Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History

    Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015

    Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928 - 1…

    Full specification wording

    Paper 3, Option 36.1: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928 - 1 Radical reformers, c1790–1819: Government responses: the trial of the leaders of the London Corresponding Society and suspension of Habeas Corpus, 1794, the Treason Act and Seditious Meetings Act 1795, the Gagging Acts 1817 and the Six Acts 1819.

    This topic examines government responses to radical protest.

    Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 2 of 3
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    This topic examines government responses to radical protest. In May 1794, the government suspended Habeas Corpus, allowing detention without trial, and later that year tried leaders of the London Corresponding Society for treason; they were acquitted. In 1795, the Treason Act made it easier to convict for treason, and the Seditious Meetings Act restricted public meetings. In 1817, following Spa Fields, the Gagging Acts suspended Habeas Corpus again and banned seditious meetings. In 1819, the Six Acts suppressed radical publications, restricted public meetings, and increased penalties for sedition. These measures aimed to crush radicalism but often increased resentment and failed to stop reform demands.

    What earns the marks

    • 1794: Habeas Corpus suspended in May, allowing imprisonment without trial; trial of LCS leaders for treason later that year ended in acquittal.
    • 1795: Treason Act defined treason more broadly; Seditious Meetings Act limited meetings and required licences for debating societies.
    • 1817: Gagging Acts suspended Habeas Corpus and banned seditious meetings; aimed to suppress unrest after Spa Fields and the attack on the Prince Regent.
    • 1819: Six Acts restricted public meetings, increased stamp duty on newspapers, and allowed magistrates to seize arms.
    • Overall impact: repression temporarily reduced protest but radical demands continued, leading to later reform.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Saying the LCS leaders were convicted of treason.

      Put it right: They were acquitted.

    • Confusing the 1795 Treason Act with the 1817 Gagging Acts.

      Put it right: The 1795 Act broadened treason; the 1817 Acts suspended Habeas Corpus and banned meetings.

    • Claiming the Six Acts ended radical protest.

      Put it right: They suppressed some activities but radicalism persisted.

    Exam tips

    • Link each government response to the protest it aimed to suppress, such as the 1817 Gagging Acts following Spa Fields.
    • Assess the effectiveness of each measure in reducing radical activity.
    • Use specific terms of the Acts to show precise knowledge.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Paper 3, Option 36.1: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928 - 1 Radical reformers, c1790–1819: Government responses: the trial of the leaders of the London Corresponding Society and suspension of Habeas Corpus, 1794, the Treason Act and Seditious Meetings Act 1795, the Gagging Acts 1817 and the Six Acts 1819. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    What was the main purpose of the suspension of Habeas Corpus in 1794?

    Listen

    This topic examines government responses to radical protest. In May 1794, the government suspended Habeas Corpus, allowing detention without trial, and later that year tried leaders of the London Corresponding Society for treason; they were acquitted. In 1795, the Treason Act made it easier to convict for treason, and the Seditious Meetings Act restricted public meetings. In 1817, following Spa Fields, the Gagging Acts suspended Habeas Corpus again and banned seditious meetings. In 1819, the Six Acts suppressed radical publications, restricted public meetings, and increased penalties for sedition. These measures aimed to crush radicalism but often increased resentment and failed to stop reform demands. A strong answer earns marks for these points. 1794: Habeas Corpus suspended in May, allowing imprisonment without trial; trial of LCS leaders for treason later that year ended in acquittal. 1795: Treason Act defined treason more broadly; Seditious Meetings Act limited meetings and required licences for debating societies. 1817: Gagging Acts suspended Habeas Corpus and banned seditious meetings; aimed to suppress unrest after Spa Fields and the attack on the Prince Regent. 1819: Six Acts restricted public meetings, increased stamp duty on newspapers, and allowed magistrates to seize arms. A common slip: saying the LCS leaders were convicted of treason. Instead, they were acquitted. Exam tip: Link each government response to the protest it aimed to suppress, such as the 1817 Gagging Acts following Spa Fields.

    See it

    A flowchart running from top to bottom. It begins with a node for 1794, when Habeas Corpus was suspended in May. From this node, one arrow leads to the 1794 trial of London Corresponding Society leaders for treason, which leads to a node recording that the leaders were acquitted. A second arrow from the Habeas Corpus node leads to the 1795 Treason Act, which leads to the 1795 Seditious Meetings Act, then to the 1817 Gagging Acts, then to the 1819 Six Acts. The Six Acts node leads to a node stating that repression temporarily reduced protest, which leads to a final node stating that radical demands continued, leading to later reform.
    A sequence of government measures from 1794 to 1819 and their overall impact on radical protest.

    Put the events in order

    Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.

    1. 1. Six Acts restricted public meetings and increased newspaper stamp duty
    2. 2. Trial of the leaders of the London Corresponding Society
    3. 3. Gagging Acts suspended Habeas Corpus and banned seditious meetings
    4. 4. Treason Act and Seditious Meetings Act passed

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Repression and civil liberties

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Government fear of revolution

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    The rule of law and treason trials

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    The balance between order and reform

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Repression and civil liberties
    Measures such as suspending Habeas Corpus, banning seditious meetings and restricting publications aimed to crush radicalism but often increased resentment.
    Government fear of revolution
    Responses to radical protest included suspending Habeas Corpus, treason trials, the Treason Act and the Seditious Meetings Act.
    The rule of law and treason trials
    Leaders of the London Corresponding Society were tried for treason in 1794 and were acquitted.
    The balance between order and reform
    Repression temporarily reduced protest but failed to stop reform demands, leading to later reform.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart running from top to bottom. It begins with a node for 1794, when Habeas Corpus was suspended in May. From this node, one arrow leads to the 1794 trial of London Corresponding Society leaders for treason, which leads to a node recording that the leaders were acquitted. A second arrow from the Habeas Corpus node leads to the 1795 Treason Act, which leads to the 1795 Seditious Meetings Act, then to the 1817 Gagging Acts, then to the 1819 Six Acts. The Six Acts node leads to a node stating that repression temporarily reduced protest, which leads to a final node stating that radical demands continued, leading to later reform.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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    Test your understanding of Paper 3, Option 36.1: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928 - 1 Radical reformers, c1790–1819: Government responses: the trial of the leaders of the London Corresponding Society and suspension of Habeas Corpus, 1794, the Treason Act and Seditious Meetings Act 1795, the Gagging Acts 1817 and the Six Acts 1819.

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