Anti corn league PART 3

Question 1

What were the Corn Laws

Why and when were they introduced

Answer 1

• Britain at War with France 1803-1815
• stopped trading with French and British farmers had a monopoly on wheat sale ads so prices soared
• politicians in parliament were wealthy land owners who benefited from high prices so in 1815 they introduced the Corn Laws that were designed to keep prices high of they fell too low imports would be stopped

Question 2

Why and how did the leaguers protest

Answer 2

-people unhappy with high prices of bread
-riots across country London to Dundee
-anti corn league made up of middle class who felt the Corn Laws were unfair to poor and manufacturing middle class
—Richard Cobden and John Bright =speakers +handed out leaflets

Question 3

Main Arguments of anti Corn League

Answer 3

• laws unfair on poor as prices of basic food and bread was way too high
• cheap wheat could help to lower living cost
• people could spend more money saved on wheat on meat which would benefit farmers
• people could also spend more money on manufactured goods
• counties who export wheat to Britain could spend money on investing in in industry
• relationship built with countries through trade could secure peace

Question 4

Growing support
Cobden Mp in
Bright Mp in

Answer 4

Richard Cobden Mp in 1841
And John bright Mp in 1843
-Now has support fo Robert Peele but peele was leader of wealthy Conservative party

Question 5

Famine and Crop Failure (further push for reform)

Answer 5

• attempts for reform in 1820 but did nothing for poor and starving
• early 1840’s crop failure in Ireland die to potato’s famine (blight) corn laws meant no spare wheat to send
• 1846 height of famine
• crop-failures in England and Scotland resorts of suffering reached London’s
• bad harvest meant lack of work for tenant farmers and high prices of bread caused fear for similar crisis to occur

Question 6

1846

Answer 6

• Robert Peele repeals corn laws as he saw the benefit of free trade and not controlling imports
• received so much backlash from party he was forced to resign

Question 7

short term Impact of repeals

Answer 7

Short term:
——————
-did not have as devastating effect on prices as anticipated
-did not realise that low prices of wheat after war was not due to foreign imports but due to overproduction during war years 1803/1815
-increase in population and increase in barley and oats prices meant farmers did not suffer
-however influence of landowning class was challenge

Question 8

Long Term Impact

Answer 8

Long Term:
——————
-historians argue that the influence of the landowning class was challenged by the repeal of the corn laws which led to more protection for working class in later years
-set precedent for further working class reform or could have followed precedent set by peasants revolt 1381