Context of Lord Liverpool's administration

Question 1

What was Lord Liverpool’s name?

Answer 1

Robert Jenkinson

Question 2

Which three great offices of state had Lord Liverpool held before becoming PM?

Answer 2

Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and Secretary for War and the Colonies

Question 3

What did Lord Liverpool think of Pitt?

Answer 3

He admired Pitt and his balanced system of government

Question 4

What was Lord Liverpool like during his premiership?

Answer 4

He was often regarded as mediocre, but exercise firm control over major decisions. He was patient, pragmatic and fair-minded

Question 5

When did Lord Liverpool resign?

Answer 5

In 1827, as a result of a stroke

Question 6

Where was Lord Liverpool educated?

Answer 6

Oxford

Question 7

What party did Lord Liverpool belong to?

Answer 7

The conservatives

Question 8

When did Lord Liverpool inherit his father’s title?

Answer 8

He became the second Earl of Liverpool in 1808

Question 9

When was Lord Liverpool PM?

Answer 9

He served continuously from 1812-27

Question 10

What was the consequence of Liverpool sitting in the Lords?

Answer 10

He could not take part in debates in the House of Commons

Question 11

What three problem defined Spencer Perceval’s premiership?

Answer 11

• Economic turmoil
• Luddite agitation
• The continuing threat from Napoleon

Question 12

Describe Spencer Perceval’s assassination

Answer 12

He was shot in the House of Commons by John Bellingham, a bankrupt who blamed the government for his troubles

Question 13

What was the reaction to Perceval’s assassination?

Answer 13

• In Nottingham, crowds paraded around the town with ‘drums beating and flags wavig in triumph’
• In Stoke, people heard the news from a man waving his hat round his head and shouting with frantic joy ‘Hurrah, Perceval is shot’
• Cries of ‘God bless him’ rang out as Bellingham was executed

Question 14

What did Lord Liverpool have to deal with for the first 10 years of his term?

Answer 14

• The end of the Napoleonic wars and the subsequent economic problems
• The impact of the Industrial Revolution was causing unrest and protests, some of which turned to violence; suggesting a revolution could be at hand

Question 15

What did Liverpool believe to be his most important duty as PM?

Answer 15

After witnessing the French revolution first hand, he believed his most important task was to prevent similar events from unfolding in Britain

Question 16

How did Liverpool’s government prevent any kind of revolution in Britain?

Answer 16

His government took a strong line, repressing protets rather than introducing reforms that addresses the complaints of protestors

Question 17

How does Asa Briggs describe Lord Liverpool?

Answer 17

‘In the grasp of principles, mastery of detail, discernment of means and judgement of individuals, he was almost faultness

Question 18

How does E.J Evans describe Lord Liverpool?

Answer 18

He claims he was no innovator and was not capable of much original thought, but his administrative talents and ability to others contributed to stability

Question 19

Why was Liverpool in such an inadequate position to effectively govern?

Answer 19

• The administrative machine was rudimentary
• The Home and Foreign Secretaries still had to do much of the routine work that would later be delegated to officials
• The role of government was still limited, with chief responsiblities, even for government matters, lying with the local magistrates

Question 20

What did Liverpool and Addington think about government intervention?

Answer 20

The more they intervened, or sought to intervene, in quuestions of trade, commerce or manufacture, the less likely it would do so in a manner that brought benefit to the people

Question 21

How did Lord Liverpool go about managinng his government?

Answer 21

He gave the cabinet a considerable amount of authority and gave his colleagues a judicious degree of freedom, but he nevertheless determined the overall thrust of government policy

Question 22

Describe Liverpool socially

Answer 22

As a young man he had been diffident and shy, but eventually developed a quiet confidence and unfussy dependability. He valued the views and opinions of others, but did not shrink from hard decisions

Question 23

What did Liverpool recognise about his fellow politicians?

Answer 23

They were reacting to circumstances they did not control, and dealing with situations they had neither desired or created