Green Flashcards
Statistics of the franchise in 1783
250,000 men in England and Wales (3% of population)
How were county MPs elected in 1783?
By 40 shilling freeholders with no secret ballot (which led to widespread bribery and corruption)
What were rotten boroughs?
Very few voters with several MPs
What were pocket boroughs?
Entirely controlled by the landowner who bribed the people (had them in his “pocket”)
What was a corporation borough?
Where only mayors and members of his corporation could vote
What was the Bill of Rights?
It was aimed to prevent any future monarch from intervening with the law and restricted the power of the monarchy.
What is a constitutional monarchy?
The monarch is the head of state but their powers are limited by parliament which makes them dependent on parliament
What was the Civil List?
A fixed annual sum agreed by parliament to meet the monarch’s household expenses
What was a potwolloper borough?
Ownership of your own fireplace gave you the right to vote
What does Asa Briggs believe about working conditions (1783-1812)?
The new rigid regime was necessary and the higher wages offset the tougher conditions
The factory system merely ‘spotlighted’ the problem of child labour
Conditions in factories (1783-1812)
- 12+hrs/6 days a week
- harsh discipline
- no safety regulations
- little ventilation in cotton mills
- high risk of fire due to wooden frames
Percentage of child factory workers (1783-1812)
25% (as young as 6yrs)
R.M Hartwell - optimistic view of the standard of living
‘The standard of living of the mass of people was improving’
There was an increase in the output of the manufacturing industry meaning there was greater availability of goods
E.J. Hobsbawm - pessimistic view of standard of living (1783-1812)
Once regional variations in prices and wages and the numbers of unemployed are taken into account, the picture is not clear.
The poor living and working conditions negated the positive effects of the rise in wages
How did war impact the standard of living?
- wages rose more slowly than prices
- poor standard of living led to riots and protests
- bad harvests made the situation worse as it was difficult to import grain from Europe
- price of bread increased (staple diet for the poor)
When was the Society of United Irishmen formed?
1791
Who founded the Society of United Irishmen?
Wolfe Tone
What were the aims of the Society of United Irishmen?
- establish democracy in Ireland through parliamentary reform
- seek equal rights for all men of any religion
What was the catalyst for the passing of the Act of Union?
Wolfe Tone’s involvement in plotting French landings to overthrow the Irish government
When was the Act of Union passed?
1800
What did the Act of Union do?
United the Parliaments of Britain and Ireland
Why did Pitt resign?
He promised to pass a Catholic Emancipation Bill with the Act of Union but the king refused.
When was the Catholic Association founded?
1823
Who founded the Catholic Association?
Daniel O’Connell
