Liverpool

Question 1

What were the dates of the Napoleonic Wars?

Answer 1

1803-1815

Question 2

When were the Corn Laws introduced?

Answer 2

1815

Question 3

When were the Game Laws introduced?

Answer 3

1816

Question 4

When was the Income Tax repealed and who opposed it?

Answer 4

1816, Liverpool opposed

Question 5

Which acts were introduced in 1817? What were they nicknamed?

Answer 5

Suspension of the Habeus Corpus
Seditious Meetings Act
Death Penalty for incitement to mutiny
Nicknamed ‘Gag Acts’

Question 6

What were the Six Acts and when were they introduced?

Answer 6

1) Seditious Meetings Act
2) Training Prevention Act
3) Seizure of Arms Act
4) Misdemeanours Act
5) Blasphemous & seditious libels act
6) Newspaper Stamp Duties Act

Introduced 1819

Question 7

When did Luddism begin and end? What was it?

Answer 7

Began 1811, ended 1816

The destruction of new machines that replaced the jobs of labourers in factories, most commonly in textiles mills

Question 8

What did Cartwright found? When?

Answer 8

The Hampden Clubs, 1812

Question 9

What were the aims of the Hampden clubs?

Answer 9

To get the working and middle classes. Became political unions organised by Northern working men

Question 10

Which radical spokesperson hosted open air meetings?

Answer 10

Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt

Question 11

What is William Cobett most renowned for?

Answer 11

Development of the radical press. Founded the Political Register

Question 12

When were the Spa Field riots? What were they?

Answer 12

1816. Called for parliamentary reform. Demanded universal make suffrage, annual general elections, secret ballot. Attended by Hunt & Thistlewood. Thistlewood led mob to London- robbed an arms shop, planned to seize Tower of London but intercepted by police.

Question 13

What was attacked in 1817?

Answer 13

The Prince Regent’s carriage

Question 14

Which event, otherwise known and the Pentrich Rising, took place in 1817?

Answer 14

The Derbyshire Insurrection.
Armed March to London to declare a provisional government. Infiltrated by Oliver the Spy- told they would meet up with groups of other rebels but none arrived- met by troops. 45 tried for high treason.

Question 15

Which event in 1819 was named after the battle of Waterloo? What happened?

Answer 15

Peterloo.
50-60 thousand met in field near Manchester, addressed by Hunt. Local magistrates order yeomanry to charge on crowd. 11 killed, 400 wounded.

Question 16

Explain the Cato Street conspiracy.

Answer 16

Unsuccessful plot to murder entire cabinet and PM. Stable in Cato Street as HQ. Whole event closely monitored by government.

Question 17

How much threat did events 1811-22 pose? Argue for threat.

Answer 17

• Government genuinely fearful- Cato str, Derbyshire Insurrection.
• Backdrop of French Revolution
• Thompson said Pentrich was “one of the first attempts on history to mount a wholly proletarian insurrection”.

Question 18

How much threat did events pose 1811-22? Argue against threat.

Answer 18

• Reality was that revolution was never a real threat.
• Weaknesses of radicals: divided aims/ divided methods/ poor leadership/ infiltrated by spies.
• lacked pre-conditions for revolution

Historians have highlighted that actual threat was almost non-existent, perceived threat more important.

Question 19

How repressive were the policies? Give the traditional view.

Answer 19

1) unfair government economic policies that hit the poor
2) no attempts to tackle root problems
3) reaction to the agitation heavy handed
4) threat was exaggerated

Question 20

How repressive were the policies? Give revisionist view.

Answer 20

1) economic situation created problems
2) tentative attempts made to help poor
3) G. Couldn’t cure problems of distress
4) threat was real to many
5) perceived repressive policies were lenient
6) other actions can be defended- eg few resources available to defend law and order

Question 21

Give a conclusion on the revolutionary threat.

Answer 21

• to contemporaries it was real.
• tiny revolutionary fringe did exist on edges of essentially law-abiding radical movement. Wanted reform not revolution.
• response not very repressive- relatively moderate given the tools at their disposal.

Question 22

With whom did public sympathy lie in the Queen Caroline affair?

Answer 22

With Caroline- seemed less guilty than already unpopular George.

Question 23

What did the Prince of Wales appoint in 1818?

Answer 23

A commission to investigate his wife’s activities abroad in hope of gaining a divorce on grounds of adultery. Seems hypocritical coming from him.

Question 24

When did ‘liberal Toryism’ begin?

Answer 24

After 1819

Question 25

What were the similarities and differences between Pitt & Liverpool’s policies?

Answer 25

• Used similar ‘repressive’ policies
• L didn’t adopt free trade as Pitt did before 1793
• L didn’t follow Pitt in supporting Catholic emancipation

Question 26

What was a clear theme of Liverpool’s politics?

Answer 26

In both domestic and foreign policy, opposed change and reform, and favoured class-based policy.

Question 27

In what year did the composition of the Cabinet change?

Answer 27

1822

Question 28

What were the advantages of the 1820s?

Answer 28

• Better economically- harvests and employment better
• radicalism died down
• democratic monarchy appointed in France
• Europe stable and peaceful.

Question 29

What was the reaction of key figures in politics to these improvements?

Answer 29

Key figures moved with the times- modern, flexible policies.

Question 30

Who held position in home office in the period?

Answer 30

Robert Peel

Question 31

Who was Chancellor of the Exchequer?

Answer 31

Robinson

Question 32

Who began to change foreign policy?

Answer 32

Canning

Question 33

When did Liverpool’s time in office end? Why? What were the effects?

Answer 33

• Remained PM until a stroke in 1827.

- while the party and its leader remained, new ministers transformed government.

Question 34

What comments have historians made on ‘liberal Toryism’ ?

Answer 34

• A myth- just more sophisticated form of conservatism.

- Simply did a better job of defending landed elite.

Question 35

What were the supposed aims of ‘liberal Toryism’?

Answer 35

To preserve the status quo by making limited change.

Question 36

When did Peel become Home Secretary?

Answer 36

Jan 1822

Question 37

What was the most prominent issue Peel inherited?

Answer 37

Incidence of crime was rising with population growth and the move of many to cities, away from traditional control of local gentry.

Question 38

How many crimes was the death penalty applicable to?

Answer 38

200 crimes, often petty. Juries reluctant to convict, hanging bodies displayed to deter others.

Question 39

What did Whig reformers aim for?

Answer 39

A more humane legal code, less severe punishments.

Question 40

What was the obvious resolution many overlooked? Why?

Answer 40

• Better enforcement.

- Regular police force associated with tyranny and imposition of central power on free people.

Question 41

What was Peel’s view on the legal code?

Answer 41

• Not a humanitarian
• Not opposed to death penalty
• Did see need for change & greater flexibility.

Question 42

What were the resulting measures that modernised the English legal system?

Answer 42

• 1823 death penalty for fewer crimes.
• 1825 Juries regulation Act
• Series of laws 1826-8 standardised procedures of criminal justice trials.
• 1825-8 278 laws related to criminal offences withdrawn, replaced by 8 new ones that consolidated them.

Question 43

When was Liverpool elected?

Answer 43

1812