Table of Contents
Why did the Peterloo massacre occur?
What was the Peterloo massacre? On 16 August 1819, up to 60,000 working class people from the towns and villages of what is now Greater Manchester marched to St Peter’s Field in central Manchester to demand political representation at a time when only wealthy landowners could vote.
How many people were killed at the Battle of Peterloo?
eleven people
Sabres drawn they charged the massed gathering and in the general panic and chaos which followed, eleven people were killed and about six hundred injured. This became known as the ‘Peterloo Massacre’. The name Peterloo first appeared in a local Manchester newspaper a few days after the massacre.
Did any soldiers died at Peterloo?
On 16 August 1819, thousands of peaceful protestors for parliamentary reform gathered at St. Peter’s Square, Manchester. Ten to 20 were killed and hundreds injured as the meeting was violently broken up by volunteer soldiers.
What was the aftermath of Peterloo?
The growing public outrage over Peterloo and the subsequent heavy-handed treatment of further uprisings and protests led to the 1832 Great Reform Act. This finally saw rotten boroughs swept away and Manchester finally getting its very first members of parliament.
Who was the king during the Peterloo massacre?
George III
This “Peterloo Massacre” was followed by the repressive Six Acts, aimed at quashing dissent. It finally became clear that George III was no longer fit to rule, and his son was established as Prince Regent (1810-20).
How did people react to Peterloo?
The authorities’ reaction to the massacre was to lay the blame not on the magistrates, the yeomanry and the soldiers, but on the people who had been slain and crushed by them. The journalists and newspapers who covered the story were also targeted.
Where is the Peterloo massacre plaque?
Manchester
Peterloo Massacre/Location
Who was the king during Peterloo?
George III was king at the time but in 1810 he became insane and remained so until his death in 1820. An act had to be passed early in 1811 making the Prince of Wales, the future George IV, regent so he could perform the royal functions.