were issued special passes if they needed to move about at night, but even they risked confrontation with the samurai if they didn’t follow the proper protocols.

This law wasn’t just about crime prevention—it was also a way to control the movements of the population. The ruling class wanted to ensure that peasants remained focused on their daily labor and didn’t engage in secret meetings or rebellious activities after dark. While Japan’s streets are now known for their safety at night, this wasn’t always the case, and night walking in feudal times was a risky proposition.^[6]

4 Public Dancing (18th Century Europe)

Dancing, one of humanity’s oldest forms of expression, was once considered a sinful and dangerous activity in parts of 18th-century Europe. In regions heavily influenced by Protestantism, particularly in Calvinist Geneva and some Puritan communities, public dancing was banned. Authorities believed that dancing, especially between men and women, could lead to lustful thoughts and immoral behavior, threatening the moral fabric of society.

These bans were often part of broader efforts to suppress public gatherings, music, and festivals, all of which were seen as distractions from religious devotion. People caught dancing in public spaces, such as taverns or town squares, could be fined or imprisoned. In some cases, dance halls were raided by religious authorities, and dancers were punished with public humiliation.

Despite these laws, dancing continued underground, with secret parties and gatherings where people would meet to celebrate in defiance of the authorities. The tension between joy and moral restraint created a cultural divide, with some communities embracing the restrictions and others quietly rebelling. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that public dancing was fully accepted again, and today, it’s hard to imagine that something so joyful could have once been illegal.^[7]

3 Drinking Coffee (Ottoman Empire)

In the early 17th century, Sultan Murad IV of the Ottoman Empire took a hard stance on public vices, including coffee drinking. Coffeehouses had become centers of social life in the empire, where people gathered to discuss politics, philosophy, and current events. Murad IV, however, saw these gatherings as breeding grounds for sedition and rebellion, and he feared that the discussions in coffeehouses could lead to political unrest. As a result, he banned coffee, along with alcohol and tobacco, and imposed severe punishments on those caught indulging.

The sultan reportedly took the enforcement of this ban into his own hands, disguising himself and patrolling the streets of Istanbul to catch offenders. Those found with coffee could be beaten or executed, depending on the severity of the offense. Despite the harsh penalties, coffee drinking persisted, with underground coffeehouses continuing to serve patrons in secret.

By the end of the 17th century, the coffee ban was lifted, and the beverage regained its status as a staple of Ottoman culture. Today, Turkey is known for its strong coffee culture, but the history of its prohibition is a reminder of the beverage’s once-controversial status.^[8]

2 Wearing Pants (France in the 19th Century)

In 19th-century France, a bizarre law made it illegal for women to wear pants without permission from the police. This law, enacted in 1800, was part of an effort to reinforce traditional gender roles, with pants considered exclusively masculine attire. Women were expected to wear skirts or dresses in public, and those who defied the law could be fined or arrested. The only exceptions were women who worked in physically demanding jobs, such as horseback riding or factory work, who could apply for special permits to wear pants.

Over time, the law became less strictly enforced, but it remained on the books until recently. By the early 20th century, women like fashion icon Coco Chanel and the suffragettes began challenging the law by openly wearing pants in public, but it wasn’t until 2013 that the French government officially repealed the ban. While the law was rarely enforced in modern times, its existence was a reminder of how deeply entrenched gender norms were in French society.^[9]

1 Kissing in Public (Colonial America)

In colonial New Haven, Connecticut, public displays of affection were tightly regulated, particularly by the Puritan authorities who governed the colony. Kissing in public, even between married couples, was considered an inappropriate display of emotion that could lead to a public scandal. Puritan beliefs emphasized modesty and decorum, and any overt physical affection was seen as a breach of social norms. Couples caught kissing in public could be fined or placed in the stocks, where they would face public ridicule.

The ban on public displays of affection reflected the broader Puritan goal of separating private life from public conduct. Love and affection were considered private matters that should not be displayed for all to see. While these laws eventually fell out of favor, the debate over public displays of affection continued in America for centuries, with many communities enforcing strict rules about appropriate behavior in public spaces.^[10]