Radicalism 1815-1819

Question 1

What happened on December 1816?

Answer 1

• Spa Fields.
• Henry Hunt was meant to address a crowd of 10,000 with intentions to deliver a petition to Prince Regent.
• Before Hunt arrived a small section of the crowd broke into a gun shop and rioted for several hours.
• Around 700 petitions were delivered until 1817 but the MP’s were scared that the demonstration had popular feeling and did not want to agree on reforms such as manhood suffrage. which later caused the petitions to be dismissed.

Question 2

What were the impacts of the Spa Fields?

Answer 2

• Led to the suspension of Habeas corpus for 6 months
• Seditous meetings act ( not allowed to hold meetings).
• lost leaders as Cobett had fled to the states.
• Radical ideas where not discussed any more as spies were sent out and there was strong punishments.

Question 3

Explain what happened at the Pentrich uprising?

Answer 3

in 1817, 200 unemployed workers marched from Pentrich to Nottingham where they planned to attack a castle in hope that it would start a national rebellion.

• However they were infiltrated by a spy that went under the name ‘William Oliver’ who alerted the authorities and had troops waiting to arrest the marchers.
• It was later found out that Oliver was the one who convinced the men to act.
• The authorities used the harshest punishments by hanging 3 leaders and transporting 14 others.

Question 4

What significance did the Pentrich uprising have?

Answer 4

• People in groups were scared to trust each other and everyone became paranoid.
• People stopped attending meetings as they were too scared.
• Large meetings were banned and haebeas corpus was suspended.

Question 5

What happened at the march of the blanketeers

Answer 5

• in 1817 unemployed workers form Lancashire organised a demonstration in Manchester
• they demanded the restoration of Habeas corpus and reform of parliment
• 5,000 marchers gathered with 25,000 there to cheer them on the way.
• the gathering was broken up with 27 people arrested including the leaders William Benbow while the several hundred men who had set off were pursued by cavalry and attacked.

Question 6

what was the significance of the march of the blanketeers?

Answer 6

• No more public meetings were held after the march,the hampden clubs had disappeared.
• Many people were held without trial.

Question 7

What was the gag acts and when was it issued?

Answer 7

1. suspension of habeas corpus
2. The seditious meetings act - restricted the freedom to hold public meetings
3. incitement to mutiny was made a hanging offence

-Issued after the Spa Fields and later after the march of blanketeers.

Question 8

when and what happened during the Peterloo massacre?

Answer 8

• in 1819
• With the gag acts removed, Henry Hunt was due to address a crowd in St Peters Field.
• The home secretary got worried of such a large meeting, and the authorities called up the yeomanry and professional troops.
• with 60,000 people in attendance people were carrying banners that said ‘reform or death’ and ‘votes for all’
• The authorities got anxious and called for the arrest of Henry Hunt. As the yeomanry closed in people surrounded Hunt. the yeomanry then used their swords and killed people and injured.
• Hunt was imprisoned for 2 years

Question 9

What was the affect of the Peterloo massacre.

Answer 9

• There was going to be more violence as people were being suppressed so they became more agitated.
• People were deterred as they were scared of dying.

Question 10

Why was the six acts introduced in 1819?

Answer 10

• After the acts in Peterloo, in November 1918 The Whigs had an assault on the government, in September where they participated in a number of meetings in demand ti an enquiry. this had gotten Liverpool’s attention.
• Parliament was recalled and came up with a response due political pressure from opposition rather than anything else.
• They believed that the freedom of the press was being abused to defame church and state.

Question 11

• What were the six acts?

Answer 11

1. Forbidden military training
2. gave magistrates emergency powers to search houses for weapons (temporary)
3. Only allowed the smallest meetings(temporary)
4. Prevent evasions of the stamp duty
5. enabled magistrates to seize and destroy seditious and blasphemous publications.
6. Prevented delays by the accused blasphemy and treason trials.

Question 12

• What was the impact of the Six acts.

Answer 12

• Forced many people into silence and leaders were put in prison which overall prevented meetings from happening.
• Had temporary rules so some people saw it as not that significant.
• Habeas corpus was not reinstated so government done this is protective means.