Causes of 1832 Reform Act Flashcards
1
Q
What did the London Society for Constitutional Information founded in 1780 propose?
A
Raise public awareness of the need for reform
2
Q
What did William Pitt propose in 1785?
A
Disenfranchisement of 36 boroughs and redistribution of seats to counties
3
Q
Name 2 organisations that tried to raise the issue of political reform in the 1790s.
A
Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information, London Corresponding Society
4
Q
How many people attended a rally at Copenhagen Fields to call for political reform in 1795?
A
100,000
5
Q
What law of 1795 clamped down on political reform activity after the start of the Napoleonic Wars?
A
Treason Act
6
Q
Which early radical writer and journalist called for political reform in the early 1800s?
A
William Cobbett
7
Q
Between what dates did Lord Liverpool serve as a PM?
A
1812-1827
8
Q
How many soldiers returned from the Napoleonic Wars?
A
400,000
9
Q
Which radical spoke to the crowds at St Peter’s Fields, Manchester, 1819?
A
Henry Hunt
10
Q
When and where were the Spa Fields Riots?
A
Islington, London, 1816
11
Q
Who was hung for his role in the Pentrich Rising in 1817?
A
Jeremiah Brandreth
12
Q
How did the government try to crush the reform movement in 1819?
A
Six Acts
Suspension of Habeas Corpus
13
Q
What happened during the Cato Street Conspiracy?
A
Led by radical Arthur Thistlewood a plot to assassinate the cabinet was uncovered
14
Q
What does the term ‘laissez faire’ mean?
A
Principle that government should not control the economy or markets
15
Q
Why did middle-class business men think that they should have the vote? Give 2 reasons.
A
Because they created the wealth of industrial Britain, their entrepreneurial skill and hard work, they were educated
16
Q
Why did Britain prosper after 1820?
A
Improved harvests, GNP grew by 16.8% and manufacturing grew by 25% during 1821-1829, no large scale discontent
17
Q
When did (the more liberal) Robert Peel become Home Secretary?
A
1822-27
18
Q
In what years did poor harvests re-energise discontent amongst workers?
A
1828,1829
19
Q
Why did the Swing Riots break out in 1830 in the South east of England?
A
Poor harvests, mechanisation (threshing machine) of seasonal labour
20
Q
In what city did major riots occur in response to the failure of a reform bill in 1831?
A
Bristol
21
Q
Who established the Birmingham Political Union in 1829 and what was his profession?
A
Thomas Attwood, banker
22
Q
What was the aim of the Birmingham Political Union?
A
To achieve more representation for industrial centres/towns/cities
23
Q
Why did the ‘union’ of Ireland with Britain in 1800 create more problems than it solved for the British government?
A
It brought into sharp focus the issue of Catholic Emancipation – (Catholics since Penal Laws in 1691 were barred from sitting in Parliament)
24
Q
Following the resignation of Lord Liverpool in 1827 how many PMs did the Tories have in less than a year?
A
3
25
Why was the issue of Catholic Emancipation explosive for the Tories?
It divided the party into ‘liberals’ and ‘ultras’ and Wellington wasn’t forgiven for seeing it through
26
When did Catholic Emancipation happen?
1829
27
Who led the Whigs to power in 1830?
Earl Grey
28
What was proposed in the 1831 reform bill by Grey’s government?
Disenfranchisement of 100 rotten and pocket boroughs and redistribution of seats to towns
29
Whose death in 1830 helped to bring about the Reform Act 1832 and why?
George IV because William IV was more pro reform
30
Why did the People of Bristol riot in 1831?
The Lords blocked the 2nd of Grey’s reform bills and the people of Bristol were angry
31
What final tactic did Earl Grey use to ensure the passage of his 3rd reform bill?
The prospect of creating 50 new Whig peers to counterbalance Tory dominance
32
What tactic did the middle-class use to pressure the government to enact reform?
Withdrawal of 1.8 million pounds from banks to destroy government finance
33
Why did the Tories capitulate in 1832 allowing the Reform Act to be passed?
The prospect of 50 new Whig peers to the House of Lords would permanently dilute the Tory dominance
34
What international event encouraged the British elite to consider reform of parliament?
July Revolution in France, 1830
35
How was Britain different to all the other European countries?
Had a system of parliamentary democracy - ‘bill of rights’
36
What was the problem with George III?
He was mentally unstable
37
Which house was more powerful in 1785?
Lords - could use their wealth to buy MPs to vote on their behalf
38
Patronage
Power to control appointments to high office
39
In 1761 how many MPS were financed by lords?
111
40
In 1801 how many MPs were financed by lords?
50% - patronage got worse not better
41
What allowed corruption and bribery to take place in 1785?
No secret ballot
42
In election in Liverpool in 1830 what did it cost 2 candidates in bribery?
Over £100,000
43
What did local land lords do?
Evict tenants if they did not vote what the lord wnated
44
What was the electorate like in 1831?
500,000 out of a total population of 24 million
. Only men could votes
. Industrial class not represented
45
What were MPs like in the commons?
Rich and wealthy
46
What % could vote in 1775
11%
47
How many English constituencies were there and how many members did they return in 1775?
. 245 English constituencies
. 489 members
48
How many Welsh constituencies were there and how many members did they return in 1775?
. 24 Welsh constituencies
. 1 members
49
How many Scottish constituencies were there and how many members did they return in 1775?
. 45 Scottish constituencies
. 1 members
50
Issue with boroughs
Some boroughs had no MPs even though they had hundreds of thousands of people
51
Corporation boroughs
Vote only to members of the corporation, usually a very small electorate
52
Corporation borough fact
Out of 26 boroughs, 26 had less than 50 voters
53
Scot and Lot
Vote to all male householders who paid local poor rates
54
How many voters did Westminster have compared to Gatton
. Westminster - 5000
. Gatton - only 6
55
Potwalloper
Males in households that had a hearth big enough to boil a pot
56
Burgage
Vote to owners of certain pieces of land or property usually with a small electorate
57
Freeholder
. Most common
. Vote went to all males who received the freedom of the city by inheritance, marrying the daughter or buying the right
58
Pocket borough
Small borough easily manipulated by the landowner
59
Old Sarum
Only had 7 voters
60
Rotten borough
Small town or hamlet now declined in stature - they were corrupt
61
What happened to Dunwich?
Fell into the sea
62
How many boroughs had fewer than 40 voters
56
63
Which industrial cities had no MPS
Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield
64
Rural shires elected ..
2 MPs
65
How many county MPs were there
122
66
What did people need to vote in a county?
Own a freehold property worth more than 40 shillings a year - as the value of money declined more voted in counties than boroughs
67
How many MPs from a county did England have and how did this compare to the rest of Britain?
England - 2 MPs
Ireland - 2 MPs
Scotland - 1 MP
Wales - 1 MP
68
Issue with counties
Counties had 2 MPs regardless of size of population
Bedfordshire had 2000 people where as Yorkshire has 20,000 - still only had 2 MPs
69
In Ireland how many were Catholic?
90%
70
Relief Act of 1793
Gave Catholic the right to vote in elections but not sit in parliament
71
When could Catholics become MPs?
Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829
72
What was the Scottish MP relationship like with Westminster?
They were at odds due to the Scottish under representation
73
What was not established which is common today?
Party loyalty as MPs often switched political allegiances or voted on issues according to their interests
74
Tories
. Wealthy land owners
. Opposed parliamentary reform
. More religiously tolerant than Whigs
. Supported the King
75
Whigs
. Wealthy land owners
. Members of aristocracy
. Restricted the power of the King
76
Radicals
. Handful of MPs
. Wanted reform of the political system
. Improvement for the working class
. Influenced by utilitarianism
77
How many different types of electoral systems were there in the borough
6
78
Who was unhappy with the 1785 parliamentary system?
. Catholics
. Irish, Scottish and Welsh
. Women
. North
. The poor
. Urban residents
79
Who was most in favour if the 1785 parliamentary system?
. South
. Men
. English
. Protestant
. Upper class
. Propertied class
. Rural residents
80
The American war of Independence
. Colonists had no representation
. Americans drafted Declaration of Independence
. High taxation there - Stamp Act
81
Causes of the French Revolution?
. Marie Antoinette had a yearly clothing allowance of millions of dollars
. 90% of peasants lived at or below subsistence level
. Luxury of the wealthy
. Admired success of American War of Independence
. Bourgeoise
. Enlightenment
82
Political consequences of France and America on Britain
Ideas of democracy and absolute monarchy over thrown
83
Economic consequences of France and America on Britain
Britain lost colonies, both wars costly for Britain
84
Social consequences of France and America on Britain
Spirit of enlightenment, united working classes in Britain and France, middle class see opportunity
85
What did Edmund Burke think of the French Revolution?
Against it as there was little consideration for the aftermath
86
What did Thomas Paine think of the French Revolution?
Defended the French Revolution and he wanted radical reform
Urged the establishment of democracy
87
What did ‘The Rights of Man’ by Paine question?
The traditional values of Britain and urged people to rebel against what he believed were generations of oppression
88
How many copies of ‘The Rights of Man’ by Paine were sold and what did this inspire?
200,000 - inspired campaign for reform
89
How serious was the threat to status quo in Britain from the French Revolution?
. Not that serious
. Unlike France they had a constitution
. Disliked the French and did not want to support their ideas
90
What happened to ‘The Rights of Man’ in 1792
It was banned
91
When was ‘The Rights of Man’ banned?
1792
92
When were the two French Revolutions?
1789 and 1830
93
The Cato Street conspiracy
1820 foiled attempt to assassinate the entire cabinet
94
Birmingham Political Union formation date and methods
. Formed in 1829
. Formed respectable societies peacefully Agitating for reform of the electoral system
95
What did Attwood do?
Gave speeches to crows of 200,000 emphasising the importance of the industrious classes
96
Who replaced George IV?
His more tolerant brother William IV
97
What happened to parliament when the new King took over?
. The King asked the Duke of Wellington to form a government
. He was against reform and quickly forced out
98
What happened after Wellington was forced out?
. The King asked the Whig, Earl Grey, to form a Government
. Charles Grey had tried to introduce a Reform Bill 40 yers before
99
What was public opinion like in the summer of 1831?
Massively reformist
100
What did Lord Gray introduce
3 bills to parliament (first 2 blocked), 3rd bill passed after he resigned and he used the threat of extra Whig peers
101
What happened in 1831?
Riot when parliament decided against reform
102
Riots in Bristol in 1831
. Some of the worst riots
. Public buildings and houses were set on fire
. More than £300,000 of damage
. 12 died
. 31 sentenced to death
103
What did the government fear in 1831?
Unless there was some reform there might be a revolution instead
104
Why did the threat of revolution subside in the 1820s?
Economic upturn
105
What did John Doherty do in the north of England
Founded a trade union for cotton spinners,
106
How was revolutionary spirit apparent - link to France
At the opening of the Manchester-Liverpool Railway 'Tricolour flags’ were displayed
107
When was William Pitt the Younger PM?
1783 - youngest PM at 24 until 1801
Became PM again from 1804 until death in 1806
108
What did Lord Liverpool call for after Peterloo?
Repressive measures at domestic level to maintain order
109
What unpopular laws did Lord Liverpool bring in
. Corn laws
. Suspension of Habeus Corpus
110
What did Liverpool do from 1822 to 1827?
Improve social and economic reforms
111
Who did Lord Liverpool want to gain the support from and what did he do?
. Wanted the support of manufacturers and moderate reforms
. Repeal of the combination acts
112
When was Lord John Russell PM?
From 1846 to 1852 and again from 1863 to 1866
113
What did Lord John Russell do for reform?
One of the principal architects of the 1832 Reform Act and favoured expanding the right to vote to the middle class
114
What else did Lord John Russell advocate?
Catholic emancipation and repeal of the corn laws
115
When was Lord Wellington PM?
In 1834 and and again from 1828-1830
116
How did Lord Wellington feel about reform?
Very conservative and repressed reform
117
Lord Wellington and Catholics
Granted almost full civil rights to Catholics
118
When was George Canning PM?
1827
119
George Canning reform and Catholics
. Advocated Catholic emancipation
. Opposed parliamentary reform
120
What were the Tories like in the early 1830
. Weak
. 3 different leaders in a short period
. Strengthened Whigs cause
121
Why did Earl Grey want to extend the vote?
Increase his chance of attaining office
122
What made it harder to put down the middle class?
Use of speeches and persuasion so violence could not repress them
123
What did the government not want to do to the middle class?
Alienate them
124
What happened when the House of Lords blocked a reform bill?
Riots
125
‘Days of May’
Riots after Grey’s resignation
126
How did the middle class hurt the government?
Withdrew money from banks to destroy their finances - in two days more than £1.8 million was removed
127
What did the King promise Grey?
He would make Whig peers to pass reform
