Political+protest+and+the+radical+challenge+after+1815

With the Napoleonic War ended, restrictions on radicalism were relaxed. However, the soldiers came home, causing a labour surplus and widespread poverty, and the economy struggled to adjust to peacetime.

Luddism was slightly before this period.

Spa Fields Riots
 * 15 November, 2/9 December 1816
 * Spenceans involved
 * They started as mass meetings; on 15th November 20,000 people came
 * Some split off and followed Dr Watson and his son to riot
 * The Government is accused of fabrication of evidence of plotting through a guy called Oliver, with the rioting being more a spontaneous act aggravated by drink.

Swing Riots
 * Began with the destruction of threshing machines in Kent in the summer of 1830
 * Spread across South England and East Anglia
 * Causes - poverty, Speenhamland System and the state of Poor Law at the time
 * Consequences - the Poor Law Amendment Act

Rebecca Riots
 * 1839-43 in Wales
 * Smashing toll gates because of new tolls

Henry Hunt
 * Orator; spoke at Peterloo and Spa Fields

Peterloo
 * 16 August 1819
 * At least 50.000 people attended
 * At 1.30 the magistrates decided the town was in grave danger
 * Manchester and Salford Yeomanry sent in to arrest the leaders; accused of being drunk
 * When members of the crowd linked hands, they began using sabres
 * The 15th Hussars were also sent in to rescue the Yeomanry and clear the crowd
 * Probably 18 people died of sabre cuts and trampling.

Cato Street Conspiracy
 * 1820
 * Conspiracy to kill Liverpool and his Cabinet
 * The group was the Spencean Philosopher