The Changing Nature And Effectiveness Of Industrial Protest

Question 1

What Acts in 1819 ensured a brutal crackdown by the government on revolts/protests?

Answer 1

• Six Acts
• Managed to crush revolts through draconian measures such as the riot act and frequent use of transportation as punishment.

Question 2

What happened as a result of the repressive measures against workers?

Answer 2

• They had to organise themselves in order to improve of even maintain their present situation.

Question 3

What were self help groups and what were their concerns?

Answer 3

• Skilled workers who formed themselves into early forms of trade unions called combinations.
• Most concerned about losing their jobs due to deployments in machinery.

Question 4

What acts banned self help groups and why?

Answer 4

• The Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800
• the government perceived them as thinly disguised efforts to promote revolution.

Question 5

What were friendly societies?

Answer 5

• Most combinations, once banned, continued to exist as Friendly Societies which were there to protect their members against financial hardships through savings contributions.

Question 6

Why did some workers resort to legal, direct action such as rioting, sabotage and machine wrecking?

Answer 6

• Frustrated with the lack of action from the Friendly Societies
• Being unable to join them if they were unskilled

Question 7

When were the Combination Acts repealed and what did this mean for workers?

Answer 7

• Repealed in 1825
• Workers could openly join trade unions who began calling for the right to vote.

Question 8

What working class, political movement was created after the 1832 Reform Act and why? What is an example of what this group did?

Answer 8

Chartism
- Workers felt cheated that the franchise hadn’t been extended to them
- The People’s Charter, presented to parliament three times in the 1830s-1840s was a reaction to this Great Reform.

Question 9

What was the riot act?

Answer 9

The riots act allowed local officials to read a proclamation ordering illegally assembled groups of more than 12 people to disperse. Refusal to disperse was a felony offence which carried the death penalty. This act may have been read during the 1839 Newport Uprising.