Depth 1: Radical Reformers 1780-1819 Flashcards
when was the French revolution?
1789-1815
who wrote a book discussing the French revolution?
Edmund burke
what was ed burkes book called and what did it say and when was it published?
published November 1790. “reflections on the Revolution in France”
celebrated the monarchy and disapproved of the violence
what book did Thomas Paine write?
The Rights of Man. 2 parts published in 1791 and 1792
what did the rights of man say and numbers showing its popularity?
it dismissed burke. became a best seller as it was widely available an sold cheaply. 200,000 of part 2 sold in one year.
heard by working men and women who couldn’t read as it was read aloud in public places
basically everyone had one
What was the LCS and who set it up and when
London Corresponding Society. formed January 1792 by Thomas Hardy
what did the LCS do
called for universal manhood suffrage, secret ballot and MP payment. multiple societies formed and corresponded with each other and france
- made up of skilled working men angry at their exclusion from politics
- held weekly meetings of discussing poverty and WC struggles
at its height how many members did the LCS have?
5000
When was the LCS disbanded and when was it outlawed?
disbanded 1794, outlawed 1799
what was the governments response to Thomas paine?
May and December 1792 proclamations against seditious writings targeting Thomas paine
when was habeas corpus first suspended?
may 1794-july 1795
what happened when habeas corpus was first suspended?
41 radicals, including Thomas hardy, were arrested and charged with high treason. Hardy was acquitted and the rest of the trials were abandoned and the radicals were released
what two acts were passed in 1795?
Treasonable Practices Act and Seditious Meetings Act passed. the first made words, spoken or written, treasonable. the second banned meetings of 50+ people without the approval of a magistrate.
why were acts passed in 1795?
radical threat was high as unrest was inflamed by harvest failure, food shortages and high prices. from the war.
what anti-radical groups were formed in the 1790s and why?
- people horrified after French overthrew their king and executed him.
- anti-radical propaganda campaign launched exploiting public fear of radical change
- loyalist associations formed with government backing.
- loyalist associations always outnumbered radical ones
when was the French king executed?
jan 1793
when did the war end?
1815
what was the impact of the end of the war?
- unemployment rose as 300,000 men returned from war
- raised in taxes. indirect taxes used (higher food prices e.t.c) which hit the poor hard
- imports of foreign wheat banned (Corn laws)
why were the corn laws passed?
because rich landowners claimed that without the ban, cheap foreign wheat imports would flood in and harm british farmers. passed in 1815
what did the corn laws do for radicals?
convinced many that politics was the only way to improve their living conditions accused as "class legislation"
when did luddism happen?
1810-1811
what was involved in luddism?
“luddites”. men with blackened faces, attacked mills and factories with new machines as they felt such machines threatened their jobs. and they also were against the increased employment of women and children to mind machines.
why did luddism peter out?
machine breaking was made a capital offence and several luddites were arrested and executes. this and improved economic conditions caused luddism to stop. however it shocked the authorities.
where luddite attacks politically motivated?
no
when were the hampden clubs set up and by who?
1812, John Cartwright
who were the hampden clubs originally for?
originally for middle class and aristocratic men with a monthly subscription
what else did john cartwright do?
known as the “father” of newspaper agitators. travelled through the north, midlands and Scotland to establish links between reformers. following his lil trip he encouraged the set up of regional hampden clubs in 1816
what did government suppression of radicals cause?
left british radicalism without national organisation through groups such as the LCS
What was a key radical newspaper, who set it up?
William Cobbett set up The Political Register
What role did the political register play?
attacked the government, crediting them for working class suffering. following the newspaper tax it was sold as a pamphlet for 2 pennies
stuff showing the popularity of the political register?
harsh winter 1816-17 his pamphlet was in every cottage
-circulation of 200,000 in 1817
what were the three main meetings?
spa fields, Pentridge and Peterloo
when was spa fields and who organised it?
December 1816, followers of Thomas Spence who died in 1814
when was William cobbett imprisoned?
1810 he was arrested for seditious libel and imprisoned for 2 years
when and why was there a period of less radicalism?
early 1800s due to government actions and national feeling during the Napoleonic war
how many meeting made up spa fields and when were they?
2 meetings one in November, the second on the 2nd of december
what happened at the first spa fields meeting?
henry hunt addressed a crowd of 10,000. he championed moral force but came v close to advocating physical force
what happened at the second spa fields meeting?
spenceans stirred up the crowd causing riotingand a gunsmiths was looted
what happened to the ringleaders of spa fields riots?
they were trialed in 1817 but it exposed a network of spies, jury acquitted defendants as it was the spy who mainly stirred up the crowd
when was Pentridge?
june 1817
what happened at Pentridge?
spy called oliver convinced radicals to march on Nottingham.
Jeremiah Brandeth led group of 300 men, they were intercepted by soldiers, many fled 80 arrested
what happened to the ringleaders of Pentridge?
they were executed, some were sent to Australia. revealed further government spy network
what other small meeting/march thing happened in 1817
blanketeers march. textile workers. 300 marchers. did not get far before they were arrested by the local yeomanry
when was Peterloo?
august 1819
what happened at Peterloo?
henry hunt addressed 80,000 in Manchester at St Peters fields.local yeomanry charged. 11 died, 500 + injured
what happened after Peterloo?
henry hunt was arrested and imprisoned for 2 years.
national revulsion, outbreaks of sporadic violence
the times turned on the government and publicised it with sympathy for victims.
when were the gagging acts and what did it entail?
- basically had the seditious meetings and treasonable practices act again from 1795. seditious meeting act added to (banned spenceans by name and banned societies and organisations with secrecy oaths)
where the gagging acts successful?
in short term yes, especially in London. took radicals such as Samuel Bamford out of circulation for months before releasing him without charge
when were the six acts?
1819
what were the six acts?
1-ban military style training 2-increased magistrate power to search for arms 3-ban public meetings of 50+ 4-further press restrictions 5-sped up trials 6-increased stamp duty and newspaper tax
what did Peterloo cause in terms of government actions?
the six acts
