Growth of Parliamentary Democracy, 1785-1870 Flashcards
What percentage of the population could vote prior to 1832
roughly 5%.
In 1831, 400,000 had the right to vote out of a population of 13.89 million
What was Lancashire’s population, and how many MPs did they have
1.3 million and 14 MPs
What was Cornwall’s population, and how many MPs did they have
300,000 and 42 MPs
Which PM first proposed some reform
William Pitt, proposing to disenfranchise 36 of the worst boroughs and redistribute their seats to larger counties.
Defeated by 74 votes in the Commons
Which societies called for reform in the late 1700s
London Corresponding Society and the Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information
How large was the London Corresponding Society
Founder claimed 5000 members, closer to 1000
October 1795, demonstration in Copenhagen fields attracted over 100,000 people
How many copies did Paine’s ‘Rights of Man’ sell and what did he argue?
Sold 200,000 copies by 1793
Response to Burke’s “Reflections on the Revolutions in France”. Questioned the nobility and church.
Charged with treason in 1792, fled to France
How many troops returned home after the Napoleonic Wars
400,000
How many elections in seats were uncontested prior to 1832
2/3
What did the 1815 Corn Law do
Put tariffs on foreign imports of ‘corn’ (cereals), tariff was 10 shillings per bushel
Which anti-reform laws did William Pitt pass to crush radicalism
1794, Habeas Corpus suspended
December 1795, ‘Two Acts’ expanded the law of treason
1799 and 1800 Combination Acts
What were ‘Church and King’ clubs?
Loyalist groups which used violence and intimidation to crush threats
Birmingham (1791) and Manchester (1792), they attacked dissenters and reformers
1000s of Loyalist groups by 1793
What was the largest loyalist group in the late 18th century
Association for Preserving Liberty and Property against Republicans and Levellers (APLP)
2000 branches nationwide
Who were the ‘Volunteers’ and what did they do
From 1794, a paramilitary force to keep order during wars against the French.
By 1804, 450,000 members
When and what was the Peterloo Massacre
1819, Henry Hunt did a speech to 60000 people to demand universal suffrage.
Yeomanry sent to arrest him, but were swamped by crowd. 15th Hussars sent to rescue them and killed 11, wounding 400-600
What was the Cato Street Conspiracy
A plan in 1820 to assassinate Lord Liverpool’s cabinet, led by Arthur Thistlewood
This was stopped by Government spy George Edwards
When did Lord Liverpool resign
1827, after 15 years of stable government
How did the Duke of Wellington divide the Tory party
Alienated ‘Canningite’ faction by refusing to consider redistribution of seats, so they resigned from government
Angered the protestant ‘Ultras’ by supporting the Catholic Emancipation Act (1829), which allowed Catholics to become MPs. Wellington this out of fear of civil war in Ireland
How did the Whigs come into power in June 1830
General election following death of George IV
Lord Grey announced he’d support moderate reform and gained support of Canningites and Ultras
William IV thusly invites Earl Grey to form a new government
When was there a depression in the 1820’s
1825-1826
What was the size of the new electorate following the Great Reform Act
650,000 (18% of men)
Contested seats increased from 30% to 50%
How many years were Tories in power from 1832 to 1852
7 years
When were the Chartist petitions and how many signatures did they get
1839, 1.2 million signatures
1842, 3.3 million signatures
1848, 5.7 million signatures but 3.7 million were forged.
What was the Newport Rising (1839)
Chartists marched on Westgate Hotel to free prisoners. Soldiers read the riot act, and open fire
20 dead, 50 wounded.
What were the Plug Riots (1842)
Followed rejection of second petition, 500,000 go on strike, and removed plugs from factory boilers.
Peel arrests 1000 chartists. Govt. agreement to cancel wage reductions and good harvests lull protests.
Why did the Complete Suffrage Union (Chartist organisation) fall out with the ACLL
CSU feared wage reductions under free trade, and thus fell out in 1842
The middle class also felt threatened by O’Connor and his mob threatening to destroy their property
What did the National Reform Union want (1864)
sought to extend the franchise to include all male rate payers
What did the Reform League want (1865)
universal suffrage for men and a secret ballot
What happened during the Hyde Park Riots, 23 July, 1866
Reform League held a meeting to discuss future reform action
Declared illegal by Conservative home secretary, Spencer Walpole
200,000 people invaded the park, resulting in the police calling for military supports
What was the PM Lord Palmerstone known for, and when did he die
Ignored calls for reform as he had focused on foreign policy.
Won another election in 1865 and then died, to be replaced by Earl Russell
When was the first reform bill in the 1860’s introduced to parliament
Gladstone introduced a reform bill in 1866, reducing the required qualifications to vote
Opposed by Robert Lowe, also from the Liberal Party, who led the Adullamites
The bill was defeated and the government resigned
How many voters were there after the Second Reform Act of 1867, and what were the requirements
2.46 million voters, 1/3 of all men
Householders in the boroughs had to have lived there for a year and occupied property worth £10
In the counties, all owners or leaseholders of land worth £5 a year
What book did Whig philosopher Edmund Burked write in 1790, and what did he argue
Reflections on the Revolution in France
Defended the status quo, arguing that moderate reform could lead to violent revolution
Who set up the Birmingham Political Union, and how many attended the average rally
Thomas Atwood
100,000 people
