1842 Glasgow General Strike Trials were the criminal prosecution and state suppressions, orchestrated against Scottish labour organisers in Glasgow, Scotland, following an industrial dispute, economic depression, and mass unemployment. Occurring during the 1842 General Strike in the United Kingdom, lasting from July-September 1842, this historic period is widely regarded as the "Plug Plot Riots."
Background By 1842, Britain had experienced over 5 consecutive periods of significant trade stagnation. This was mainly caused by the American financial crisis of the Panic of 1837. The reason this crisis had affected Britain was because America primarily purchased British goods, such as textiles from Glasgow. The financial crisis also caused America to be unable to buy any manufactured goods from the United Kingdom, which put a dent in their export economy.
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