Local History: Why did the Peterloo Massacre happen?

Year 6

Unit Overview

During the Industrial Revolution in Britain, working people had very poor living and working conditions. Working people didn’t have the right to vote and therefore did not have a say in how to change these conditions. On 16 August 1819, 60,000 people gathered in St Peter’s Field in Manchester city centre to demand the vote. They marched into the city from many surrounding towns to congregate and listen to a speech by Henry Hunt. Fearing revolution, the authorities ordered the arrest of Henry Hunt and armed guards charged the crowd. It is estimated that 18 were killed and nearly 700 seriously injured. The event became known as the Peterloo Massacre. 

❇ MEMORABLE MOMENT and 🌳 LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Local history walk to explore the life of Samuel Bamford:

Samuel Bamford guided walk around the local area. Children will learn about Bamford's life and visit key areas relating to his life.

️✏️ WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

Monologues and Duologues based around the role play in sessions 2, 3 and 4. 

Unit Sequence: Learning Intentions

This unit of work will take place on one day in the Summer term as an experience day entitled ' What is the legacy of Peterloo?'

The focus is: How do we remember people and events from the past?

🏁 BIG FINISH

Children will present a reenactment of the events at St Peter's field to their classmates helping to answer the overarching question: Why should we remember Peterloo?


📖 FOCUS TEXT(S) 

Peterloo: The Graphic Novel