c1700-c1900 Flashcards
How did the army continue c1700-1850? (2 points)
Permanent standing army of 50,000 men
Decline of cavalry continued (about 20% of army)
How did the the army change in c1850-c1900? (1 point)
Numbers reaches about 250,000 by 1899
How did professionalism of army change from c1700 to c1900? (2 points)
By c1900, they wore camouflaged uniforms, whereas in c1750 they wore bright uniforms
New weapons, such as rifles and MGs led to specialised roles in infantry, whereas in c1750 infantry were armed with bayonets
How did cavalry roles continue in c1750-c1900?
Still important for observation and harassing army
How did infantry roles continue from c1700-c1900? (2 points)
Still the decisive factor in battle
Used the ‘Brown Bess’ musket from 1715-1850
How did infantry tactics continue from c1700-c1900?
Still fought in lines, columns and squares
How did infantry tactics change from c1700-c1900?
Loading times improved, eventually fired a volley every 20 seconds (and enemy infantry still had to face it)
Rhythmic marching to drum was introduced from 1760 (helped move quickly)
How were magazines in weapons changed in c1700-c1900?
Technology allowed several bullets to be loaded at once
What were minié bullets and when were they invented?
Bullets that expanded in barrel to make loading easier and invented in 1847
Why were conical bullets more practical in rifles?
More aerodynamic, increasing range of rifles
How was rifle loading better than that of muskets?
Reloading was four times faster
How did light artillery improve in c1700-c1900? (2 points)
John ‘Iron-Mad’ Wilkinson made thinner and lighter cannon barrels
Bronze used to make lighter cannons to be moved quicker
How did heavy artillery improve in c1700-c1900? (2 points)
Steel cannons were stronger than bronze
From 1890s, smokeless powder stopped smoke affecting aim
What was Spiralling change?
When one country improved weaponry, others would improve theirs and so on.
When was the Crimean War?
1853-56
Two factors affecting change in weaponry
Spiralling change
Industrialisation (improvement in technology and science)
How did machine guns develop in c1700-c1900? (2 points)
Gatling guns (small cannon-like guns) fired 150 bullets per minute Smaller guns, like the Maxim, were used by 1880s as they could be moved by one man
When were rifles invented?
The 16th century
Two points that influenced changed in 1700-1900?
Industrialisation - technology and science improvements
Spiralling change
How did transport change in 1700-1900? (2 points)
Steam trains enabled troops to move 15 times faster than on foot (20 mph)
Steamships sailed twice as fast as sailing ships
How did technology advance in 1856?
Henry Bessemer reduced cost of steel from £60 to £7 per ton by mass-producing steel
How did John Wilkinson advance weapon technology in 1774?
Created method of producing lighter cannon balls
What happened in 1884 to advance weaponry?
Hiram Maxim developed the Maxim machine gun, allowing 500 bullets to be fired before reload
How did communications change in 1700-1900? (2 points)
The electric telegraph was used to contact generals on campaign
In 1854, the British started a Military Telegraph which was used across the Crimean battlefront
What type of army did Britain have in 1700?
A standing army
Why were officers unreliable in 1700?
Quality of officers linked to social status - high ranks only given to nobility
How did the army gain more men through 1700-1900?
Prisoners released to serve
Two methods of recruitment used in 1700-1900?
Colonel’s regiments : officers were paid to set up new regiments to avoid unrest
1757 Militia Act : men aged 18-50 were chosen from each parish to serve from local militia for five years
Who was Edward Cardwell?
Secretary of State for war to William Gladstone in 1868
2 points of 1870 Army Act
Lower ranks enlisted for 12 years (6 in army and 6 in reserves)
Reserves were paid a daily rate
2 points of 1871 Regularisation of the Forces Act
Every regiment had two battalions - one home and one abroad
Each regiment’s third battalion was local militia
How did training improve after 1850? (3 points)
Military schools opened at Hythe (1853) and Shoeburyness (1859) to train weapon instructors?
After 1871, promotion depended on merit (sale of commissions ended)
By 1860s, more officers came into army via Royal Military College
How did the cost of the army change from 1700-1900?
From £1 million in 1700 to £8 million to 1850
2 points of newspaper reporting, 1700-1900?
In 1815, Times sold 5,000 copied daily. In 1850, this rose to 40,000
William Howard Russell, of the Times, sent telegraph dispatches from Crimea to London. It took five hours compared to 20 days by sea
How many reporters were sent to the Boer War (1899-1902)?
300
How did requisitioning develop from 1700-1900? (2 points)
1855, the Land Transport Cops was created to transport army (so army didn’t requisition vehicles)
1888, Army Service Corps provided and transported supplies
Who was Roger Fenton?
Crimean War photographer. He showed civilians the lifestyle of soldiers which impacted public opinion
When was the Battle of Waterloo and who was it between?
1815, between British and allies, Duke of Wellington, and French, Napoleon
Who won the Battle of Waterloo?
Britain and allies
How many troops on each side in Battle of Waterloo?
British and allies had 67,000
French had 70,000
Why was Wellington’s defensive position strong? (3 points)
He set up 2 positions on flanks of ridge to interrupt French attack
Battlefield was 3 miles across
He hid artillery in the village of Papelotte (one flank)
How did tactics influence the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo? (2 points)
Napoleon attacked with infantry columns 200 men wide - big targets
Wellington used 20 infantry squares, each 60 metres across to hold back French cavalry
How were Wellington’s tactics successful in the Battle of Waterloo? (2 points)
He used infantry squared to defend from French cavalry, with cannon and infantry firing on rotation
He held French off until Prussian reinforcements arrived
2 of Napoleon’s mistakes in Battle of Waterloo?
He used 33,000 men to slow Prussians - they arrived late to battle
He unsuccessfully attacked the village of Hougoumont, which lost him a quarter of his cavalry
When was the Battle of Balaclava, and who was it between?
- Between the British, Lord Raglan, and the Russians.
How many troops did each side have in the Battle of Balaclava?
British and allies had 3,000. Russians had 28,500.
Describe the ‘charge of the Light Brigade’
Lord Raglan ordered Lord Lucan to recapture a cannon which the Russians had captured, on the ridge.
These orders were poorly explained hence Lucan ordered Lord Cardigan’s Light Brigade to charge the Russian cannon.
Out of 673 Light Brigade troops, 113 were killed.
How did the British use weapons and tactics in the Battle of Balaclava? (2 points)
The 93rd Highlanders, under Sir Colin Campbell, used Minie rifles to hold off Russian cavalry
Heavy Brigade used cavalry charge to devastate Russian infantry lines, however these infantrymen had the latest rifles which killed off lots of the Heavy Brigade
2 of Lord Raglan’s mistakes in the Battle of Balaclava?
He did not reinforce British defences, despite knowing about the build-up of Russian forces
There was a shortage of supplies for British troops
When was the Battle of Waterloo?
1815
When was the Battle of Balalclava?
1854
