Transcript Revision 5 The Industrial Revolution - Home

Revision 5
The Industrial Revolution
1750-1900
The policing system of the
middle ages and the early
modern period need to change
because;
•
•
Tithings didn’t work in large
towns.
The only people that could put
down a riot were the army.
In 1805 John and Henry Fielding set up the Bow Street Runners. This
was an early form of police. They arrested criminals in the Bow St area,
mostly highway robbers. The problem was that they only policed one small
area.
In 1829 ROBERT PEEL passed the Metropolitan Police Act. Influenced
by the Peterloo Massacre of 1819, he realised that a group other than the
army was needed to keep public order. He may also have been scared
of a revolution.
The early police were hated because
many felt they were bullies. More
importantly, people thought that the
government were spying on them.
Low Pay attracted poor quality workers. They were not given proper training or
equipment.
At the Great Exhibition of 1851 the public opinion of the police improved. They
kept the crowd under control and did a good job.
In the 19th century 75% of all crime was theft. Highway robbery declined
because more people were travelling on roads so it was more likely that you
would be caught in the act. Improved street lighting in many areas also reduced
highway robbery.
Most crime was in towns and cities There was more poverty there and it
was unlikely that you would be caught.
In 1888 a serial killer murdered at least 5 prostitutes in London. He became
known as Jack the Ripper. Newspapers had many articles mocking the
police and saying that they couldn’t do their job because they couldn’t catch
the killer.
Some people thought that
criminals had distinctive facial
features. For instance, a large
forehead.
Some people believed in a
criminal class.
The Luddites – in 1812 groups of weavers destroyed machinery that they
thought was putting them out of work. 17 were executed
1819 Peterloo Massacre – At a
mass meeting in Manchester
held to campaign for the right
to vote the army were sent in.
11 people were killed and 400
were injured.
1831 Swing Riots. These were attacks
on farm machinery and buildings by
agricultural workers. They were angry
at low wages and high food prices. 19
were executed and hundreds were
imprisoned or transported.
The Tolpuddle Martyrs – in 1834 a group of Agricultural workers were
transported to Australia for joining a Trade Union.
1838-1850s Chartists were groups who
campaigned for the right of working men to
vote. Much of their protest coincided with
high food prices.
1842 The Rebecca Riots. Protests by farmers and agricultural
workers in Wales against high tolls on the new turnpike roads. The
farmers dressed as Women. Some of the leaders were
transported.
1800-50 The Outcome
• Within 40 years there were over 6 different
types of serious riot.
• Huge panic following the French
Revolution
• The Riot Act of 1715 used frequently.
• It was in order to keep public order that the
police force were invented.
After 1850 most protest
was peaceful. It included
Strikes and Petitions.
The following punishments were stopped in the 19th century;
•Stocks and Pillory
•Public whipping
•Transportation – Australia refused to accept any more criminals.
•The number of crimes that you could be executed for reduced from about 200
to 2 (Murder and treason)
A new punishment was needed - Prison
Initially there were not enough prisons. 70% of all prisoners went put on
boat hulks floating just off the British Coast.
John Howard investigated prison conditions in Britain. He found that men,
women and children were sharing cells. Killers were in the same cells as
children, rapists in the same cells as women. The conditions were squalid.
He convinced others that new prisons should be built.
Elizabeth Fry was particularly concerned with conditions for women. She
campaigned and eventually made sure that there were seperate wings or
even prisons for women.
In the Separate system you couldn’t see anyone else. In
the Silent system, you could see other prisoners but not
speak. Some had Pointless work such as oakum
picking whilst others had Useful work such as learning
a trade.
Execution stopped happening in public.
It started to be done in prison. You
could only be executed for murder or
treason (including rebellion)
By the 19th century all laws were made by parliament.
Because the government was scared of revolution, it passed the Riot act
in 1715. This was a law that said crowds asked to disperse by a
magistrate must do so.
It was only really rich people that
could afford Lawyers.
The Court System remained largely
unchanged.
However, you no longer had to catch
criminals yourself. You only had to tell the
Police.
There was clearly a revolution in the PRISON SYSTEM and the
POLICING SYSTEM
The 19th century is characterised by changing attitudes.
Governments took more control.
Crime and Punishment was influenced by the growth of towns, the
invention of machinery, new attitudes and even the French
Revolution.