Poverty and Pauperism Flashcards
What was the Speenhamland system?
A system whereby the rate of outdoor relief is set at the price of a loaf of bread.
When was the Speenhamland system introduced?
1795
By 1801 how long had the Elizabethan Poor Law been in operation?
200 Years
When did the Napoleonic Wars begin and end?
1793-1815
What influential book was published by Samuel Smiles in 1859 and what did it advocate?
Self Help advocated the importance of people’s own abilities to help themselves rather than rely on state help
When were the Corn Laws introduced?
1815
What was the purpose of the Corn Laws?
The Corn Laws were designed to protect British farmers from foreign competition.
When were the Corn Laws repealed (completely)?
1846
Under whose ministry were the Corn Laws repealed?
Robert Peel
How did the Corn Laws work?
The law prohibited the importation of foreign corn until the price of domestic corn reached 10 shillings a bushel.
Why did the working classes oppose the Corn Laws?
Raised the price of bread the staple food of the poor
What did the government set up in 1832 to look at the issue of poor relief?
A Royal Commission
When was the Poor Law Amendment Act passed?
1834
What is a parish?
An area served by a parish church that was responsible for poor relief
Give 3 reasons why the Poor Law Amendment Act was introduced.
Cost to the local ratepayer, attitudes towards the poor were changing, problems with the speenhamland system, ineffective parish system, variation in geographical areas, people had to be sent back to the parish of their birth
