List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1800 facts for kids

The year 1800 was a busy time for the Parliament of Great Britain! This list tells you about the laws, called "Acts," that were passed that year. These Acts were like big rulebooks that helped run the country.

Before 1707, England and Scotland had their own separate parliaments. You can find their older laws in other lists. After 1801, Great Britain and Ireland joined together. Then, laws were made by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Each law has a special number, like a chapter in a book. For example, the famous Union with Ireland Act 1800 is known as "39 & 40 Geo. 3. c. 67". This means it was the 67th law passed during the time when King George III was in his 39th and 40th year of being king.

Back then, these laws didn't have short, easy-to-remember names. Later on, some of them were given shorter titles to make them easier to talk about.

From 1798 onwards, laws were split into two main types: "public general acts" (for everyone) and "public local and personal acts" (for specific places or people).

Laws from 1799-1800 (39 & 40 Geo. 3)

This section covers laws passed during the fourth session of the 18th Parliament of Great Britain. This session started in September 1799 and ended in July 1800.

Important General Laws

These laws affected everyone in Great Britain.

• Militia Act 1800 (Chapter 15): This law continued rules about the Militia, which was a group of ordinary citizens trained as soldiers. They could volunteer to serve in Ireland.
• Army and Navy Act 1800 (Chapter 16): This Act continued a law that aimed to stop people from trying to convince soldiers and sailors to leave their duties or rebel.
• Sale of Bread Act 1800 (Chapter 18): This law temporarily stopped people from selling bread that hadn't been baked for a certain amount of time. This was likely to help manage food supplies.
• Indemnity Act 1800 (Chapter 19): This Act protected people who had accidentally forgotten to complete certain paperwork for their jobs or positions.
• Habeas Corpus Suspension Act 1800 (Chapter 20): This important law allowed the King to arrest and hold people he suspected of plotting against the government, without immediately bringing them to court. This was a temporary measure during a time of war.
• National Debt Act 1800 (Chapter 22): This law was about raising money for the country by selling "annuities," which are like investments that pay back money over time.
• Excise Act 1800 (Chapter 23): This Act added more taxes (duties) on British and foreign spirits (alcoholic drinks) and tea.
• Mutiny Act 1800 (Chapter 27): This law set the rules for punishing soldiers who mutinied (rebelled) or deserted (ran away). It also covered how the army was paid and housed.
• Bank of England Act 1800 (Chapter 28): This law made an agreement with the Bank of England to lend money to the government for public services.
• Land Tax Redemption Act 1800 (Chapter 30): This Act extended the time for people and companies to buy back their land tax, which was a tax on property.
• Poor Act 1800 (Chapter 40): This law gave more power to local directors and guardians of the poor. They could make changes to how taxes were collected to help poor people.
• Bill of Exchange Act 1800 (Chapter 42): This Act made rules for observing Good Friday in certain situations.
• London Hackney Carriage Act 1800 (Chapter 47): This law changed the prices (fares) that licensed hackney coach drivers (like early taxis) could charge in London. It also updated other rules for these coaches and chairs.
• Night Poaching Act 1800 (Chapter 50): This law made it harder for people to illegally hunt animals at night.
• Union with Ireland Act 1800 (Chapter 67): This was a very significant law! It officially joined Great Britain and Ireland, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This meant they would share one Parliament.
• Collieries and Mines Act 1800 (Chapter 77): This law aimed to improve the safety of coal mines and better regulate the workers (colliers and miners).
• Government of India Act 1800 (Chapter 79): This Act set up more rules for how the British territories in India were governed and how justice was handled there.
• Thames Police Act 1800 (Chapter 87): This law was created to better prevent crimes on the River Thames and nearby areas. It also updated an older law about stopping thefts by people using boats on the river.
• Disputes Between Masters and Workmen Act 1800 (Chapter 90): This law aimed to help settle disagreements between factory owners (masters) and workers in the cotton industry in England.
• Treason Act 1800 (Chapter 93): This Act set rules for trials involving high treason, which is a very serious crime against the King or Queen and the country.
• Criminal Lunatics Act 1800 (Chapter 94): This law was about safely keeping people who were mentally ill and had been accused of crimes.
• Accumulations Act 1800 (Chapter 98): Also known as the Thellusson Act, this law limited how long someone could set up a trust to save up money or property before it had to be given to others.
• Pawnbrokers Act 1800 (Chapter 99): This Act brought in better rules for how pawnbrokers (people who lend money in exchange for items) should run their businesses.

Local Laws

These laws were for specific places or small groups of people. Many of them were about improving roads, canals, or managing land.

• Isle of Ely Drainage Act 1800 (Chapter 1): This law helped with draining and preserving fen lands (wetlands) in the Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire.
• Thames and Medway Canal Act 1800 (Chapter 23): This Act was for building a new canal connecting the River Thames near Gravesend to the River Medway.
• Ashton Canal Act 1800 (Chapter 24): This law updated previous Acts for building and completing the canal from Manchester to Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham.
• Port of London Improvement Act 1800 (Chapter 47): This important law, also known as the London Dock Act, allowed for the creation of wet docks and other facilities to improve shipping and trade in the Port of London.
• Glasgow City Extension and Improvement Act 1800 (Chapter 88): This Act extended the city limits of Glasgow, and made rules for paving, lighting, and cleaning streets. It also set up a police force and appointed watchmen.

Laws from Late 1800 (41 Geo. 3)

This was the very last session of the Parliament of Great Britain, which met from November to December 1800. After this, the Parliament of the United Kingdom began.

Important General Laws

• Exportation (No. 2) Act 1800 (Chapter 1): This law temporarily stopped the export of rice and protected people who had prevented its export or couldn't fulfill contracts because of it.
• Use of Corn in Distillation of Spirits, etc. Act 1800 (Chapter 3): This Act temporarily banned the use of corn for making spirits or starch. This was likely to save corn for food.
• Poor (No. 2) Act 1800 (Chapter 9): This law aimed to improve how poor relief was given out and to reduce the amount of bread corn used.
• Census Act 1800 (Chapter 15): This was a very important law! It ordered the first official count of the population of Great Britain. This helped the government understand how many people lived in the country and how the population was changing.
• Making of Bread, etc. Act 1800 (Chapter 16): This law temporarily stopped the making of fine flour from wheat or other grains, and also stopped bread from being made only from fine wheat flour. This was another measure to manage food resources.
• Aliens Act 1800 (Chapter 24): This Act continued rules about foreigners (aliens) arriving in or living in Great Britain, especially during wartime.