Historical Background 19th century

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 19th century

1799 The Combination Acts made TRADE UNIONS illegal

1811-1812 The Luddite Riots.The Luddites were a radical group of English textile workers and weavers in the 19th century who destroyed weaving machinery as a form of protest

1819 11 people were killed by soldiers during a public meeting in St Peter's Field near Manchester


1832 The right to vote was extended to middle-clas men

1834 Poor Law Amendment Act- The system of workhouses was established

Workhouses were where poor people who had no job or home lived. Those people earned a living by doing jobs in the workhouse.

Also in the workhouses there were orphaned (children without parents) and abandoned children, the physically and mentally sick, the disabled, the elderly and unmarried mothers

Workhouses were often very large and were feared by the poor and the old.

1837 Queen Victoria came to the throne

1842 The Mines Act banned the employment of women and children in mines

1847 The 10 hours Bill limited the daily work of workmen and young people in textile factories