Radical reformers Flashcards
1
Q
What was the London Corresponding Society?
A
- Founded in 1792 by Thomas Hardy.
- Modelled the political clubs that formed in France during the Revolution.
- Campaigned for democratic reform, particularly annual elections and universal male suffrage.
- Had 3,000 members at its peak and in 1793, 6,000 people signed a petition saying they support the society.
2
Q
What were the Spa Fields meetings?
A
- In 1816, Henry Hunt, with 10,000 people, met at Spa Fields in London for a meeting. They aimed to show support for a petition to the Prince Regent for parliamentary reform.
- The petition stood for universal male suffrage, annual general elections and secret ballots.
- It was rejected which resulted in a march to the Tower of London. Gov sent troops to break up the meeting.
- 4 leaders were tried for treason, based on a spy, and now the government was convinced that revolution was a possibility.
3
Q
What was the Pentridge Rising?
A
- In 1817, 300 working class men, armed with pikes and a few guns marched from Pentridge to Nottingham, with the intention of later marching to London. Aimed for reform.
- A spy among the group, William Oliver, informed the government and the movement was crushed.
- In reality the movement was not a threat, not organised or sufficiently numbered.
- The gov made an example out of them, 45 were tried for treason of whom 30 were sentenced and 3 leaders were hanged.
4
Q
What was the Peterloo Massacre?
A
- Approximately 50-60,000 people attended a peaceful public meeting in St Peter’s Fields in Manchester with Henry Hunt.
- The local magistrates panicked, and the local yeomanry were sent in to arrest Henry Hunt but panicked and attacked members of the crowd. 18 were killed and 700 injured.
- Bad image for the government, the Times, protested loudly against the actions of the magistrates.
5
Q
What was habeas corpus and when was it suspended?
A
- A legal provision which prevented arrests without trial.
- This was suspended twice in 1794 to allow the government to round up potential threats.
6
Q
What was the Treason Act?
A
- Passed in 1795, it confirmed that assaults against the King were high treason.
- It extended the idea of treason to include ideas that were written or spoken, even if no action was taken.
- This law was used to outlaw the work of Thomas Paine and restrict publication of protest pamphlets.
7
Q
What was the Seditious Meetings Act?
A
- Supported the Treason Act in 1795.
- Banned public meetings of over 50 people, and it made it illegal to rent a hall for lecturing and debating policies without a magistrate’s licence.
8
Q
How did the government control the media?
A
- In 1797, Stamp Tax, a tax on printed media, was increased to make newspapers harder to afford prevent the less well-off from buying them.
- In 1798, the Newspaper Regulation Act was passed to force newspapers to register with the aim of limiting their ability to publish critical articles.
9
Q
What were the Gagging Acts?
A
- In 1817, due to Spa Fields and Pentridge, the 1795 Treason and Seditious Meetings Acts were made into law.
- Few extra restrictions. Extra limitations on meetings held within a mile of parliament, and public meetings were entirely banned during a parliamentary session.
- Also suspended habeas corpus, just like in 1794.
10
Q
What were the Six Acts?
A
- The Training Prevention Act - to stop civilians learning how to use weapons.
- The Seizure of Arms Act - this allowed magistrates the right to seize weapons.
- The Seditious Meetings Act - extended 1817 GAs to require notice to magistrates for any public meetings.
- The Blasphemous and Seditious Libels Act - this set penalties for libel at 17 years’ transportation.
- Misdemeanours Act - this sped up the process of charging people and getting a trial.
- The Newspaper and Stamp Duties Act - raised stamp duty to 4d on any publication which was set monthly and cost less than 6d.
11
Q
What evidence is there of failure within the reform movement by 1819?
A
- Lack of progress with objectives - none of their aims had been met, government did not see reform as a possibility for parliament, MC did not have the vote and rotten boroughs were still over-represented.
- Inability to overcome opposition - ability of parliament to pass acts specifically aimed at the prevention of the movement. Willingness to use soldiers.
- Lack of co-ordination within the movement - no unified leadership, disagreements over actions and philosophies at Spa Fields.
12
Q
What is the evidence of success within the reform movement by 1819?
A
Creating an awareness of the issue - made reform an important political issue. Impossible for the government to ignore.
Setting the scene for future progression - set foundations for the reform movement 1830-32.
13
Q
How did international events influence the extra-parliamentary protest in Britain?
A
- American War of Independence raised ideas about freedom and political independence.
- The French Revolution questioned the power of the elites.
- The end of the Napoleonic War in 1815 led to 300,000 men returning to Britain to find work, which drove wages down.
14
Q
How did government policies influence the extra parliamentary protest in Britain?
A
- The Corn Laws (1815) kept corn prices high in order to protect farmers, but drove up bread prices for the poor.
- The Poor Employment Act (1817) was inadequate for the scale of economic problems. Gov ignored relief for the poor.
- Wartime income tax, which mainly affected the MC was abolished, but the gov was short of money and still taxed the poor.
15
Q
Who was Thomas Paine?
A
- Wrote the Rights of Man which defended the values of revolution. He emphasised that in countries such as Britain, only a fraction of those who payed taxes could vote.
- Was widely read across Britain and became a criticism of governments which failed to protect basic human freedoms.
- When the gov took action against Paine in 1792, he moved to France.
