8. Government: Canning, Goderich and Wellington as Prime Ministers

Question 1

When and why did Canning become Prime Minister?

Answer 1

1827, after the resignation of Lord Liverpool

Question 2

What made politicians turn against Canning?

Answer 2

His view on Catholic Emancipation, his ideas were too far ahead, liberal approach to politics

Question 3

Who saw Canning as a “natural ally”?

Answer 3

The Whigs- Canning approached a few to serve in his Cabinet

Question 4

Who took over when Canning died in 1827?

Answer 4

Lord Goderich

Question 5

Which influential Tories refused to serve under Canning?

Answer 5

The Duke of Wellington and Peel

Question 6

What was the split in the Tory Party during the late 1820s to the 1830s?

Answer 6

The Ultra-Tories and the Canningites

Question 7

What were the Canningite’s ideals?

Answer 7

Free Trade and Catholic Emancipation

Question 8

Why was Canning unpopular in the House of Lords?

Answer 8

The Tories refused to co-operate with his policies, and the Whigs (lead by Earl Grey) wished to replace him with a fully Whig government

Question 9

Who took over when Goderich resigned in 1828?

Answer 9

The Duke of Wellington

Question 10

Who did Wellington appoint as his Home Secretary, and what were the Home Secretary’s conditions?

Answer 10

Robert Peel- to include the Canningites as their liberal ideas were popular with the people

Question 11

Describe the different factions within the Tory party during the 1820s

Answer 11

Pro-Corn Law faction- agriculturalists who were concerned that proposal for a sliding scale would not offer their home-grown produce protection
Tories who recognised the importance of industrial growth and free trade
Traditional Tories- consider economic and administrative reform, but only if it preserved the state and the establishment
The Ultra Tories- preserve the establishment

Question 12

When was Catholic Emancipation passed?

Answer 12

1829

Question 13

When did George IV die?

Answer 13

June 1830

Question 14

What was the result of the general election in 1830?

Answer 14

Favourable results for Canningites and Whigs, but Welligton remained in office

Question 15

Who was a leading Canningite, and how did he die? What was the consequence?

Answer 15

William Huskinsson- train accident- robbed the Tories of a talented politician

Question 16

Why was Wellington becoming increasingly unpopular?

Answer 16

Due to his lack of interest for Parliamentary reform- reactionary speech against reform

Question 17

Who became Prime Minister after the Duke of Wellington’s resignation?

Answer 17

Lord Grey

Question 18

What was the repeal of the Test and Corporation Act, and when was it issued?

Answer 18

1828- allowed Non-Conformists to hold public office (after pressure from groups such as Protestant Dissenters, Lord John Russell
Split the Tory Party further

Question 19

Describe the Corn Law Sliding Scale, who issued it, and in what year?

Answer 19

1828- William Huskinsson- regulate the price of corn due to the economic situation, e.g poor harvests would mean a higher price of home grown corn, and a fall in taxes on imports of foreign grown corn. - Maintain a steady market

Question 20

Why did Huskinsson resign?

Answer 20

Due to Wellington’s refusal to introduce the Corn Law sliding scale

Question 21

When and what was Peel’s Metropolitan Police Act?

Answer 21

1829- funded Metropolitan Police- reduce crime rates

Question 22

When and who founded the Catholic Association in Ireland?

Answer 22

Daniel O’Connell in 1823

Question 23

What were the aims of the Catholic Association?

Answer 23

Catholic Emancipation and the repeal of the Act of Union

Question 24

Who could join the Catholic Association

Answer 24

Anyone who paid the Catholic Rent- a penny a month

Question 25

What did O’Connell do when the Catholic Association was made illegal?

Answer 25

He set up a new association called the Order of Liberation

Question 26

What year was the County Clare Election?

Answer 26

1828

Question 27

Why was the County Clare election originally called?

Answer 27

To enable the Irish Protestant Landlord Vesey Fitzgerald to take up a position in Wellington’s Cabinet

Question 28

By what ratio did O’Connell win the election?

Answer 28

2:1

Question 29

Why did Wellington and Peel issue Catholic Emancipation?

Answer 29

So O’Connell could take his seat in Parliament because if he was refused, there would be civil unrest in Ireland, and demand for the repeal of the Act of Union

Question 30

How many Tories voted against Catholic Emancipation in 1829?

Answer 30

142

Question 31

What were the consequences of the County Clare election?

Answer 31

The Catholic Association was banned, and the 40 shilling franchise in Ireland was raised to £10- taking away the power to vote of Catholic smallholders

Question 32

What was the political consequence to the passing of Catholic Emancipation?

Answer 32

Wellington called to a duel, Peel resigned from Oxford seat, split of the Tory Party.