Lord Liverpool: Fact Learning Flashcards
Facts and Statistics about Lord Liverpool's time in office. (31 cards)
When did the Government rule machine breaking to be a capital offence?
1812
When did Luddism first break out and why?
Started in 1811. Was largely the result of soldiers returning from war for 10-20 years, having none of the technical skills needed to operate the machines which had only emerged during their absence.
What other evidence of economic discontent contributed to the rise of Luddism? [2]
- Bad harvests in 1812, where wheat rose to 126s a quarter
- War with the USA from 1812 to 1814
- French blockade on all British imports from November 1806 in an attempt to make a “Continental System”
What notable Luddist demonstrations occurred between 1812 and 1814? [2]
- January 1812: A mill was burned down in Leeds
- February 1812: Another mill was burned down in Yorkshire
- April 1812: 100 soldiers confronted miscreants who attempted to burn down another mill
- 28th April 1812: A mill owner was shot dead in an ambush on a mill, leading to 17 executions in 1813
How many soldiers did Liverpool deploy in industrial areas to counter the spread of Luddism?
12,000
When government expenditure dropped after the war ended, how much was taken out of circulation in 1815?
£40 million
How many soldiers returned when the war ended in 1815?
300,000
What was Liverpool’s safety net for poverty? Why was this not very effective? What else did he pass later?
The Poor Law.
Because it was reliant on each parish caring for its poor, which simply didn’t uphold in times of such severe crisis.
Later, he passed the 1817 Employment Bill.
What happened with Income Tax in 1816? What was Liverpool’s position in it?
Liverpool was defeated by 37 votes in a motion to keep income tax, which led to the 1816 abolition of Income Tax.
When did John Cartwright create the Hampden Clubs? What did they do?
In 1812. The Hampden Clubs led meetings, published newspapers and used spies and informers.
What protest notably happened in Birmingham? When?
In July 1818, there was a crowd of up to 30,000 people who “elected” by show of hands Sir Charles Wolseley as their “representative of Birmingham”.
What happened in the Peterloo Massacre? When was it? [4]
- On the 16th August 1819 a crowd of up to 60,000 people gathered to listen to Henry “the Orator” Hunt talk about reform.
- With 1,000 soldiers present, there were concerns of a riot and Gash notes that Hunt appeared at a prior meeting with “the insignia of the French Revolution - a pike, a cap of liberty and a tricolour flag” which created grounds for an enquiry.
- Local magistrates then gave the all-clear to disperse the crowd, leading to violence
- 15 were killed and 400-600 were wounded
This was the Peterloo Massacre of 1819
How many petitions did Political Union Societies coordinate to Parliament in 1818?
2,000
What divisions were there in the radical movement? [2]
- The Political Union clubs mainly appealed to the disgruntled working-class but not to the agricultural workers and local gentry who often were frightened by the ideas.
- Radicals were divided on the issue of democracy and whether or not there should be property qualifications.
What was the Blanketeers protest? When was it? [2]
- In March 1817, a protest march of around 4,500 “Blanketeers” was held to protest to the Prince Regent about the hardships of Northwest handloom weavers
- The movement didn’t even make it to London and was broken up in Stockport as it was a peaceful protest.
What happened in the Pentrich Uprising? When was it? [3]
In June 1817, 100 iron workers led an uprising in Derbyshire
The movement was foiled due to a government spy known as Oliver the Spy
This led to the execution of Jeremiah Brandreth and 2 accomplices
What happened in the Cato Street Conspiracy? When was it? [4]
- A government spy, George Edwards, had encouraged a group of London radicals led by Arthur Thistlewood to plan to murder the cabinet.
- The group included James Ing, who confessed a desire to behead the ministers
- Government agents raided the meeting in Feb 1820, 1 was killed, 5 were transported for life, and 4 were hanged
- Arthur Thistlewood was hanged and beheaded in May 1820
- It raised disturbing questions about the use of agents provocateurs in Liverpool’s government.
What notable examples of radical publications were there at the time? [2]
- The Political Register, founded by William Cobbett in 1802 had built up a circulation of up to 50,000 readers
- The Leeds Mercury aimed more at the middle classes and advocated extension of the vote to direct taxpayers
- The Sheffield Independent and Manchester Guardian appealed for more free trade, and had up to 5,000 readers
What happened in the Queen Caroline Affair? When was it? [4]
- George IV, seeking to divorce his wife on grounds of adultery as she had taken lovers abroad
- She returned in June 1820 and asserted her right to become Queen with the support of Whigs and radicals
- The pro-Queen stance of the Times newspaper helped increase its readership from 7,000 to 15,000
- The Pains and Penalties Bill Liverpool introduced to end the marriage ended up failing in July which was embarrassing and dangerous for his government
- Queen Caroline died in August 1821 and the affair effectively ended with it.
When did Liverpool suspend Habeas Corpus and give magistrates the authority to ban public meetings?
1817
When did Liverpool implement the Six Acts? What was the Training Prevention Act?
He implemented the Six Acts in November 1819 as a response to the Peterloo Massacre.
The Training Prevention Act made any person attending a gathering for the purpose of weapons training liable for arrest
What was the Seizure of Arms Act?
The Seizure of Arms Act gave magistrates the power to search any person or property for arms
What was the Seditious Meetings prevention Act?
The Seditious Meetings Prevention Act strengthed its 1817 counterpart
What was the Misdemeanours Act?
The Misdemeanours Act reduced the delay in bringing in those convicted of treasonous acts to trial
