Chapter 8(a)- The Anti-Corn Law League Flashcards
Why were the Corn-Laws introduced in 1815?
-During the war with France, Britain banned cheap French wheat used to make flour for bread.
-Without any competition, British farmers got a high price for the wheat they grew.
-When the war had ended, many politicians wanted to keep big profits from high wheat prices.
-So the Corn Laws kept the price of wheat high, by banning cheap non-British wheat.
What was the Anti-Corn Law League?
-Made up of middle-class men who felt the price controls on wheat were unfair to the poor.
-The League’s two prominent members were Richard Cobden and John Bright.
-Both men were excellent orators and used to following tactics:
-Gave speeches.
-Created pamphlets.
-Published newspaper articles.
-Used the railways to travel faster,
-Sent pamphlets through the penny post to reach every eligible voter.
-The new Prime Minister, Robert Peel saw the benefit of Free-trade and of not controlling imports.
What did the Prime Minister Robert Peel do with the Corn Laws?
-Robert Peel repealed the Corn Laws in 1846.
-He faced so much opposition from his party that he was forced to resign.
-British farmers and landowners did well despite this resigning of the Prime Minister because the population increased as the price of wheat was lowered.
-This gave more people more money to spend on barley, oats, and meat.
