Britain- D1- Radical Reformers, c1790-1819 Flashcards
1
Q
When was the French Revolution?
A
1789-99
2
Q
When were the Napoleonic Wars?
A
1793-1815
3
Q
When were the September Massacres in France?
A
1792
4
Q
When was Louis XVI of France executed?
A
1793
5
Q
What had contributed to a growing interest in political affairs among working people, especially the skilled working class?
A
Success of the American Revolution; early events of the French Revolution
6
Q
What did the Society for Constitutional Information (SCI) promote? What group made up most of its members?
A
An organisation that promoted social and political reform; mostly middle-class industrialist members who weren’t prepared to get involved in radical activity
7
Q
When was SCI formed?
A
1780
8
Q
Who formed SCI?
A
Major John Cartwright
9
Q
When did support for the SCI begin to fall?
A
1783
10
Q
Why did support for the SCI fall?
A
Its members joined other organisations
11
Q
When did the SCI cease to exist?
A
After 1795
12
Q
When were a number of corresponding societies established in London and provincial towns?
A
Early 1790s
13
Q
Who did the new corresponding societies draw their membership from?
A
Growing ranks of skilled working classes
14
Q
When was the LCS founded?
A
1792
15
Q
Who founded the LCS?
A
Thomas Hardy
16
Q
What did the London Corresponding Society (LCS) do?
A
Promoted twin causes of universal suffrage and annual parliaments; worked to promote political education of its members by publishing pamphlets
17
Q
Who was the LCS supported by?
A
Skilled craftsmen in London
18
Q
Why did the organisation of the LCS mark a new departure for radical groups?
A
Never tried to limit its membership to any particular class and charged a very low subscription fee; kept its local associations deliberately small
19
Q
When was the activity in France at its most extreme?
A
1791-93
20
Q
What was established in response to the LCS and other radical organisations? What was their view?
A
Loyalist societies- viewed radicals as being disloyal to both king and country.
21
Q
What’s an example of a loyalist society and when was it formed? Where did it draw its membership from?
A
The Association for Preserving Liberty and Property against Republicans and Levellers, formed in 1792. Almost exclusively from the middle classes
22
Q
How did the government support the Association movement?
A
Used loyalist press to promote patriotic propaganda; gave secret help to associations; took action against reformers
23
Q
When was the Spa Fields meeting?
A
1816
24
Q
What had effectively silenced British radicalism in the early years of the 19th century?
A
Government’s determination; growth of national feeling during the Napoleonic War
25
When did reform meetings in London prove uncontroversial?
Early months of 1816
26
Who was unhappy with the moderate stance being taken in the early months of 1816?
Followers of Thomas Spence
27
What did the followers of Thomas Spence plan in 1816?
Mass meeting in East London- Spa Fields, which they hoped would lead to violent rioting and disorder
28
Who was invited to address the meeting in Spa Fields in November?
Henry Hunt
29
How many people gathered at the Spa Field meeting in November? Largest gathering since when?
10,000- largest gathering seen in London since the anti-Catholic Gordon riots of 1780
30
What was the aim of the Spa Fields meeting in November?
Hunt was asked to present a petition to the Prince Regent, urging him to reform Parliament
31
What did Hunt champion in his November Spa Fields speech?
Moral force behind the petition, but came dangerously close to suggesting the use of physical force if the petitioners' demands were not met
32
Why was a second Spa Fields meeting called in December?
Hunt was not received by the Prince Regent
33
When was the second Spa Fields meeting called?
2 December 1816
34
Who was Hunt pre-empted by at the second Spa Fields meeting?
Spenceans, who stirred up sections of the crowd and urged them to take a course of direct action
35
What happened at Spa Fields as a result of the Spenceans' actions?
Number of people left the meeting; looted a number of gunsmiths; set off to seize the Tower of London and the Royal Exchange
36
Why weren't the Spa Fields rioters successful?
Quick action of Lord Mayor of London and his force of constables dispersed them and arrested their leader
37
When was the trial of the ringleaders of the Spa Fields affair?
1817
38
What did the trial of the Spa Fields ringleaders reveal?
Role of government informers and spies in the affair
39
What was the government informer who encouraged the Spa Fields riots called?
Castle
40
What happened to those who had been put on trial as a result of the Spa Fields affair?
Acquitted
41
What newspaper condemned the Spa Fields riot without reservation?
'Leeds Mercury', a strong supporter of the radicals
42
When was the Pentridge Rising?
1817
43
What had Liverpool's government established to combat radical activity and when?
Committee of Secrecy, 1817
44
In what event was the significance of the use of spies by the government highlighted?
Pentridge Rising
45
Who joined the Pentridge meetings?
A Londoner who called himself Oliver. Was actually a former convict called Richards and he was being paid as a gov informant by the Home Secretary.
46
When did a government informant (Oliver) join the Pentridge meetings?
May 1817
47
What date did the government informant (Oliver) persuade the Pentridge radicals that there would be nationwide uprisings? What was he doing?
9 June. He acted as an agent provocateur as well as just a spy, intended to lead the Pentridge radicals into doing illegal and treasonable activities.
48
Who led the Pentridge radicals towards Nottingham?
Jeremiah Brandreth
49
How many Pentridge radicals marched towards Nottingham?
300
50
What happened to the Pentridge radicals as they tried to march?
They were intercepted by a regiment of soldiers before they could reach the city; many fled but 80 were arrested
51
What newspaper published a detailed investigation that exposed the government informant's role in the Pentridge rising?
'Leeds Mercury'
52
How were the Pentridge radicals punished?
14 men were transported and Jeremiah Brandreth, along with 2 others, was hanged and beheaded in public
53
When was Peterloo?
16 August 1819
54
Why were radical activities dampened down in 1818?
Actions taken by the government in 1816-7; some improvements in economy
55
When did Henry Hunt stand for election to parliament?
1818
56
Why was Henry Hunt defeated when he stood for parliament?
His advocacy of parliamentary reform was unpopular with electorate
57
When did the Political Register cease publication?
1817, after Cobbett fled to the USA
58
Where did Peterloo take place?
Saint Peter's Fields in Manchester
59
Why did significant protest take place in Manchester in 1819?
City and its surrounding mill towns provided fertile ground for working-class radicalism to flourish; long tradition of trade unionism in the region
60
What is an example of the working-class activity in Manchester?
March of the Blanketeers in 1817- badly organised attempt by Manchester textile workers to publicise their grievances
61
What did the radical activity in Manchester fluctuate with?
Economic conditions
62
What gave rise to a sustained campaign of mass meetings and demands for parliamentary reform in Manchester?
Downturns in the textile industry in 1818
63
Who was invited to address the gathering at Peterloo?
Henry Hunt
64
How many people turned up for Peterloo?
80,000
65
What did several groups carry to Peterloo?
Banners calling for universal suffrage and annual parliaments
66
How many people were killed at Peterloo?
11
67
How many people were injured at Peterloo?
Over 500
68
Who had been called in to arrest Hunt at Peterloo?
Salford Yeomanry
69
What did Peterloo provoke?
Widespread national revulsion, leading to several outbreaks of sporadic rioting and further growth of political unions
70
When was the Battle of Waterloo?
1815
71
When were there isolated outbreaks of violence in Britain?
1820-21
72
Who relied on local magistrates to maintain order in towns and cities?
Pitt in the 1790s; Liverpool in the post-war years
73
What had been achieved in the first 30 years of radical activity and progress?
Much in terms of organisation and political education of the working class as a whole
74
When had popular radicalism been virtually stamped out?
1800
75
What were the two serious problems post-war radicalism faced?
Leadership; moral vs physical force
76
When was radicalism largely the preserve of the middle classes?
1790-99
77
Why did the reform climate change in 1810?(2)
Radicals were better organised than before; ideas of reform were supported by people drawn from all social classes
78
Why did political agitation die down until 1830?
Economic difficulties of the post-war years were overcome
79
When did the role of the magistrates increase in importance?
From 1793, when Britain went to war against revolutionary France
80
When was there a royal proclamation against seditious writings? What does seditious writings mean?
1792. Means writing or speeches that are designed to promote rebellions against governments or monarchy.
81
When did the LCS and SCI send delegates to a meeting in Edinburgh to agree on the calling of a national reform convention?
1793
82
When did the reform societies regroup and announce the calling of a national reform convention?
1794
83
What were the LCS and SCI members who were arrested charged with? What enabled the gov to arrest them?
High treason. The government was able to do this due to information provided by their network of spies.
84
How did the gov feel about the LCS? How many members did the LCS have in its height?
The gov had been deeply concerned with the growth of the LCS even though in its height it had no more than 5,000 members.
85
When did the trials of the LCS and SCI members take place?
End of 1794
86
What did the prosecution claim that the LCS was planning to support the charge of high treason?
Assassination of George III
87
What happened to the defendants from the LCS who had been charged with high treason and why?
Acquitted due to flimsy evidence.
88
What had Pitt proposed in 1785?
Some limited measures of parliamentary reform
89
What had convinced Pitt to abandon all his proposals of reform?
Revolution; the French war
90
What did the events of 1794 show?
Just how seriously the government/Pitt took the threat of domestic unrest and opposition
91
What did William Cobbett write many pamphlets about?
Against the French wars
92
What did Cobbett establish?
'Political Register'
93
When did Cobbett become increasingly radical in outlook?
1806
94
Why was Cobbett sentenced to two years imprisonment?
Seditious libel against the armed forces in 1810
95
When did Cobbett decide to reach a much wider audience?
1816
96
How did Cobbett make the 'Political Register' available to a much wider audience?
Issued a single sheet of the 'Register' for just 2p, which meant that the newspaper wouldn't have to pay the high newspaper duty set by the government
97
How many copies of Cobbett's 2p register had been printed and circulated by 1817?
200,000
98
When was Cobbett the most influential radical journalist in Britain?
1800-20
99
When did Hunt begin to gain a reputation for his brilliant oratory skills?
1810
100
How had Hunt managed to establish himself as one of the most important leaders of British radicalism by 1815?
His many speeches opposing property taxes and the Corn Law of 1815
101
What made Hunt different to Cartwright and Cobbett?
Proposed universal suffrage at a mass meeting for the first time
102
What was Hunt charged with after Peterloo? How long was he jailed and when?
Promoting a seditious conspiracy; jailed for 2 1/2 years in 1820
103
What made Cobbett believe more strongly that the British electoral system was corrupt?
Stood for parliament in Honiton in 1806 and was not elected
104
When did Cobbett move to the USA?
1792
105
When did Cobbett return to England after his time in America?
1800
106
What was the circulation of the 'Register' by 1805?
4,000
107
Up until 1800, what did Hunt support?
Political and social outlook of men of his class- gave unqualified support to Pitt's domestic and foreign policies
108
What changed Hunt's political outlook?
Imprisoned 1799-1800 for defying the orders of the commander of his local militia; came into contact with radicals in prison
109
What had the French war done to Britain's overseas trade?
Dislocated it, leading to rapidly rising unemployment in industrial towns
110
Why was 1795 a difficult year for the country?
Rapidly rising unemployment in industrial towns; poor harvests; inevitable rise in food prices
111
What did the government use as a pretext to take strong action in 1795?
Stones thrown at George III's coach
112
What had persuaded ministers to amend the treason law in order to strengthen their powers against radicalism?
Failure of 1794 treason trials
113
Treason Act 1795
Made it an offence to kill, or even to harm, the king; anybody outside parliament who called for parliamentary reform could be charged with treason
114
What was the Treason Act 1795 accompanied by?
Seditious Meetings Act 1795
115
Seditious Meetings Act 1795
Restricted size of public meetings to 50 people, unless they were approved in advance by the magistrates
116
What do some historians see the 1790s as?
Decade of repression imposed by Pitt's government, in alliance with the magistrates
117
What damaged radical activity throughout the years of the Napoleonic wars?
Development of patriotic feeling
118
When were the Gagging Acts?
1817
119
Why did the return of peace post-France not lead to immediate improvement in the country's economy?
Poor harvests; after a brief post-war boom, economy fell into depression; rising unemployment
120
How many troops were demobilised after the wars in France?
300,000
121
Why did the government do little to alleviate the stress of the post-war years?
Laissez-faire belief that economy would revive in time, without need for government intervention
122
What did the radical activities of 1815-7 lead ministers to believe?
Existence of a broad national revolutionary conspiracy
123
What were the three measures Liverpool's government passed designed to combat radical activity during 1817?
Treason Act 1795 made a permanent measure; habeas corpus suspended for all those suspected of treasonable activities; Seditious Meetings Act 1817
124
When was the Treason Act 1795 due to lapse?
On the death of George III
125
Seditious Meetings Act 1817
Justices of the Peace were given the power to attend any public meeting and disperse it if they considered it unlawful; societies with a secret oath were banned outright; all Spencean clubs were suppressed by name
126
How successful were the Gagging Acts 1817?
Succeeded in their aim of quelling unrest in the short term, especially in London
127
When did most of the terms of the Gagging Acts lapse?
1818
128
When did the government meet to consider Lord Sidmouth's proposals to prevent similar events to Peterloo?
End of 1819
129
What was Lord Sidmouth's role in 1919?
Home Secretary
130
When were the Six Acts?
1819
131
Six Acts 1819
Unlawful Drilling Act; Seizure of Arms Act; Misdemeanours Act; Seditious Meetings Prevention Act; Criminal Libel Act; Stamp Duties Act
132
Which element of the Six Acts was most strongly opposed by Whig opposition?
Seditious Meetings Prevention Act
133
When was the Seditious Meetings Prevention Act repealed?
1824
134
How effective were the Six Acts?
Had desired effect- calm was soon restored and there would not be another Peterloo; the crisis years of 1815-19 would not be repeated
135
Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
'Declaration of the Rights of Man' 1791-92- applauded changes taking place in France; rallied against unearned privilege and wealth; advocated sweeping reforms and universal manhood suffrage
136
Edmund Burke (1729-97)
'Reflections on the Revolution in France' 1790; not opposed to reform but appalled by violence in France; celebrated rule by monarchy and aristocracy
137
Why was Paine's 'Rights of Man' part two so popular?
Written in an accessible style; sold cheaply
138
How many copies of 'Rights of Man' part two were sold in a year?
200,000
139
Why was Paine's writing so important?
Political debate was no longer limited to the landed classes
140
Who did many people see the Seditious Writings Act 1792 as an attack on?
Thomas Paine
141
Who published 'A Vindication of the Rights of Man' in response to Edmund Burke? When? What did she say in it?
1970. Mary Wollstonecraft. She defended the French Revolutions (which Burke criticised) ideals of liberty.
142
When was the Hampden Club formed in London?
1812
143
Who were the Hampden Clubs named after?
John Hampden, one of the leading opponents of Charles I in the English Civil War
144
Why was the London Hampden Club so exclusive?
High annual subscription of 2 guineas
145
When did Cartwright encourage the creation of regional Hampden Clubs?
1816
146
Who founded the Hampden Clubs?
Major John Cartwright
147
How were the regional Hampden clubs different from the London one?
Membership was open to all who could pay a weekly subscription of one penny; frequent meetings took place
148
What did the Hampden Clubs effectively replace?
LCS
149
When was LCS disbanded?
1794
150
When was LCS formally outlawed by the government?
1799
151
Why did Cartwright encourage the creation of regional Hampden Clubs?
After touring industrial districts in the North and Midlands, he saw first hand the widespread poverty and poor living conditions that existed in the cotton towns.
152
What did the rapid growth in the popularity of the regional Hampden Clubs persuade Cartwright and the others to do?
Invite local delegates to a plenary meeting in London in 1817 to settle matters of policy
153
What did delegates at the Hampden Club plenary meeting decide on?
Universal suffrage; annual parliaments; approved a broad policy of petitioning parliament
154
From when were the Hampden Clubs unable to act effectively?
1817
155
Why were the Hampden Clubs no longer able to act effectively?
Magistrates arrested club members, charging them with attending seditious meetings- local leaders were arrested in 1817 and sent to prison in London, only to be released without charge a few months later
