Parliament - Boroughs/counties Flashcards
What is patronage ?
The buying or acquisition of MPs seats in Parliament by wealthy landowners
What percentage of MPs were financed by Lords in 1801?
50%
How many different types of electoral systems were there in boroughs?
6
What was a potwalloper borough?
A hearth big enough to boil a pot on to be able to vote
What was a pocket borough?
A borough where the MP was in the pocket of the landowner/lord (patronage) small borough easily manipulated by land owner
Why was old Sarum a problem?
Only 7 voters but 2 MPs/ pocket borough
Why was Dunwich a rotton borough ?
East Anglia former borough fallen into the sea and therefore minimal voters
Which northern industrial town had a population of 250,000 people but no MP
Manchester
Why were catholics unhappy with the electoral system in Ireland?
Restrictions on catholics voting rights/you couldn’t be an MP if you were catholic
When was the Catholic Emancipation Act?
1829
How many MPs did a country return to Parliament ?
2
What could a 40 shilling freeholder in a country do?
Have the right to vote in a county
What percentage of the population of Britain could vote in 1800?
11%
Who could sit in the House of Lords?
Hereditary peers often wealthy landowners
How many county constituencies
40
