# Gordon Riots (1780)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1780-gordon-riots
Categories: main-event

London was shaken by anti-Catholic riots and attacks on prisons, homes and institutions. Within the broader Georgian Britain period, parliamentary government, industrialization, imperial expansion, war with France and political reform turned Britain into a global commercial and military power. This event is placed at 1780 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. The violence exposed religious tensions and the limits of urban order in the Georgian capital.

## Why it matters
The violence exposed religious tensions and the limits of urban order in the Georgian capital.

Ruler at the time: [George III](https://english-history.com/rulers/george-iii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Gordon Riots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Gordon+Riots&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Gordon Riots](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Gordon+Riots)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history_%281700%E2%80%931799%29)
- [The National Archives — empire and industry resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)