In the pledge system, people were grouped into families of 10, called __________, and were entrusted with policing their own minor problems.

In the pledge system, the correct term for the group of families, typically consisting of ten households, is "tithings." This system was an early form of social order and community responsibility where individuals were expected to maintain peace and report any criminal activity within their small group. The notion was rooted in the idea of communal responsibility, where each family had a stake in ensuring the safety and security of their neighbors.

This approach allowed for localized control over minor conflicts and helped establish a sense of community involvement in law enforcement long before formal police forces were created. Tithings served as a fundamental building block in the evolution of policing, emphasizing the importance of community cooperation in maintaining order.

The other terms mentioned, like "shire reeves" and "hundred," refer to different local governance structures or policing bodies within the broader English legal system, but they do not denote the family groupings that characterize tithings. Peacemakers may refer to individuals or roles related to conflict resolution but do not specifically describe the family unit concept within the pledge system.