Early Radicals, c1790-1819

Question 1

When did Thomas Paine publish ‘The Rights of Man’?

Answer 1

1791

Question 2

Who founded the London Corresponding Society and when?

Answer 2

Thomas Hardy in 1792

Question 3

What causes did the London Corresponding Society promote?

Answer 3

Universal suffrage and annual parliaments

Question 4

In what way did the organisation of the London Corresponding Society mark a new departure for radical groups?

Answer 4

It never limited its membership to any particular class, it paid a low subscription fee. Also, it deliberately kept its local organisations small so that every member could participate in discussions.

Question 5

When did the Spa Fields meeting take place?

Answer 5

1816

Question 6

Who addressed the meeting at Spa Fields?

Answer 6

Radical leader and speaker, Henry Hunt.

Question 7

Why was the crowd at Spa Fields significant?

Answer 7

The crowd of 10,000 was the largest gathering since 1780.

Question 8

What happened at Spa Fields?

Answer 8

A riot formed, gunsmiths were looted and the Town of London and the Royal Exchange were attempted to be seized. This sparked revolutionary fears.

Question 9

Who was Lord Liverpool?

Answer 9

Prime Minister from 1812-1827. His government was extremely repressive and unsympathetic towards protesters.

Question 10

When was the Pentridge Uprising?

Answer 10

1817

Question 11

What happened during the Pentridge Uprising?

Answer 11

An agent provocateur called Oliver persuaded a group of 300 radicals to attempt to seize Nottingham. Oliver told the authorities and 80 were arrested. Leader Jeremiah Brandreth and 2 others were executed and the 14 were transported.

Question 12

What was the impact of the Pentridge Uprising?

Answer 12

The government’s use of spies and agent provocateurs was uncovered and there was public revulsion towards the government’s tactics.

Question 13

When was the Peterloo Massacre?

Answer 13

1819

Question 14

What happened at St Peter’s Fields?

Answer 14

Radical activists intended to hold a meeting at St Peter’s Field, asking Henry Hunt to be an orator. The event attracted a crowd of 80,000 people: men, women and children. The local magistrates asked the yeomanry to break up the meeting. The yeomanry acted brutally and repressively, killing 11 people and injuring 500.

Question 15

What was the impact of the Peterloo Massacre?

Answer 15

It provoked widespread, national revulsion. It became symbolic of the savage repression of working class people by the government.

Question 16

When was the March of the Blanketeers and what happened?

Answer 16

1917. The Blanketeers were textile workers who intended to march to London to petition to the Regent. A group of 300 Blanketeers were seen off by a crowd of 10,000. On their journey, they were pursued by the yeomanry who broke up the entire group. None made it to London.

Question 17

What was the extent of Radical success?

Answer 17

.They were responsible for the creation of a great national debate.
.Network of Hampden Clubs, set up by Major John Cartwright in 1810s, successful at pressing for parliamentary reform.
.Influence of Tom Paine’s ‘The Rights of Man’ and William Cobbett’s ‘Political Register’.

Question 18

What was the extent of Radical failure?

Answer 18

.Government action was too strong and decisive. Its laws and acts successfully repressed radical protests. This led to the failure of radical reformers to rally support for reform.
.The Reformers never achieved their aims by 1819. There was no parliamentary reform, nationalisation of land or abolition of taxes.

Question 19

Why was Thomas Paine’s ‘The Rights of Man’ written?

Answer 19

Thomas Paine was advocating the 1789 French Revolution because he believed that it would lead to a more democratic system of government.
His book was a reply to Edmund Burkes’s ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’, which has criticised the revolution.

Question 20

Why was ‘The Rights of Man’ significant?

Answer 20

.Paine wrote in a style that was easily accessible, meaning that he could inspire those who weren’t well educated.
.He argued that political rights were natural rights and should be bestowed upon everyone.
.Paine outlined a practical, comprehensive plan on how to introduce wholesale reform of the British political system.
.In its first year of publication, it sold 200,000 copies.

Question 21

What were the Hampden Clubs?

Answer 21

The first was the London Hampden Club: formed by Major John Cartwright in 1812. This club was exclusive: there was a substantial annual subscription which limited membership to a small number of middle class and aristocrats.
This initial club encouraged regional clubs to develop. These were a lot more accessible, the weekly subscription was a penny, and meetings were held to discuss national news and to debate national issues.
They were essentially a continuation of the Corresponding Societies.

Question 22

When were the Treason Act and the Seditious Meetings Act passed?

Answer 22

1795

Question 23

What did the 1795 Treason Act do?

Answer 23

It made any intention to ‘intimidate or overawe either Houses or the House of Parliament’ an act of treason. This meant that anyone outside of parliament who called for parliamentary reform could be charged with treason..

Question 24

What did the Seditious Meetings Act do?

Answer 24

This restricted the size of public meetings to 50 people.

Question 25

When were the Gagging Acts introduced?

Answer 25

1817

Question 26

What did the Gagging Acts introduce?

Answer 26

Habeas Corpus was suspended and the Seditious Meetings Act was extended to allow authorities to attend radical meetings and disperse them if they wanted to.

Question 27

When were the Six Acts passed?

Answer 27

1819

Question 28

What did the Six Acts consist of?

Answer 28

.Unlawful Drilling Act- banned military-style training
.Seizure of Arms Act- empowered authorities to enter any property that they suspected of storing weapons.
.Misdemeanours Act- reduced the ability for an arrested person to be granted bail.
.Seditious Meetings Act- public meetings were still limited to 50 people.
.Most important was the Newspaper and Stamp Duties Act- the number of publications that had to pay stamp duty was extended and the amount paid was substantially increased. This reduced the number of radical literature that could be published profitably.