Radical Reformers Flashcards
Who was Edmund Burke
MP of Wendover regarded as defender of constitutional settlement of 1688
where were Burkes central ideas published
Reflections of Revolution in France 1790
what were central ideas of Reflections of Revolution in France 1790
- revolutionary change was always accompanied by violence
- government derives authority from custom and tradition
- liberty must be restrained
- Britans gov. is stable and wise
Who was Thomas Paine
Early radical who spent 13 years in us from 1774 where he published common sense then by 1787 travelled to France to support revolution
What did Thomas Paine write?
The Rights of Man
what were the key ideas of Thomas Paine
equality
freedom
land should be shared
those without land should receive payment form gov.
what were key ideas of The Rights of Man
- tradition is not alway a good thing
- gov. should protect all citizens equally
- rights should be introduced to improve peoples lives
How many of Paines books were sold
200’000 of part II cheaply
Who were the London Corresponding society
An organisation set up for political reform, idea of corresponding societies came from Paine
What did the LCS believe
UK people were not adequately represented in parliament
current situation unfair for people because of oppressive taxes, unjust laws and wasting of public money
What was total membership of LCS by 1795
over 3000
Success of LCS
- Societies held weekly meetings and printed pamphlets
- in 1793, 6000 memebrs signed a petiton to say they supported the resolutions of LCS
- they could attract several thousand people for demonstrations and plans where under way to construct a convention in Edingbrough
Why did gov fears of LCS increase
- growth in support for radical societies
- increased violence in France especially execution of King Louis XVI Jan 1793
What laws were passed to counter threat posed by LCS
The Royal Proclamation against seditious writings and publications 1792
The suspension of Habeas Corpus 1794
The Treason trials 1794
41 radicals including Hardy were arrested for treason
The treasonable practices act and seditious meeting act 1975
The combination Act 1799
Effects of laws passed to stop threat of LCS
by end of 1795 radicalism was silenced and fewer than 200 people were even convicted under the laws
Examples of poverty in Britain by 1815
- unemployment arose from Napoleonic Wars in 1815; thousands of ex soilders and sailors looking for work
- New machines in factories replaced skilled workers
- The Corn Laws kept prices of wheat high
- taxes introduced to pay for cost of war
- fluctuating food prices
What was Luddism
- 1810-11 many attacts in industrial areas of Notts Lancs and Yorks were workers destroyed new machinery in factories
- William Horsfall who owned mills in huddersfield was assassinated by 4 men
How did authorities respond to luddsim
thousands of troops placed in north and midlands and machine breakaway made capital punishment
What was national debt in 1815
£861 million so gov place taxes on food making poor worse
Why were Corn laws introduced
landowners wanted ban on foreign imports suggesting uk needed to be self-sufficent incase of war and to feed population
Who was William Cobbett
influencial radical who became MP for oldham in 1832
When did Cobett publish Weekly Political Register
1802
How did Cobett influences grow
his language was adopted by wider radical movement
used labels to attack those within gov
influence grow in the harsh winter of 1816 following a poor harvest and he gave a simple solution to people of parliamentary reform
examples of cobetts labels
- Placeman - those who received income for places held in gov
- Parasite
- Taxeaters
What were radical clubs
places where people gathered to read newspapers and pamphlets about radical ideas
Who was Hampden club founded by and when
Hampden club was founded by John Cartwright, 1812
Who joined Hampden clubs
Mostly northerners membership was limited
What were Hampden clubs aims
achieve manhood suffrage
abolition of corn laws
to get respectable support for reform
describe hampden club activities
- producing pamphlets financed by weekly subscriptions
- 1817 organised a campaign to get signatures for a petition in parliament
what was the platform
provia place for demonstrations
Who was Henry Hunt
Famous radical leader, shared a cell with Cobett and upon his release campaigned for manhood suffrage spoke at Spa Fields 1816 and Peterloo in 1819
Hunts beliefs
Hunts fiery speeches made him a hero for the working class
he did not want any riots
mass platform method used
What happened in 1816 that affected the poor
harsh weather conditions resulted in poor harvest so there were food shortages exacerbated bad econ. conditions caused by corn law napoleonic wars
When was Spa Fields
december 1816
how many people attended spa fields
10’000
what happened at spa fields
before hunt arrived a small section of the crowd rioted breaking into a gun seizing weapons and marching towards tower of london although most were peaceful
what were effects of spa fields
petitons not delivered until 1817 over 700 of them in total although these were ignored due to MP fears
how did authorities react
over 300 arrests were made, 1 rioter executed and 4 charged with high treason gov published gag acts -suspension of hobbies corpus -seditious meetings act -incitement to mutiny
what were the Pentritch uprisings
200 unemployed workers began marching from pentritch , derbyshire to nottingham to attack the castle, all armed under leadership of jeremiah Brandeth
Why was Pentrich uprising not successful
the group was infiltrated by William Oliver a py
describe st peters field manchester 1918
60’000 people attended, 11 people killed, 400 people injured in stampede made by yeomanry
six acts
forbidding unauthorised miitary training giving magistrates emergency powers to search houses prevent all but small public meetings prevent evasion of newspaper stamp duty enable magistarates to seize possesions prevent delays in trials
