Radical Reformers 1780-1819 Flashcards
1
Q
What was the impact of the American Revolution on Britain?
A
- Proved political reform was obtainable.
- Proved that principles of democracy could be established in a written constitution.
- Made more question the injustice of paying taxes and the rule of the monarch.
2
Q
What was the initial impaact of the French Revolution on GB?
A
- Inspired radicals that a change was possible.
- Showed that reform could be achieved by mouting popular protest.
- Stimulated enthusiasm for reform in some.
3
Q
Why did this change as the French Revolution progressed?
A
- The bloodshed from 1793 onwards.
- Massacres of revolution’s enemies allowed those opposed to reform to portray change as dangerous.
- Britain at war v France in 1793 so radical activity = unpatriotic.
4
Q
Who was Edmund Burke?
A
- MP regarded as a defender of constitutional settlement of 1688.
- More conservative than new Whigs.
- Strong believer in hereditary monarchy.
5
Q
What were Burke’s central ideas?
A
Published ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’ in 1790.
- Revolutionary change always accompanied by violence.
- Govt derives authority from custom.
- Liberty needs to be restrained.
- Britain’s govt is stable and wise.
6
Q
Who was Thomas Paine?
A
- Famous early radical.
- Urged the American colonies to seek independence.
- Supported French citizens in their struggle to oppose monarchic rule.
7
Q
How did Paine respond to Burke’s defence of the constitution?
A
- Published the Rights of Man’.
- Became the principal text inspiring political radicals in Britain from the 1790s onwards.
- Both parts inspired radical reformers well into the 1800s.
8
Q
Explain the key ideas of the radical Thomas Paine.
A
- Strong belief in equality and liberty.
- Society should be based on individual freedom.
- Land should be shared.
9
Q
What were the key ideas of the Rights of Man?
A
- Tradition is not always a good thing.
- Govt should protect all citizens equally.
- Rights should be introduced to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
10
Q
What was the impact of the Rights of Man?
A
- No longer was political debate limited to the propertied classes.
- Paine had suceeded in questioning the legitimacy of GB’s political institutions.
11
Q
What was the London Corresponding Society?
A
- An organisation set up to campaign for political reform.
- Idea of the LCS came from Paine.
- Aim was to write to / link with similar provincial societies.
12
Q
What changes did the LCS call for?
A
The LCS believed:
- the people of GG were not adequately represented in Parliament.
- Pointed towards the oppressive taxes and unjust laws.
- LCS were actually quite moderate.
- They emphasised their opposition to violence and anarchy.
13
Q
How sucessful were the LCS and others in calling for reform?
A
- Total membership peaked at over 3000 in 1795.
- Societies became a feature of many unrepresented towns such as Manchester and Leeds.
- The societies held weekly meetings and printed pamphlets.
14
Q
How did the govt respond?
A
- The propertied classes formed loyalist associations.
- They used anti-radical propaganda to counter the threat of the LCS.
15
Q
Why did the govt’s fears increase?
A
- Growth in support for radical societies.
- Percieved growth in unrest.
- Increased violence in France.
16
Q
Which laws were passed to counter the threat posed by the LCS?
A
Royal proclamation against Seditious Writings and Publications. {1792}
- Authorised govt use of spies.
Suspension of Habeas Corpus {1794-95}
- Enabled the authorities to round up suspects and detain them without trial.
Treason trials {1794}
- 41 radicals were arrested and charged with high treason but all three were acquitted.
The Two Acts {1795}
- Aim = to intimidate.
The Combination Act
- Prohibited trade unions.
17
Q
What was the effect of this legislation?
A
- By the end of 1795, radicalism was silenced.
- Other factor was return of war with French.
18
Q
What were the chief complaints to have emerged by 1815?
A
- Unemployment arising from the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.
- New machines in factories replacing skilled workers.
- Fluctuating food prices.
- Taxes introduced to pay for costs of war.
- The Corn Lws kept of price of wheat high.
19
Q
What was Luddism?
A
- They feared the loss of livelihoods due to new machines and increasing use of lower paid women and children to operate the machines.
20
Q
How did the authorities respond?
A
Thousands of troops stationed in North and in Midlands to counter the Luddites.
21
Q
What problems did GB face after defeat of Napoleon in 1815?
A
- War started 1793 - national debt vastly increased.
- Unemployment was increasing as 300,000 troops returned home.
22
Q
How did Govt attempt to reduce national debt?
A
- National Debt grew to £861 million.
- The govt introduced indirect taxation on everday items.
- This raised the price and had a disproportionate impact on the poor.
23
Q
Why were the Corn Laws introduced?
A
- Landowners demanded a ban on imports of foreign wheat arguing Britain needed to be self-sufficient.
- The result was Corn Laws which imposed tariffs on foreign wheat and effectively banned imports.
24
Q
Describe the influence of John Cartwright in the early 1800s.
A
- The father of newspaper agitation was Major John Cartwright.
- Cartwright remained a supporter of parliamentary reform.
- The most well-known was William Cobbett.
25
Who was Willia Cobbett?
- Influential radical.
| - Cobbett was a strong critic of the government.
26
Describe Cobbett's early career.
- Cobbett published the Weekly Political Register in 1802.
27
How did Cobbett's influence grow?
- The language used was dopted by wider radical movement.
- A feature of Cobbett was his use of labels to attack the government.
- He gave a simple solution to those suffering: parliamentary reform.
28
Provide examples of Cobbett's labels.
- Placemen.
| - Parasites.
29
What were political/radical clubs.
- The best known of these was the Hampden Club founded in 1812 by John Cartwright.
30
Who joined the Hampden Clubs?
Most popular in industrial heartlands of Lancs, Yorks, the Midlands and Central Scotland.
31
What were their aims?
- To win over respectable support for reform.
- Achieve manhood suffrage.
- Abolition of the Corn Laws.
32
Describe their activities.
- Producing pamphlets.
33
Who was Henry Hunt?
- Born into prosperity in 1773.
- Upon his release, he launched his campaign for manhood suffrage.
- By 1815, he became the most popular radical.
34
Where did he speak?
- In 1816, he spoke at Spa Fields.
- Was the main speaker at St Peter's field.
- Opposed 1832 Reform Act because no vote to working men.
35
Explain Hunt's core beliefs.
- Fiery speeches made him a hero to the working classes.
- Didn't want any riots.
- Method known as the mass platform.
36
How did poor harvests of 1816 lead to increase in radical activity?
- 1816 severe weather resulted in poor harvests to desperate food shortages in winter of 1816/17.
37
What was the Spa Fields protest, 1816?
- In December 1816, huge meeting held at Spa Fields in London attended by 10,000 people.
- Their chief concerns were parliamentary reform, nationalisation of land and the abolition of all taxes apart from income tax.
38
Why did Spa Fields prove controversial?
- Before Hunt arrived, a small section of the crowd rioted.
39
Was Hunt at least partly responsible for the violence?
- He did urge people to sign a petition which contained the words 'before physical force was applied'.
40
What were the effects of Spa Fields?
- Over 700 petitions not delivered.
- Most MPs were afraid of this demonstration of popular feeling and certainly did not wish to agree to significant reforms such as manhood suffrage.
41
How did the authorities react in 1817?
- After the violence 300 arrests were made.
- The govt pushed three measures through Parliament, known as the Gag Acts:
1} Suspension of Habeas Corpus.
2} Seditious Meetings Act.
3} Incitement to mutiny was madw a hanging offence.
42
Was the legislation effective?
The legislation was effective. Cobbet fled to the US. Hampden Clubs broke up and public meetings ceased. Radicals were forced to operate underground.
43
What was the Pentrich uprising of June 1817?
- 200 unemployed workers march from Pentrich in Derbyshire to Nottingham.
44
Why did the uprising not suceed?
- The group was infiltrated by William Oliver.
45
Why did Pentrich prove so controversial?
- Oliver had convinced the men to act.
| - Three leaders were hanged and 14 others were transported.
46
What were the effects of these harsh sentences?
- Evidence of govt's involvement led to a public outcry.
| - Was supported by Whig politicians.
47
Who were the Blanketeers?
- Unemployed workers demanding relief of distress caused by state of textile industry.
48
What happened when the crowds gathered?
- The gathering was broken up and 27 people were arrested.
49
What were the effects of the actions taken by the government?
- Many marchers displayed sabre wounds.
| - Prisoners taken to London and held without trial for months before release.
50
Describe the economic conditions of 1818.
- A slight improvement in trade and fall in unemployment.
| - Habeas Corpus was restored and the ban on large meetings was lifed.
51
Why meet at St Peter's Field?
- The last one was scheduled to place in August at St Peter's Fields in Manchester and Henry Hunt was to address the crowd.
52
What did the Six Acts represent?
- A supression of peaceful protest.
| - Made it impossible to protest legally.
53
What were the Six Acts, 1819?
- An Act forbidding unauthorised military training.
- An Act giving magistrates emergency powers.
- An Act to prevent all but the smallest public meetings.
- An Act to prevent evasions of newspaper stamp duty.
- An Act to enable magistrates to seize/destroy seditious publications.
- An Act to prevent delays by the accused in blasphemy and treason trials.
