Green

Question 1

Statistics of the franchise in 1783

Answer 1

250,000 men in England and Wales (3% of population)

Question 2

How were county MPs elected in 1783?

Answer 2

By 40 shilling freeholders with no secret ballot (which led to widespread bribery and corruption)

Question 3

What were rotten boroughs?

Answer 3

Very few voters with several MPs

Question 4

What were pocket boroughs?

Answer 4

Entirely controlled by the landowner who bribed the people (had them in his “pocket”)

Question 5

What was a corporation borough?

Answer 5

Where only mayors and members of his corporation could vote

Question 6

What was the Bill of Rights?

Answer 6

It was aimed to prevent any future monarch from intervening with the law and restricted the power of the monarchy.

Question 7

What is a constitutional monarchy?

Answer 7

The monarch is the head of state but their powers are limited by parliament which makes them dependent on parliament

Question 8

What was the Civil List?

Answer 8

A fixed annual sum agreed by parliament to meet the monarch’s household expenses

Question 9

What was a potwolloper borough?

Answer 9

Ownership of your own fireplace gave you the right to vote

Question 10

What does Asa Briggs believe about working conditions (1783-1812)?

Answer 10

The new rigid regime was necessary and the higher wages offset the tougher conditions

The factory system merely ‘spotlighted’ the problem of child labour

Question 11

Conditions in factories (1783-1812)

Answer 11

• 12+hrs/6 days a week
• harsh discipline
• no safety regulations
• little ventilation in cotton mills
• high risk of fire due to wooden frames

Question 12

Percentage of child factory workers (1783-1812)

Answer 12

25% (as young as 6yrs)

Question 13

R.M Hartwell - optimistic view of the standard of living

Answer 13

‘The standard of living of the mass of people was improving’

There was an increase in the output of the manufacturing industry meaning there was greater availability of goods

Question 14

E.J. Hobsbawm - pessimistic view of standard of living (1783-1812)

Answer 14

Once regional variations in prices and wages and the numbers of unemployed are taken into account, the picture is not clear.

The poor living and working conditions negated the positive effects of the rise in wages

Question 15

How did war impact the standard of living?

Answer 15

• wages rose more slowly than prices
• poor standard of living led to riots and protests
• bad harvests made the situation worse as it was difficult to import grain from Europe
• price of bread increased (staple diet for the poor)

Question 16

When was the Society of United Irishmen formed?

Answer 16

1791

Question 17

Who founded the Society of United Irishmen?

Answer 17

Wolfe Tone

Question 18

What were the aims of the Society of United Irishmen?

Answer 18

• establish democracy in Ireland through parliamentary reform
• seek equal rights for all men of any religion

Question 19

What was the catalyst for the passing of the Act of Union?

Answer 19

Wolfe Tone’s involvement in plotting French landings to overthrow the Irish government

Question 20

When was the Act of Union passed?

Answer 20

1800

Question 21

What did the Act of Union do?

Answer 21

United the Parliaments of Britain and Ireland

Question 22

Why did Pitt resign?

Answer 22

He promised to pass a Catholic Emancipation Bill with the Act of Union but the king refused.

Question 23

When was the Catholic Association founded?

Answer 23

1823

Question 24

Who founded the Catholic Association?

Answer 24

Daniel O’Connell

Question 25

What were the 2 aims of the Catholic Association?

Answer 25

1. Achieve Catholic emancipation
2. Repeal the Act of Union

Question 26

Who were the members of the Catholic Association?

Answer 26

• mainly middle class professionals
• extended to Irish peasantry through the small subscription (Catholic Rent) of 1 penny a month

Question 27

What did O’Connell succeed in doing?

Answer 27

Uniting the Catholic Church, the middle class and the Irish peasants

Question 28

When was the County Clare Election?

Answer 28

1828

Question 29

Why was the County Clare Election called?

Answer 29

To enable Irish protestant, Fitzgerald, to join Wellington’s cabinet

Question 30

What happened at the County Clare Election?

Answer 30

With resources from the Catholic Association, O’Connell stood for Parliament.

As small farmers with land worth 40 shillings could vote, O’Connell won the election.

Question 31

How did the government feel about O’Connell winning the County Clare Election?

Answer 31

• believed it was possible that at the next general election, Catholics would stand for every Irish seat
• feared civil unrest in Ireland if they didn’t give O’Connell his seat

Question 32

What was the significance of the County Clare Election?

Answer 32

Led to Wellington introducing the Catholic Emancipation Bill as both himself and Peel believed it was the only way to preserve law and order in Ireland and avoid the breakup of the Union

Question 33

When was Catholic emancipation introduced?

Answer 33

1829

Question 34

What was the Catholic Emancipation Bill?

Answer 34

• Made Roman Catholics elligible for all offices of state except Regent, Lord Chancellor and Lord Lieutenant General
• No Oath of Supremacy was required to take a seat in the Lords or Commons

Question 35

What were the negative effects of Catholic Emancipation being passed?

Answer 35

• the Catholic Association was banned
• the 40 shilling franchise in Irish counties was raised to £10

Question 36

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