On This Day

The Riot Act takes effect in Great Britain

The Riot Act (1 Geo. 1. St. 2. c. 5), sometimes called the Riot Act 1714 or the Riot Act 1715, was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain which authorised local authorities to declare any group of...

The Riot Act (1 Geo. 1. St. 2. c. 5), sometimes called the Riot Act 1714 or the Riot Act 1715, was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain which authorised local authorities to declare any group of 12 or more people to be unlawfully assembled and order them to disperse or face punitive action. The act's full title was "An Act for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters", and it came into force on 1 August 1715. It was repealed in England and Wales by section 10 (2) and Part III of Schedule 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967.

Events Before

  1. Antoin de Guiscard, a French and English spy, fails in an attempt to murder English Chancellor of the Exchequer Robert H

    Antoin de Guiscard, a French and English spy, fails in an attempt to murder English Chancellor of the Exchequer Robert Harley; Harley survives stabbing, and Guiscard dies later from injuries sustained in the fracas

  2. Treaty of Pruth is signed, ending the Russo-Turkish War (1710-11), and Azov port is returned to Ottoman control

    Peter I was the Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned jointly with his half-brother Ivan V until 1696.

  3. British fleet under Admiral Hovenden Walker loses 950 men when 8 ships founder on rocks at Île-aux-Oeufs on their way to

    British fleet under Admiral Hovenden Walker loses 950 men when 8 ships founder on rocks at Île-aux-Oeufs on their way to attack Quebec

  4. French troops occupy Rio de Janeiro

    French troops occupy Rio de Janeiro

  5. Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont is born

    Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, French author, known for french author, was born on 1711-04-26.

Events After

  1. England & Netherlands sign 2nd anti-French boundary treaty

    The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with overseas territories in the Caribbean.

  2. Netherlands & Britain sign accord concerning anti-French Barrier [OS=Jan 31]

    Netherlands & Britain sign accord concerning anti-French Barrier [OS=Jan 31]

  3. French invade under Jacques Cassard on Curacao

    French invade under Jacques Cassard on Curacao

  4. French troops bomb Willemstad, Curacao

    French troops bomb Willemstad, Curacao

  5. Handel's "Jubilate" first performance in a public rehearsal at St. Paul's Cathedral, London

    Utrecht Te Deum and Jubilate is the common name for a sacred choral composition in two parts, written by George Frideric Handel to celebrate the Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is The Riot Act takes effect in Great Britain historically important?
The act's full title was "An Act for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters", and it came into force on 1 August 1715. It was repealed in England and Wales by section 10 (2) and Part III of Schedule 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967.

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