Whigs and Tories

Question 1

Whigs And Tories roots

Answer 1

• Became more pronounced during Glorious Revolution (emerged during exclusion)

Question 2

Whigs

Answer 2

• Enthusiastic acceptance of Glorious Revolution
• Supportive of war against France
• Although William disliked them, they were his natural ideological allies
• Financial intelligence and contributions made them key for the war

Question 3

Tories

Answer 3

• Reluctant to accept that Parliament had the power to determine the succession (the “abdication” comforted them)
• Some followed James into exile
• Suspicious of foreign policy serving the Dutch more than English
• William preferred moderate tories, but had to appoint whigs for war effort

Question 4

Whig lead members

Answer 4

• Shrewsbury- one secretary of state; Trenchard made second in 1693
• Somers- Lord Chancellor
• Montague- First Lord of Treasury
• Sunderdale- key adviser
• Junto Lords impeached 1699-1700: Somers, Orford, Montague (negotiated Partition Treaties without consulting Parliament)
• 1698 Treaty of The Hague

Question 5

Tory leading members

Answer 5

• Nottingham- one secretary of state; sacked Admiral Russell for disputing orders; dismissed in 1693
• Post 1700:
  > Godolphin Lord of Treasury
  > Rochester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

Question 6

Whigs and finance

Answer 6

• Land Tax 1692- although started by Danby whigs were also influential
• Bank of England 1694- Whig wealthy businessmen joint together to lend £1.2 million; raised capital stock by a million 1697; monopoly of joint-stock banking until 1710
• Window tax 1696- resentment in addition to high tax land but kept war viable
• East India Bill 1698- Loan of £2 million

Question 7

Whigs Politically

Answer 7

• Dominance over Treasury
• court position 1694-1697; decline in power 1697-1699
• Oath of Loyalty 1696- Whigs imposed oath of loyalty after assassination plot, allowing them to bar many Tories from office (90 MPs and 19 peers)

Question 8

Tories politically

Answer 8

• Tories dominant at beginning despite initial balance; dominance over admiralty
• Sacked many Whigs (Nottingham sacked Russel)
• Court position 1699-1702
• Impeached Junto Lords after discovered that Somers, Orford, and Montague had negotiated partition treaties without consulting Parliament
• Key in Disbanding and Place Bill 1699 (prevented MPs from holding ministerial office, both previously rejected by William)- in Country position they were instrumental for grievances and anti-ministerial sentiment
• Act of Settlement 1701

Question 9

Tories and Act of Settlement

Answer 9

• 1700- William summoned leading Tories, promising to appoint a Tory ministry in exchange for securing succession
• Act of Settlement 1701- ensured protestant succession after Anne (Sophia of Hanover), made illegal many stuart practices, imposed limits such as no waging war for a foreign state or leaving the country without Parliamentary consent.

Question 10

Abjuration Oath

Answer 10

1702
- Oath renouncing support for Pretender (James II’s son)
- Many Tories agonised before taking it- Nottingham