French Wars: Impact on the Economy Flashcards
What was the name of the system Napoleon imposed in 1807 to prevent defeated nations from trading with Britain?
The Continental System
Which new areas did Britain turn to compensate for reduced trade across the Mediterranean?
Northern Europe, North and South America, Asia
What measure did George III issue against any countries that tried to exclude the ‘British flag’
Orders in Council
When was the war with the US which was caused by trading tensions?
1812-1814
What impact did the French wars have overall on the number of exports?
The number of exports doubled
What year did France’s trade war ease, allowing the importation of British goods?
1812
Name two nations which continued to trade with England despite France’s ban
Russia and Sweden
How much did the French Wars cost Britain overall?
£1.6 billion
Name two countries which Britain funded coalitions with.
Prussia and Austria
What percentage did the number of stock traders increase by over the course of the war?
70%
How many banks did Britain have by the end of the war?
600
What was the period of agricultural change that proceeded the French Wars known as?
The agrarian revolution
How much higher was output in Britain per worker than other European countries?
50%
Name the law the government introduced to artificially increase the price of wheat, protecting growers from cheap foreign imports.
The Corn Laws of 1815
What relief system was put in place that linked the size of families to the price of bread?
Speenhamland system
What proportion of the country’s workforce was away in the forces during the French laws?
1/6
What new agricultural method was being used rather than leaving fields fallow to restore fertility?
Crop rotation
During what two years were there particularly bad harvests?
1809-1810
What new method was used to increase the production of meat and wool per animal?
Selective Breeding
What was the name of the new threshing machine developed that required fewer horses/oxen and men?
Meikle’s threshing machine
Which new government department was set up in 1793 to make surveys of farming?
Board of Agriculture
How many enclosure acts were there between 1760 and 1820, consolidating smaller farms into bigger ones?
Over 3,000
How was the land in Britain available for cultivation increased?
Wetlands drained, ancient woodlands burned down
Which 2 new machines were invented for cloth-making that changed the textile industry?
Crompton’s spinning mule, powered looms
