Government: Pitt The Younger As Prime Minister And His Successors

Question 1

What was Pitt’s relationship with King George III?

Answer 1

Mutual politeness and respect but remained guarded. Pitt remained loyal to the king who supported Pitt.

Question 2

How was Pitt described?

Answer 2

• intelligent
• had a passion for politics
• distant
• honest
• had outstanding debating skills

Question 3

When did Pitt become Prime Minister?

Answer 3

19 December 1783

Question 4

What was the political crisis of 1782?

Answer 4

After the loss of the American colonies, George III’s favourite Lord North resigned. Rockingham became PM but then died leaving Lord Shelburne. Shelburne was distrusted in office due to his close relationship with the King. Shelburne was brought down by the Fox-North coalition.

Question 5

When did the King defeat the Fox-North coalition?

Answer 5

17 December 1783

Question 6

What was Fox’s India Bill? When was it?

Answer 6

Nov 1783. Attempted to resolve the problems of a British rule in India. Included elements to increase Fox’s influence.

Question 7

How was Fox’s India Bill defeated?

Answer 7

George III threatened to make personal enemy of anyone in the HoL who voted for it.

Question 8

Why was Pitt appointed?

Answer 8

The King didn’t want either the Rocking or Shelburne Whigs in office but still wanted to exercise his royal prerogative. Wanted to keep Fox out of office.

Question 9

What was Pitt’s administration nick-named?

Answer 9

Mince Pie administration

Question 10

What problems did Pitt face when he first became Prime Minister?

Answer 10

Pitt had no following in the HoC and faced a majority opposition. No members of HoC would serve in his cabinet meaning it was made of lords making it hard to pass measures. It was believed his cabinet wouldn’t last beyond Christmas.

Question 11

Initially, who made up Pitt’s cabinet?

Answer 11

Lords

Question 12

Why did Fox lose support during the 1784 election?

Answer 12

Publicly condemned the King for ignoring Fox’s majority

Question 13

How did Pitt stay in power?

Answer 13

• Firm support from the King
• Fox had lost support
• Personal ambition for power

Question 14

When was the 1874 election called?

Answer 14

March

Question 15

Why was the election called in 1784?

Answer 15

There was a ‘single vote’ between Pitt and Fox so the King hoped Pitt would achieve Parliamentary majority.

Question 16

How was the King pushing his constitutional boundaries?

Answer 16

Clear he was dissolving parliament after 3 yrs instead of 7 so Pitt had a chance of a majority.

Question 17

How did the King ‘manage’ the election?

Answer 17

• swayed electorate
• used all influence in gov controlled boroughs
• Pitt used a sizeable election fund provided by the King

Question 18

Where did Pitt get his support from?

Answer 18

• Whigs that supported his father
• some moderate Tories
• ‘King’s Friends’

Question 19

Who are the King’s Friends?

Answer 19

Those who voted depending on his wishes

Question 20

How did the King ensure Pitt had support in the HoL?

Answer 20

Used his patronage to create new peers from the wealthy merchant class.

Question 21

What trade reforms did Pitt introduce?

Answer 21

• Removed tariffs to promote free trade
• Consolidation Act
• Hovering Act
• Commutation Act
• Exercise Bill
• Bonded Warehouses

Question 22

What was the Commutation Act 1784?

Answer 22

Reduced import tax on tea which reduced need for smuggling. Duty on tea reduced from 119% to 25%.

Question 23

What was the Hovering Act?

Answer 23

Ships carrying smuggled goods could be confiscated within 4 miles of the shore and suspicious ships could be searched 12 miles out of port.

Question 24

What is the Consolidation Act 1787?

Answer 24

Customs and exercise duties were combined to create one tax making tax collection more efficient.

Question 25

What was the Exercise Bill?

Answer 25

Allowed tobacco and spirits to enter the country untaxed then exported tax free.

Question 26

What were Bonded warehouses?

Answer 26

Goods in port were protected, tax free by custom officials. Increased confidence in trade.

Question 27

What was the value of imports in 1783 then in 1790 due to bonded warehouses?

Answer 27

£13 million to £27 million

Question 28

What financial reforms did Pitt introduce?

Answer 28

- Sinking Fund - Indirect taxes

Question 29

Why did Pitt introduce the Sinking Fund?

Answer 29

British was in national debt and had reached an all time high of £240 million.

Question 30

How did the Sinking Fund work?

Answer 30

Paid £1 million per year from taxation into it.

Question 31

By how much did the Sinking Fund cut national debt?

Answer 31

£10 million

Question 32

What are indirect taxes?

Answer 32

Taxes on commodities that wealthy classes used e.g horses, coaches, windows, ribbons and candles.

Question 33

Why was the indirect tax on windows seen as a poor decision?

Answer 33

Perceived as a penalty on light and air. It also limited the development of the glass industry.

Question 33

What reforms to administration did Pitt introduce?

Answer 33

- Abolished sinecure offices - Devised a new budgeting system - Consolidated Fund at the BoE 1787 - Audit Office 1785 - Central Stationery Office 1787

Question 33

Why was the administration a problem in 1784?

Answer 33

Inefficient and corrupt ## Footnote Minsters' jobs overlapped and they enriched themselves from public funds through accepting sinecure offices.

Question 34

What is a sinecure office?

Answer 34

Positions with a salary that were given to MPs to gain their support but required no work.

Question 35

How did the new budgeting system work?

Answer 35

Decided estimated spending from each department then drew up parallel tax proposals.

Question 36

What was the Consolidated Fund, 1787?

Answer 36

Revenue from taxes was paid into it and then government payments were made out of it.

Question 36

What was the Audit Office 1785?

Answer 36

Run by independent experts to oversee expenditure and curb corruption.

Question 37

What was the Central Stationery Office 1787?

Answer 37

Used to supply departments instead of them purchasing things at high cost from 'friendly suppliers'.

Question 37

Who were Pitt's five successors? Give the dates they were in office.

Answer 37

1) Addington, 1801-1804 2) Pitt, 1804-1806 3) Lord Grenville, 1806-1807 4) The Duke of Portland, 1807-1809 5) Perceval, 1809-1812

Question 38

What impact did Addington have?

Answer 38

- improved income tax - improved deducting tax before workers were paid - introduced measures to win the French Wars

Question 39

How was Addington described when in office?

Answer 39

Having a lack-lusture performance and being in Pitt's shadow.

Question 40

What impact did Pitt have in office the second time?

Answer 40

- attempted to form a coalition government - lost control over government matters as he was unwell

Question 41

Why did Pitt's coalition government fail?

Answer 41

George III refused Pitt to include Fox making it impossible.

Question 41

What impact did Grenville have in office?

Answer 41

- achieved abolition of slave trade in 1807 - included Fox as Foreign Sec but he died a month later - tried to raise issue of Catholic Emancipation

Question 42

How was Lord Grenville and his government described?

Answer 42

Liberal minded 'Ministry of all talent'

Question 43

Why did Lord Grenville resign?

Answer 43

The King refused concession over Catholic Emancipation.

Question 44

What impact did The Duke of Portland have in office?

Answer 44

- failed to direct policy and left the cabinet to their own devices

Question 45

What was The Duke of Portland time in office marked by?

Answer 45

Accusations of corruption and military ineptitude.

Question 46

What impact did Perceval have in office?

Answer 46

- Dealt with the regency issue as George III mental health deteriorated. - introduced the Regency Act 1811 - Dealt with trade crisis and popular unrest - held together cabinet of factions that didn't agree

Question 47

True or False: Perceval was less open to reform than Pitt and had the same anti catholic stance and Portland.

Answer 47

True

Question 47

What was the Regency Act 1811?

Answer 47

Limited Regent's power of patronage

Question 48

In summary, were Pitt's successors successful? Why?

Answer 48

No. Lots of changes and many different ideas made it unsuccessful.