Whywasthe event called Peterloo?

The clash got its nickname from JamesWroe, the

editor of theManchester Observernewspaper.He

wasreferring to thefamous Battle ofWaterloo,which

had been fought four yearsearlier.The newspaper

wasshut down soon afterwards, becauseWroewas

accused of using the newspaper to encourage people

to protest against the Government.

Whathappened later?

Peterloo becameasymbol

for those whowanted the

political system to change

and give morepeople a

chancetovote. Protest

groups werecreated across

Britain and changes to the law

wereslowly made. In 1820, Hunt

wassent to prison for two years, butcontinued to

campaign for change. In 1830, he became an MP.

It took until 1918 for both men and women to

be able to vote in Britain. Although all men over the

age of 21 wereallowed to vote, only women over

the age of 30 who hadacertain amount of property

could. The law became fully equal in 1928.

Beginnings of The Guardian new er

Journalist John Edward

Ta ylorwasatPeterloo.He

reported on the violence

and what happened in

the months that followed.

Ta ylorwanted to makesure

that everyone knew what

really happened. In 1821

he foundedTheManchester

Guardianwhich is now just

calledTheGuardian.

The first issue ofThe

Manchester Guardian.

Ascene from

the 2018 film.

Britishpolitics

DIDYOU

KNO

W?

In^201

8, theev

entsof

Peterloo

weremade int

oafilm.

Thedirec

tor,

MikeLeigh, said it

wassuch

an important

event in British

history that it should be

taught in

schools.

er

Aplaque in

Manchester.

John EdwardTaylor