Lesson video
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Hi, I'm Miss Miah.
Thank you so much for joining me in this lesson today.
In this lesson, you'll be able to explain why there were increasing demands for reform after 1815 and how government fear about this led to The Peterloo Massacre.
Your keywords are on the screen now, and you can write them down if you'd like to.
So we've got tariff, universal suffrage, radical, reactionary, and yeomanry.
Super, let's find out what these keywords mean.
A tariff is a tax to be paid on goods purchased from abroad.
Universal suffrage describes a system where all adults can vote.
A person who supports the idea that there should be big social and political changes is known as a radical.
A person who opposes political or social progress and reform is known as a reactionary.
Yeomanry are local volunteer soldiers.
So those are our keywords for today's lesson.
Let's see if we can use them in our writing.
So this lesson is all about the political radicals and The Peterloo Massacre.
We've got three lesson cycles today, and our first lesson cycle is to do with problems for industrial workers.
We're then going to be looking at radicalism and reform, and lastly, we'll be finishing off by looking at The Peterloo Massacre.
Super excited about this lesson.
I hope you are too.
Let's begin.
In the years after 1815, industrial workers in Britain faced a range of problems.
These problems fell into three main categories: economic, and here we've got an image of a pile of coins, political, we've got an example of a ballot paper there, and then social, a group of people.
Let's look at economic problems first, and the key example that we're looking at is Corn Laws in 1815.
Bread was the main part of the diet of poor industrial workers.
Corn Laws were introduced by Parliament, and they placed tariffs on foreign grain.
Protected profits for British farmers, which then led to an increase in food prices for industrial workers.
Over to you.
Number these statements from 1 to 4 to explain how the tariffs introduced by the Corn Laws led to industrial workers suffering from hunger.
We've got industrial workers struggled to afford bread, bread costs in Britain kept high, more industrial workers suffered from hunger, tariffs were placed on foreign grain entering Britain.
You can pause the video here, and click play once you've done that.
So, what did you get?
Well, let's have a look.
1: Tariffs were placed on foreign grain entering Britain, so this happened first.
So 2: This meant that bread costs in Britain were kept high.
3: Industrial workers struggled to afford bread.
And then lastly, 4: More industrial workers suffered from hunger.
Well done if you ordered those correctly.
Let's move on.
Political problems.
Key example: restricted suffrage.
So on the right here we've got an example of a ballot paper.
MPs in the House of Commons were elected.
Suffrage for parliamentary elections was very limited.
This meant that voting depended on property ownership, excluding most industrial workers.
Only 1% of the population could vote.
Over to you.
Identify whether each of the following groups was likely to have the right to vote by 1819.
Indicate each answer with a tick or a cross: A, industrial workers, B, small shop owners, C, wealthy landowners.
You can pause the video here, and click play once you've completed this task.
So, what did you get?
Well, you should have got a cross for A, industrial workers, a cross for small shop owners, and C, a tick for wealthy landowners.
So the wealthy landowner group was the only one that was likely to have a right to vote by 1819.
Let's move on.
Let's look at a social problem now.
The key example we'll be looking at here is disease.
Industrial workers suffered poor living conditions.
The living conditions and poverty of industrial workers made them more vulnerable to diseases like typhus and tuberculosis.
Let's have a look at this table.
So this is a table showing death rates in different areas of Manchester.
So area in Manchester of Broughton; type of population: middle classes; death rate per 1,000: 15.
8.
Ardwick, we've got the type of population there were industrial workers, and the death rate per 1,000: 28.
6.
That's a huge difference between the middle classes and the industrial workers.
Over to you.
Write the missing words in the following sentences.
The conditions of industrial workers placed them at a greater risk of catching certain diseases than wealthier groups.
2.
Common diseases amongst industrial workers included typhus and.
You can pause the video here, and click play once you've completed this check for understanding.
So what did you get?
Well, let's have a look.
"The living conditions of industrial workers "placed them at a greater risk of catching "certain diseases than wealthier groups.
"Common diseases amongst industrial workers "included typhus and tuberculosis.
" Let's move on.
Task A: I'd like you to categorize each example of problems faced by industrial workers as either economic, political, or social.
One has been completed for you.
Let's have a look.
So our example, "Only 1% of the population could vote," and the type of problem here is political.
Let's read the other examples, "The Corn Laws increased the cost of bread.
"Mill workers were paid low wages and worked long days.
"Industrial cities like Manchester had no MPs in Parliament.
"Unemployment was rising in the years after 1815, "and most areas where industrial workers lived "were overcrowded.
" You can pause the video here, and click play once you've completed this task.
So how did that go?
Let's have a look.
This is what you should have got.
"So the Corn Laws increased the cost of bread.
" This is an economic type of problem.
"Mill workers were paid low wages "and worked long days," economic.
"Industrial cities like Manchester "had no MPs in Parliament," political.
"Unemployment was rising in the years after 1815," economic.
"Most areas where industrial workers lived "were overcrowded," social.
Well done for completing this task.
Let's move on.
2: Explain why life was difficult for many industrial workers in Britain during the early 19th century.
You may use your answers to Task A, Part 1 to help you.
So how did that go?
Your answer may have included something like this, "Industrial workers in Britain at the start "of the 19th century faced political, social, "and economic problems, which made their lives difficult.
"Many earned poor wages, had little option "but to live in overcrowded conditions "and lacked political power "as they were unable to vote in elections.
" Well done for completing this task.
Now let's move on to Lesson Cycle 2: Radicalism and reform.
Let's begin.
Here we have a satirical cartoon of Henry Hunt, imagined as a bull, leading the charge in calling for an inquest against the Manchester yeomanry after The Peterloo Massacre.
Men such as William Cobbett and Henry Hunt were leading radicals after 1815.
Radicals like Cobbett and Hunt argued that significant changes were necessary to help industrial workers and for the good of the country.
What was the main demand of radicals like William Cobbett and Henry Hunt?
Is it A: end to unemployment, B: more protections against disease, C: removal of the Corn Laws, or D: universal suffrage?
You could pause the video here, and click play once you've got the answer.
So what did you get?
If you got D, you are correct.
Let's move on.
Back to you again.
In 1819, roughly 60,000 people gathered in Manchester to hear Henry Hunt speak.
What does this suggest about the popularity of radical ideas?
Is it, A, radicals had only a few very famous supporters, B, radical ideas had a moderate amount of support, or C, radical ideas had high levels of public support.
What do you think?
You can pause the video here, and click play once you've got the answer.
So what did you get?
If you got C, you are correct.
"Radical ideas had high levels of public support.
" Well done.
Let's move on.
Back to you again.
True or false?
"Radicals argued that industrial workers "should use violence to achieve change.
" Is this true or is this false?
You can pause the video here, and click play once you've completed the first part of this check for understanding.
If you got false, well done.
I'd like you to now justify your answer.
Is it because A: Hunt and Cobbett argued that only peaceful methods would successfully persuade the government?
Or B: Hunt and Cobbett argued that there were too few industrial workers for violence to threaten the government?
What do you think?
You can pause the video here.
So what did you get?
If you got A, you are correct.
Hunt and Cobbett argued that only peaceful methods would successfully persuade the government.
Let's move on.
Task B.
Explain why radicals prioritized achieving political reform.
Consider how this type of reform could relate to economic and social change.
You could pause the video here, and click play once you've completed this task.
So what did you get?
Your answer may have included something like this.
Let's read it together.
"Radicals prioritized achieving political reform "because they believed that universal suffrage "would allow industrial workers to elect reformers.
"These reformers could then use their power as MPs "to solve non-political problems for industrial workers, "like high taxes or reducing unemployment.
" Well done if you managed to include some of those key points and for completing the task.
Let's move on.
Lesson Cycle 3: The Peterloo Massacre.
Here we have a portrait of Lord Liverpool, British Prime Minister, 1812 to 1827.
From 1812 to 1827, Britain was led by the government of Lord Liverpool, especially in the period from 1812 to 1822.
Many radicals argued that Lord Liverpool's government was reactionary as it seemed to oppose political and social progress.
The Corn Laws were seen as an example of this as the government had introduced the new tariffs on foreign grain, despite the fact that this would make bread more expensive for Britain's growing population of industrial workers.
At this time, there were many protests against the government.
Although some members of Parliament proposed the introduction of political reforms, these were rejected by the government in both 1818 and 1819.
Furthermore, the government argued that many people calling for reform actually wanted to lead a revolution, so harsh new laws were introduced.
For instance, from 1817 to 1818, the government made meetings of more than 50 people illegal.
The government also temporarily suspended the right known as Habeas Corpus.
Which meant that authorities could now hold people in jail for as long as they wanted without putting them on trial.
Over to you.
True or false?
"Lord Liverpool's government was quite revolutionary.
" Is this true or is this false?
You could pause the video here.
So what did you get?
If you got false, well done.
I'd now like you to justify your answer.
Is it because A: It supported moderate proposals for the reform of Parliament?
Or B: It introduced reactionary measures like the suspension of Habeas Corpus?
What do you think?
You can pause the video here, and click play once you're got your answer.
So what did you get?
If you got B, well done.
Let's move on.
Here on the left, we have an illustration of authorities attacking members of the crowd during The Peterloo Massacre.
Study the illustration of The Peterloo Massacre.
Does the artist appear to sympathize with the yeomanry or with the crowd?
Identify two details to support your answer.
So here we've got the yeomanry armed with weapons.
Here's the crowd unarmed.
Here we have the crowd injured and running away.
And here we can see women and children in the crowd.
In August 1819, a crowd of 60,000 men, women, and children gathered at St.
Peter's Field in Manchester to hear the radical Henry Hunt speak.
This was part of a series of mass meetings which had taken place in industrial cities across the country.
Some members of the crowd carried banners calling for liberty and votes for all.
The stated aim of the meeting in Manchester was to consider the most legal and effective methods of obtaining a reform of Parliament.
However, the authorities in Manchester worried that Hunt would encourage the large crowd gathering at St.
Peter's Field to riot against the government.
In the afternoon, the yeomanry were ordered to arrest Hunt.
As the soldiers charged forward, they attacked members of the crowd.
Recent estimates suggest that 16 people were killed, trampled under the yeomanry's horses, or cut down by their swords, and hundreds more were injured.
In the weeks after 16th of August 1819, the government did not punish the authorities or yeomanry in Manchester for their actions and refused to investigate the event.
Instead, Hunt was sentenced to over two years in prison, and a new set of harsh laws known as the Six Acts were introduced, which included restrictions on the publication of radical newspapers and a ban on large meetings.
The events in Manchester and the government's lack of response to them caused great anger in newspapers in the days after the event.
One newspaper named the event "The Peterloo Massacre," sarcastically referring to the bloodshed which had occurred during the Battle of Waterloo just four years earlier.
Over to you.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
Number the statements 1 to 4 to indicate your answer.
You've got Henry Hunt speaks to the crowd of 60,000 at St.
Peter's Field.
Yeomanry attack the crowd, killing 16 and injuring hundreds.
Poor conditions around the country anger industrial workers.
And lastly, Henry Hunt was arrested, and the Six Acts were introduced.
You can pause the video here, and click play once you've completed this check for understanding.
So what did you get?
Let's have a look.
So one, poor conditions around the country anger industrial workers.
Then Henry Hunt speaks to a crowd of 60,000 at St.
Peter's Field.
After this the yeomanry attack the crowd killing 16 and injuring hundreds.
And then lastly Henry Hunt was arrested, and the Six Acts were introduced.
Well done if you managed to order those events correctly.
Let's move on.
Back to you again.
True or false?
"It was unlikely that the crowd "at Peterloo would have rioted.
" What do you think?
Is this true or is this false?
You could pause the video here, and click play to continue.
So what did you get?
If you got true, well done.
I'd like you to now justify your answer.
Is it because A: The crowd gathered to hear about legal methods for reforming Parliament?
Or B: The crowd was too small to pose any real risk of serious violence?
What do you think?
You could pause the video here, and click once you've got the answer.
So what did you get?
If you got A, you are correct.
The crowd gathered to hear about legal methods for reforming Parliament.
Let's move on.
Task C: Andeep says, "The government used force during The Peterloo Massacre "because the crowd was too violent.
" Is Andeep's view of The Peterloo Massacre correct?
Write one paragraph to justify your answer.
Ensure that your paragraph includes at least one specific example and an explanation as part of your justification.
You can pause the video here.
So what did you get?
Well, let's have a look.
Your answer may have included something like this.
Let's read this paragraph together.
"Andeep's view of The Peterloo Massacre is not correct.
"For example, some members of the crowd carried banners "calling for votes for all, "and organizers at the meeting declared that "it was held to consider legal methods of reform.
"This shows that the crowd "at Peterloo did not have violent intentions.
"Instead, the government used force because it "was reactionary and feared people asking for change.
" Well done if you managed to include some of those key points and for completing the task.
We've now reached the end of this lesson, so let's summarize our learning.
So this lesson was all about the political radicals and The Peterloo Massacre.
You now understand that industrial workers suffered from economic, political, and social problems in the years after 1815.
The government was reactionary.
It refused to make political reforms and passed the Corn Laws, which increased bread prices.
Radicals demanded reform focusing mainly on universal suffrage.
A mass meeting was held in support of radical reform at St.
Peter's Field in Manchester in 1819.
Authorities sent yeomanry into this meeting, leading to many casualties.
This became known as The Peterloo Massacre.
Thank you so much for joining me in this lesson.
Bye.
