Pitt to Peel Flashcards

Question

How great was the GRA? MPs and Power

Answer 1

``` More power to the middle class- could become MPs, but in the next 30 yrs only 14 cabinet members were MC But working class still had no power/vote- but arguably became more politically aware, formation of the chartist movement ```

Answer 2

Step towards democracy in the long term Registration of all voters simulated (although at first limited) stimulated greater party organisation (national + local). Decline in independent MPs Greater influence of the electorate (passed despite opposition within the Gov.) moving away from complete power of the House of Lords/monarchy

Answer 3

Intimidation: magistrates, (pub licenses) home office secret service show trials- created fear but simultaneously martyrs for the radicals (Thomas Muir and Rev. Thomas Palmer- both sentenced to transportation. 'Treason trials' 1794- arrest of leading radicals, e.g. Thomas Hardy) Suspension of Habeus corpus in 1794- but few ever arrested with it during its suspension.

Answer 4

Church and King clubs: defending against non-Anglican church groups which they thought were created by radicals Reeves associations: nationwide, up to 2000 branches, use of force-incited B'mingham riots- often more violent than the radicals

Answer 5

London Corresponding society 1791-2- not much success, lacked a leader or clear direction Radical food riots May 1795- poorly organised and poorly led

Answer 6

March 1786 Eden Treaty- willingness to establish peace with France, economic benefits for UK, (until war in 1793) Triple alliance with Prussia and Utd. Provinces- strengthened UK position in Europe after embarrassing defeat in USA wars. Pitt clear that he wouldn't interfere in E. European affairs avoiding economic/military strain this would have caused in UK

Answer 7

Still unresolved issues- Russian expansion- threat that this would pose to India- but unsolvable- Russia had much larger army + would have prevented the later alliance with Britain- helped to defeat French. Unresolved issues as minimal as possible

Answer 8

Slow reaction- naïve reaction rather than optimistic in options of outcome, intervention prior to 1793 could have meant Austrian/Prussian success in 1792- would have prevented the long war post-1793 However prior to 1793 France had not broken any treaty obligations- no direct British interest

Answer 9

Once French threat apparent- decisive action- 1793- following execution of Louis XVI- expulsion of French ambassador, French trade embargo on British/Dutch trade responded to with war declaration 11th Feb 1793.

Answer 10

Pitt had extended Navy pre-1793 by building large warships, 1795 Quota act- requiring English counties and London to provide recruits, 1794 Admiral Lord Howe destroyed 22 French battle ships (Battle of the 1st June) 1797 victory Cape St Vincent, 1798 destruction of French fleet in Egypt by Nelson.

Answer 11

Kept control of the channel, which = security, maintained a demanding blockade with France- showed his tactical/calculated position on war Orders of council introduction in the longer term starved France of supplies to help their war effort and also improved Britain's economy

Answer 12

Pitt primarily used financial successes to subsidise allies rather than sacrifice Britain's small land forces. Played a significant role in the Peninsular war - prevented Napoleon's ability to control the area and ensured the defeat of the continental system

Answer 13

ultimately rather weak and divided and did not play a key role. Austria and Prussia were poor allies- little interest in North East Europe- more concerned with Poland. Furthermore, the estimated £600 mil spent on subsidising allies would have ultimately been useless had Napoleon not been so determined to continue the struggle.

Answer 14

Prioritised the complete defeat of Napoleon; British forces too small to tackle France, focused on action through coalitions- ensure British safety and ability to trade freely. Treaty of Chaumont with(Russia/Spain/Portugal/Austria/Sweden/Bavaria/Saxony), aided them with £26 million to ensure French defeat. 20,000 of the allied troops invaded Spain/other countries. Vast range of military successes. By 1815 aim to reduce threat of France achieved

Answer 15

Aim; co-operation between countries to maintain peace Congress of Vienna: France contained, Austrians gave up Belgium, Low countries made easier to defend under one rule, Holland given help to build border fortresses against France, France's borders returned to pre-1790. Prevention of dominance of any one country

Answer 16

Congress of Vienna: Britain gained Malta/Ionian islands/Heligoland in the North Sea. Also gained Ceylon/Mauritius which reinforced British position in South Asia. Success: by 1815 trading had increased + great powers had guaranteed no major power would occupy the vital area from which Britain could be invaded

Answer 17

Castlereagh: success in Congress of Vienna; France contained-France's borders returned to pre-1790 & Low countries made easier to defend under one rule. Canning: Spanish crisis- lack of success- tried to prevent intervention in liberal Spanish rev., didn't want to see extension of French influence- but withdrew from congress of Verona in 1822 unable to stop French intervention

Answer 18

Castlereagh: secured good relations with Austria's foreign minister Prince von Metternich- which he hoped would allow for coalition (perhaps against the threat of Russian expansion) Canning: Destroyed relations with Austria- failed to form an alliance with them, resorted to an alliance with Russia in attempt to influence Russia's actions (London, July 1827 treaty with Russia- largely liberal based)

Answer 19

Castlereagh:Congress of Vienna: Britain gained Malta/Ionian islands/Heligoland in the North Sea. Also gained Ceylon/Mauritius which reinforced British position in South Asia. Success: by 1815 trading had increased Canning: by mid 1820s 10% British exports to Latin America. Maintained this by not Co-operating with Portuguese/Spanish who otherwise would have gained back control of Latin America- liberal in action but not in aim (to keep trade for themselves)

Answer 20

``` Whigs had been out office for a generation Extended borough franchise to £10 householders- they could create a largely non-conformist/middle class electorate -largely Whig in nature- would vote Whig ```

Answer 21

Threat of Revolution 1831-32: forced to make concessions to reform (e.g. Days of May- BPU meeting 200,000)- wanted to unhinge union between middle and lower classes, wanted to redistribute parliamentary seats to the 'respectable' urban middle classes- prevent power of the 'rabble'

Answer 22

Saw ordered reform as both morally justifiable and necessary to prevent political structures being misaligned from the process of economic and social change in Britain

Answer 23

Make system more effective- enfranchised tenant farmers- but they forfeited the right to vote if they qualified for borough elections- trying to stop upper class influence on lower-middle class voters (Whig voters) BUT criticised as Whigs wouldn't have had the statistics to make decisions about class balance

Answer 24

Pitt’s inexperience- Without Royal support would be unlikely he would have even become PM. Delayed election until March 1784- So that Pitt could gather support- if election had not been delayed he likely would have been voted out

Answer 25

Pragmatism about political reform post-April 1785: Failed to pass electoral reform to end rotten boroughs in 1785- but showed pragmatism in abandoning this issue and pursuing administration and economic reform didn’t oppose those that kept him in power. Stayed PM through regency crisis- 1788: Despite regency crisis Pitt continued to stay PM- suggests he must have had at least some political skill outside of Royal support

Answer 26

Didn’t exploit mince pie ministry: Could have forced an election whereby Pitt would have been unlikely to win/would have lost his power Didn’t exploit regency crisis: Didn’t take advantage of Pitt’s loss of royal support to challenge his power

Answer 27

Lord North discredited: Failed coalition with Fox 1782-83 meant he lost support, and Britain’s defeat in the American war of independence lost him support from the public too. New era of peacetime- although with its hardships, a lucky circumstance meant Pitt could ride the wave of lessening hardship that generally occurred after war. Improving economy also made Pitt seem a better PM- even though he was mostly just riding the wave of opportunity

Answer 28

1784 commutations act- reduced import duties, tea duties 119% to 25% - Couldn’t stop smuggling, annual revenue down £3 mil by 1792 from imported goods + despite the effort to stop smuggling it still happened. 1786 sinking fund act- £1 mil put in fund + gov were to try and earn interest on it 1793 the debt was reduced to £10 mil, gave investment confidence boost BUT useless in wartime 1786- civil list act: Royal money reduced and the King’s estate more efficiently and profitably managed

Answer 29

1784: East India bill: Board set up to control the powers of the EIC 1787: Consolidated funds act: 130 exchequer accounts into 1 Appointment of strong administrators to head departments to head departments: Richard Frewin- head of customs and helped develop consolidation of funds & Got rid of sinecures; phased out over time

Answer 30

Radical writings aimed at reform: didn’t want revolution just legal reform through the gov- Thomas Paine – Rights of Man 1791 London Corresponding society: May have only had 1000 members + few active members; also confusion over actual aims and little organisation, gov overreaction to such a small threat

Answer 31

Local magistrates: could withdraw pub licenses for hosting radical activities Extension of home office power: Alien section + small secret service successfully infiltrated the LCS 2 acts: broadened definition of treason and treasonable offences seditious meetings act: banned meetings of 50 or more people Dec 1795 Suspension of Habeas Corpus 1794: but in the time it was suspended, hardly anyone actually arrested/tried using it

Answer 32

``` Church and King clubs- traditionalism, protection of gov, anti-radical groups Reeves associations- National organisation, up to 2000 branches, more influence than radicals on the middle class and upper class; also used methods of intimidation, often more violent methods than the radicals but not oppressed by the gov; effective force against the radicals. ```

Answer 33

Black Lamp conspiracy: Probably fabricated by gov spies (such as Oliver), gov willing to believe this suggests their paranoia/overreaction April 1797 Spithead Naval mutiny: Easily solved; pay + working conditions Nore Naval mutiny 1797: led by Richard Parker of LCS, more serious, blockaded Thames and threatened to defect to French navy, 36 executed, 400 flogged/ transported. Although much more of a threat than previous uprisings it was still one isolated incident, not a widespread radical feeling