The term 'Riot Acts' refers to a series of laws passed in the United Kingdom in the late 18th century to control public disorder. The most famous of these laws was the Riot Act of 1715, which allowed local authorities to disperse any group of twelve or more people who were deemed to be causing a disturbance. The term 'Rampages' is used to describe a situation in which a large group of people become violent and cause destruction. This term is often used to describe the actions of mobs during riots.