Radical Reformers - 1816-1819 Flashcards
When did Spa Fields take place
December 1816
Where did Spa Fields take place
Near London
Describe the intentions of Spa Fields
- Henry Hunt was due to address a crowd of 20,000
- then deliver a petition to the Prince Regent
Describe the events prior to the riots at Spa fields in December 1816
- Amongst the crowd of 20,000, leaflets were circulated by Government Spy “Castles”
- Before Hunt arrived, a small section of the crowd rioted, breaking into a gun shop, seizing weapons & Marching towards the tower of London
Describe the riot which took place at Spa Fields in December 1816
- A pedestrian was killed by the mob
- The riots lasted for several hours & there was a looting, but by nightfall peace was restored to the city
Describe the majority of the crowd at Spa Fields in December 1816
- Majority were peaceful & loyal
- When the band played the national anthem, thousands joined in the singing of ‘God save the King’
- When Hunt arrived, they heard him call for lower taxes & the reform of Parliament
_____ petitions signed at Spa Fields, some signed by thousands were not delivered to parliament until _______
700
1817
What was the response to the petitions signed at Spa Fields
- Most MPs were afraid of this demonstration of popular feeling
- & certainly did not wish to agree to significant reforms such as manhood suffrage
- so the petitions were ignored
How many arrests were made at Spa Fields
300
Why could Spa Fields be seen as a positive for the Government
- 300 arrests were made
- The events were decisively dealt with by lots of policemen
- Portrayed the radicals as weak, compared to the organisation of the police
- Put people off joining the radicals
Why could Spa Fields be seen as counterproductive for the Government
- This could be seen as the emergence of revolution in Britain
- The oppression & arrests made aligns with the radicals views of the government, which could spur them forward
How did Spa Fields positively portray the radicals
- Shows organisation (petitions) & civilised appeal (platform event)
- The radicals only have a small minority of extreme people around 20 people amongst them
When did the March of the Blanketeers take place
March 1817
Where would the March of the Blanketeers walk to & from
Weavers from Lancashire would walk from Manchester to London recruiting people from other Industrial areas along the way
What was the plan for the March of the Blanketeers
- They would carry blankets to London, going through other Industrial areas to recruit people
- Unemployed workers & weavers from Lancashire organised a demonstration that would meet at St.Peter’s field,
- and then they would launch a petition to the Prince Regent
Why did the textile weavers plan the March of the Blanketeers
- As they demanded relief for the distress caused by the state of the textile industry,
- from the restoration of Habeas Corpus & the reform of Parliament
By March 1817, what was the growing belief amongst the radicals
Growing conviction that they must assert their beliefs in a legal right to the King
The March of the Blanketeers
1. What happened on March 3rd
William Benbow announced he had hope for 20,000 workers to join the protest
The March of the Blanketeers
2. What happened on March 10th
- 5000 marchers gathered at St. Peter’s field,
- with a crowd of 20,000 cheering them on
- the plan was to march in groups of 10, each carrying a petition with 20 signatures in order to avoid any accusations of illegal mass assembly
What happened to the March of the Blanketeers
- The gathering was broken up and 27 people were arrested including William Benbow
- Several hundred men who had already set off were pursued by the cavalry and attacked.
- Some were wounded, several arrested and many dropped out.
- Only one made it as far as Stockport
How did the March of the Blanketeers display the strength of the government in terms of the judicary
- Magistrates revealed evidence of a conspiracy which they argued justified the suppression of the Blanketeers:
- They said they had discovered a plot with 50,000 members to attack the army, target local officials and break radicals out of prison
- 4 secret committees showed evidence of radical correspondence
How did the March of the Blanketeers display the strength of the government
- Government were aware of how effective their idea was,
- so displayed the extent of the cavalry & police
- to sedate a threat with harsh & extreme violence
The March of the Blanketeers proved that, any level of organisation was perceived as a threat by the authorities, as…
peaceful protest could very quickly escalate to protest synonymous with the French Revolution
How did the radicals respond to the March of the Blanketeers
- More of a conscious effort was made to make protests not seem like riots
- More of a reluctance to hold public meetings
When did the Pentridge Uprising take place
June 1817
Where did the Pentridge Uprising take place
Derbyshire
What was the plan for the Pentridge Uprising
200 would march from Pentridge to Nottingham to storm a castle to initiate a nationwide rebellion (definitive plan)
What actually happened at the Pentridge Uprising
- The group had been infiltrated by Oliver, a government spy appointed by Lord Sidmouth,
- and he was integral in pushing men to act convincing them they were apart of a nationwide rebellion
- 200 workers began the march
- however Oliver alerted the authorities, to ensure that troops were waiting to arrest the marchers as soon as they arrived in Nottingham
What were the consequences for those apart of the Pentridge Uprising
- All those on trial were convicted
- 3 leaders were hung
- 14 were sent to Australia
- Oliver didn’t show up at the trial
Describe the behaviour of the protestors of the Pentridge Uprising
- Quite light hearted, not hardcore revolutionaries, slightly drunk
- Thought they were apart of a nationwide rebellion
What was the immediate effects of the Pentridge Uprising for the government
- Very convenient for the government
- as the violence displayed would suggest the radicals posed a significant threat,
- and were weak as they chose to behave in a violent manner with inevitable violent consequences
What was the intentions of the harsh punishments at the Pentridge Uprising
to receive sufficient publicity which would hopefully deter other agitators
At the Pentridge Uprising, evidence of the government’s involvement led to…
public outcry, which was supported by Whig politicians who were keen to seize an opportunity to attack the Tories
When did Peterloo take place
1819
Where did Peterloo take place
St. Peter’s Fields in Manchester
Who were the Key Players at Peterloo
Henry Hunt - made the speech
Lord Sidmouth - urged authorities to let the protest go ahead
What was the situation in Britain in 1818
- Slight improvements in trade,
- fall in unemployment,
- Habeas Corpus was restored, relief from the past 2 years
In 1819, 4…
huge meetings were planned as a demonstration of radical working class strength, & the last would be Peterloo
Prior to the final meeting in 1819, officials grew
increasingly concerned about such a large number of radicals gathering
How did the authorities prepare for the meeting in 1819
the yeomanry were called up
What happened at the meeting (Peterloo)
- 60,000 in attendance on the day of the meeting
- Authorities became increasingly anxious & orders were made to arrest Hunt & the other speakers
What happened as the yeomanry tried to arrest Hunt at Peterloo
- the crowds closed ranks to stop them doing so
- in the panic that followed yeomanry used swords to clear a path
- 11 killed
- 400 injured
- a stampede took place as protestors tried to escape
Following Peterloo, riots…
broke out in support of the martyrs
What did the government do after Peterloo
congratulated the Manchester magistrates for their ‘prompt & decisive measures for the preservation of public tranquility’ (Sidmouth)
After Peterloo, Hunt was…
imprisoned for 2 years
What was the view from the general public of Peterloo
- Authorities were in the wrong,
- as innocent, non-violent protesters were killed/injured;
- this view was encouraged by the press, as sympathy was established in the newspapers & amongst better off people
It could be argued Peterloo was just a local issue because…
It was the authorities who chose to arrest Hunt which led to the violence of the yeomanry, it was not the government’s actions
When were the six acts implemented
1819
What was the radicals response to Peterloo
a display of public demonstrations, which did not disturb the government
The six acts reflected a…
determination to suppress peaceful protest
What happened in September 1819
The Whig’s assault on the government, participating in a series of meetings to demand an enquiry got Liverpool’s attention
What happened in November 1819
Parliament was recalled, more a response to political pressure than the result of any alarm at the state of the country
The Six Acts were implemented because…
- despite an improving economic situation & evidence of growing calm
- the majority of MPs accepted the ministerial argument that freedom of the press was being abused
- to defame church & state
- & that public meetings were enabling the growth of radicals via intimidating & inflammatory speeches
How did the newspapers respond to the six acts
Did not die down, arguably grew more passionate
Name the Six Acts 1819
- forbidding unauthorised military training.
- magistrates given emergency powers to search houses for weapons.
- prevent all but the smallest public meetings.
- prevent evasions of newspaper stamp duty.
- magistrates can seize and destroy seditious and blasphemous publications.
- prevent delays by the accused in blasphemy and treason trials.
How could the Six Acts be deemed as irrelevant
Pointless, ineffective, unnecessary - passed but as the economy got better everything went away anyway
The Acts confirmed what the radicals were suggesting because…
government opposition - red herring
made it impossible to protest illegally, threatening freedom
The Six Acts could display success because… but really…
shows the strength of the government to show the radicals
The acts don’t do anything
