Red Flashcards
1
Q
Why was the factory system created?
A
There was an increase in cotton production
2
Q
Spinning Jenny
A
Hargreave
1764
The first multi-spindle spinning machine
3
Q
Water frame
A
Arkwright
1769
Spinning frame powered by a water wheel
4
Q
Mule
A
Crompton
1779
A cross between a Water Frame and a Spinning Jenny
5
Q
When and why was cotton industry growing?
A
1783 was when Britain was in the midst of a rapid growth in the cotton industry
It was cheaper and more comfortable than other materials
6
Q
Power Loom
A
Cartwright
1789
A loom operated by steam power
7
Q
How did iron, coal and cotton boost each other?
A
Cotton & iron - The cotton industry’s technological advancements boosted the iron industry e.g. water wheels
Iron and coal - iron foundries were built near coal fields to access fuel cheaply and easily as coal replaced wood as fuel in iron smelting
8
Q
(1788-1804) Output of pig iron stats
A
1788 - 68,000 tons
1804 - 250,000 tons
9
Q
(1783-1812) output of coal stats
A
1780s - 7 million tons
1812 - 14 million tons
10
Q
When were canals popular?
A
1780s (but it was short lived)
11
Q
Benefits of canals
A
- heavy and bulky goods could be transported more cheaply and easily
- fresh produce transported to newly-expanding towns
- attractive investment opportunities
- effective means of transportation (essential for industrial growth)
12
Q
Drawbacks of canals
A
- difficult and expensive to construct
- limited routes
- froze up in winter
- slow to operate
13
Q
Condition of agriculture in 1800
A
- less people working as agricultural labourers (more in industry)
- higher prices as the increasing population demanded more food
- enclosure of land resulted in higher crop yields and healthier livestock
14
Q
What was introduced into agriculture in 1800s?
A
- 4 plant crop rotation
- spreading manure
- scientific stock-breeding
- mechanical improvements (slowly) e.g. seed drill
15
Q
Benefits of enclosure
A
- increased overall productions
- made healthy profits (for landowners and farmers)
- population had a greater variety of fresh food
16
Q
When were the Combination Acts?
A
1799-1800
17
Q
What did the Combination Acts do?
A
Made all working men’s societies illegal
18
Q
Why were the Combination Acts introduced?
A
A petition was presented to parliament from the master millwright of London complaining about strike threats as many skilled artisans started trade societies to persuade employers to increase wages.
19
Q
Friendly Societies Act
A
1793
Gave members of Friendly Societies legal rights to have meetings and have their funds protected.
20
Q
When were the Combination Acts repealed?
A
1824
21
Q
Why were the Combination Acts repealed?
A
Pressure from the skilled artisans led by Francis Place (radical).
Place argued that trade was expanding and unemployment had fallen and so in legalising trade unions, members would reject violence and be more productive.
22
Q
Amending Act
A
1825
Recession caused hardship which led to strikes so the government put obstacles in the way of further strikes and made it illegal to ‘obstruct’ other workers while keeping trade unions legal.
23
Q
Gaol Acts
A
1823
Introduced by Peel
- removal of minor crimes that were punished by death (e.g. pickpocketing)
- separate male and female gaols
- female prisoners looked after by female wardens
- regular visits by chaplains
- payment of gaolers (previously, they were relying on payment from prisoners)
Ineffective - no paid inspectors (didn’t happen until 1853 Prison Act)
24
Q
When and why did the Whig party disintegrate?
A
1793
The Whigs were split on their opinions of the French Revolution:
- pro-revolution whigs led by Fox
- anti-revolution whigs who supported Pitt
25
When and why did Pitt drop the notion of reform?
1785
He propose a bill to redistribute seats from rotten boroughs to northern counties and London but this was defeated and the King expressed his approval - aristocracy were not interested in supporting change (it would disturb their own dominance of power)
26
Society of Friends of the People
Formed in 1792
Formed by Charles Grey (supporter of Fox) to promote equal representation.
Put forward a motion for parliamentary reform in 1793 but it was defeated massively.
27
How did the French Revolution affect reform?
The violence of the revolution made the government suspicious of the reformers’ motives.
28
Luddism
1811
The introduction of the power loom threatened the livelihood of hand loom weavers especially in Lancashire. So, when the government failed to secure a Minimum Wage Bill in 1808, they began to smash the machines.
29
Treaty of Amiens
1802 - end of the first stage of the wars with France
30
Levee en Masse Act
1803
French act that listed all men between 17-55 were to be trained, armed and ready to fight.
Ended up being around 800,000 men.
31
Political impact of French war
There had been 5 PMs while the war was going on.
32
Orders in Council
1807
Stated that all countries that excluded British ships would be subjected to a British blockade
33
National Debt during wartime
- not successful during war time as it was too expensive
- 1801 = £450 million
- 1815 = £850 million
- 1805 - income tax was increased which helped with war expenses
34
Economic collapse during wartime
British merchants started to trade with South American countries who were eager for British goods. However manufacturers started to overproduce and within months they faced an economic collapse.
Alongside this there was also failed harvests, collapse of banks, inflation and a shortage of cash.
35
Social impact of wartime
- distressed labouring classes (fixed incomes as wages had fallen behind prices, could not afford basic necessities)
- 1810-11 economic crisis caused by bad harvests, food prices and business depression
- 1811 Luddites
- diets were less varied
- a drop in the purchase of non food items
36
When was Liverpool PM?
1812-27
37
How was Liverpool described?
‘A safe pair of hands’
38
What political difficulties did Liverpool face?
- differing views and personalities among his ministers
- out-matched in debating skills by Radicals and Whigs so it proved difficult to hold a majority in the commons
39
What were the ‘new look’ Tories?
1821-23 - Liverpool had a cabinet reshuffle which brought in younger promising political talent (e.g. Peel and Huskisson) who moved towards a more liberal approach
40
Liverpool’s repressive measures
- corn laws (1815)
- abolished income tax (1816)
- tightened game laws (1816)
- suspended habeas corpus (1817)
- six acts (1819)
41
Game Laws
1816
Limited the hunting of game to landowners: pheasant, partridge, hares and rabbits
42
Six Acts
1819
Introduced to prevent any further disturbances after the Peterloo Massacre.
43
Poor Employment Act
1817
Exchequer Bill Loan Commission was set up to help finance public work projects that would generate employment
44
1819 Factory Act
No children under 9 working in cotton mills and deceased hours for young people to 12hrs/day
45
Who did Liverpool’s governemnt’s economic policy target?
The landowning political class (rather than ordinary people)
46
Catholic Emancipation within Liverpool’s government
1821- change in attitudes towards CE
1825 - Liverpool proposed an Emancipation bill and it was defeated by the Lords
47
1815 post-war depression
- caused a reduction in wages.
- the slow improvement after 1819 appeared to coincide with the general interest of reform
- the government resumed cash payments and so the value of British currency rose.
- depression began to lift with increase in trade, good harvests, stable price of wheat and reduction in bread prices.
48
Canning as PM
1827
Political fave of Liverpool, Tories disliked him due to his background, his ‘advanced ideas’ and his support for Catholic Emancipation.
49
Goderich as PM
1827-8
Showed few qualities of leadership, King was reluctant to make him PM, resigned after 4 months having never met with Parliament
50
Wellington as PM
1828-30
Had a cabinet reshuffle which brought forward the question of CE, passed Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829, Tory party disintegrated
51
What were the Test and Corporations Acts?
Prevented anyone who wasnt a part of the Anglican Church from taking a position in a municipal office or a civil/military position under the crown.
They were designed to target Roman Catholics and Nonconformists.
52
When and why were the Test and Corporation Acts repealed, and who by?
1828
Pressure from Protestant Dissenters (led by Lord John Russell) as they believed that toleration should extend to the Catholics.
Wellington
53
Corn Law Sliding Scale
1828 - Huskisson’s idea
1829 - introduced by Peel
It substituted the fixed rate of duty for a sliding scale to address the problems when there was a poor harvest and corn prices rose.
No foreign corn could be imported until the home price reached 80 shillings a quarter.
54
The Metropolitan Police Force
Peel (1829)
Preventative measure to reverse the increasing crime rates which corresponded with the Penal Code. He believed that a police force would be a major crime deterrent.
Benefits - improved on previous corrupt system which had not centralised maintenance of law and order, formed the basis of our modern policing system
Drawbacks - No immediate success, seen as a tool of Tory govt.
55
Penal Code
Removal of capital offences for small crimes (but, this increased the crime rate)
56
Coal production stats (1812-32)
1815 - 16 million tons
1830 - 30 million tons
57
Ships built stats (1820-30)
1820 - 67,000 tons
1830 - 75,000 tons
58
Population growth stats (1811-31)
1811 - 12 million
1831 - 16.3 million
59
Cast-iron power loom
1822 - Richard Roberts
Cartwright’s wooden power loom was clumsy and inefficient.
Revolutionised cloth production
60
Hot-air blast furnace
Neilson - 1828
Produced better quality iron and made the process cheaper and more efficient.
61
Early Railways
Steam engine efficiency was improved post-war and more efficient ways were needed for moving coal around.
1812 - Puffing Billy created by William Hedley
1825 - Stockton to Darlington line
1830 - Liverpool to Manchester line (first passenger railway - George Stephenson)
62
How was agriculture changing by 1812?
Transforming into an industry - starting businesses, hiring agricultural labourers, producing for a commercial market.
Helped by the Enclosure Acts (a catalyst for agricultural change)
63
What was the BPU & NPU?
BPU (Birmingham Political Union) was set up by Thomas Attwood in 1829 - committed to parliamentary reform, a model for other political unions, wanted votes for all men and exclusion of property qualifications
NPU (National Political Union) was set up by Francis Place in 1831 after the defeat of the from bill to be a group to pressure for parliamentary reform.
64
When and what were the Swing Riots?
1820s-30s
Outbreaks of violence among agricultural labourers because of the introduction of technology (e.g. threshing machine) which threatened their employment
They smashed machines and set hay-ricks ablaze
1830 - threats sent to landowners and farmers signed by ‘Captain Swing’
65
When and what was the July Revolution?
1830
Overthrow of King Charles X who was replaced by his cousin Louis Phillipe
66
Anti-Poor Law League
1834
- set up after Poor Law Amendment Act
- against workhouses
- meetings, petitions, pamphlets and newspapers
- failed to gain support and attention
67
Poor Law Amendment Act
1834
- introduced workhouses
- principle of less eligibility (the most desperate)
- got rid of outdoor relief (Speenhamland System)
- introduced by Earl Grey
68
Shaftesbury
- tory evangelical
- led the 10hr movement to campaign for shorter working hours (1830s)
Result:
- 1831 Factory Act: 12hrs for those under 18 (no enforcement - ineffective)
- 1833 Factory Act: No children were to work in factories under the age of nine . A maximum working week of 48 hours was set for those aged 9 to 13, limited to eight hours a day; and for children between 13 and 18 it was limited to 12 hours daily.
- 1844 Factory Act: women’s working hours were down to 12hrs/day
- 1847 10hr Bill: limited the work of women and young people (age 13-18) in textile mills to 10hrs/day
69
William Wilberforce
- member of Clapham Sect (evangelical society of political revolutionaries who wanted to use political reform to better society)
- founded the Anti-Slavery Society with Buxton in 1823.
70
When was the first Abolition of Slavery Act and what did it do?
1807
Stopped the trading of slaves
71
When was the second Abolition of Slavery Act and what did it do?
1833
Gave slaves (who were already enslaved) within the British territories their freedom.
However, the government had to pay compensation as slavery made a lot of money for people - £20 million was paid in compensation.
72
Anti-Corn Law League
1838
- founded by Cobden and Bright
- wanted the price of bread to go down
- avoided riots and protests by going through parliament instead
- had the church and the manufacturing class’ support (they could afford it)
- argued that cheaper bread would stop argument for wage increase and they only protected inefficient farmers
Result:
- corn laws did repeal
73
When and why were the corn laws repealed?
1846
Due to the potato famine in Ireland.
74
Hampden Clubs
- first formed in 1811 by Radical MP Burdett
- made popular through men like Henry Hunt
- political campaigning and debating societies formed as part of the Radical Movement
75
Manchester Guardian
1821
- newspaper
- mouth-piece for middle-class manufacturers who started to press for parliamentary representation
76
Spa Fields
1816
- Hunt was the speaker
- wanted universal male suffrage, secret ballots etc.
- hoping to take over the government by taking the Tower of London and the Bank of England
- poorly organised which led to fighting and arrests
- local military force had to show up
77
March of the Blanketeers
1817
- wanted relief of distress
- walking from Manchester to London to present petitions to the Prince Regent
- carried bedding
- shut down before it even began
78
Peterloo Massacre
1819
- employers refused to agree to legal minimum wage (Lancashire weavers)
- unable to do anything else but hold a public meeting (peaceful)
- Hunt was supposed to speak but constables were ordered to arrest him
- 11 were killed, hundreds injured
79
Drawbacks of enclosure
- emphasised inequality in countryside (more land was in the hands of fewer people)
- pitiful wages for agricultural labourers (many forced to fall back on poor relief)
80
Liverpool’s reforms
- Relief Acts for Dissenters
- Toleration Act for Unitarians
- Poor Employment Act (1817)
- Factory Act (1819)
- repeal of Combination Acts (1824)
81
When was Canning PM?
1827
82
Why was Canning disliked and by who?
Disliked by his cabinet for his support of Catholic Emancipation
Disliked by aristocracy as they looked down on his humble origins as his mother was an impoverished actress
83
When was Goderich PM?
1827-28 (only lasted 4 months)
84
What was Goderich like as PM?
- impotent
- showed very few qualities of leadership
- miserable
- never met with parliament
85
When was Wellington PM?
1828-30
86
What did Wellington introduce?
- Repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts
- Catholic Emancipation Act
87
When were the Test and Corporation Acts repealed?
1828
88
What did the repeal of the Test and Corporations Act do?
Allowed Non conformists to hold public office
89
When was the Catholic Emancipation Bill passed?
1829
90
What did the Catholic Emancipation Act do?
Allowed Catholics to become MPs
91
When was Peel’s Metropolitan Police Force issued?
1829
92
What was the purpose of the Metropolitan Police Force?
To be a preventative measure in an attempt to reverse the upward trend of crime rates - Peel believed that a fully supported police forced would act as a major crime deterrent.
93
Limitations of the Metropolitan Police Force
- not an immediate success
- seen by some as a tool of the Tory government
94
Benefits of the Metropolitan Police Force
- offered a better method of maintaining public order
- improved on the existing corrupt system that had no centralised maintenance of law and order
- was a model for the basis of our modern policing system
95
When was the Reciprocity Act?
1823
96
What was the Reciprocity Act?
It encouraged trade treaties with other countries on the basis of mutual tariff reductions
97
When did commercial upturn end and why?
1825
- failure of banks
- businesses went bankrupt
98
Effects of commercial down turn
- criticism of free trade and economic policies
- usual distress of the laboring classes
99
When was the Bank Act introduced?
1826
100
What was the Bank Act?
It made it legal for banks (other than the Bank of England) to operate as joint stock banks which allowed them to issue notes and hold a more robust foundation
It meant that people who use the bank don't lose any money
101
1812-32 Free Trade policies
- customs and duties were lowered on raw materials used in the textile and metal industries
- raw wool could be exported for the first time
102
Effects of 1812-32 Free Trade policies
- freedom from tariffs and regulations
- encouraged an expansion of trade and industry
- reduced smuggling
- increase in British exports
- lower prices in manufactured goods
103
Liverpool's government's laissez-faire attitude
Believed it was not the role of the government to regulate wages and prices - the economy would run by the law of supply and demand
The government only intervened to prevent the fall in the price of corn (protecting their own interests)
104
Social problems due to industrialization
- lack of education
- absence of a system of local government
- poor working conditions
- crowded living (led to poor public health)
- inadequate system of poor relief
105
Christopher P. Hill on the effects of industrialisation
The rise in population stimulated the migration of British overseas and extended the British empire
106
How many Scots had emigrated in 1832?
10,000
107
Positive effects of industrialisation
- greater wealth (for some)
- rise in the standard of living (could be argued)
- new middle class prospered
- larger population sustained
- facilitated growth of trade unions
108
Arnold Toynbee on the standards of living (1812-32)
"Side by side with a great increase of wealth was seen an enormous increase in pauperism"
109
Standards of living (1812-32)
- Industrialization created wealth and employment for many (middle class) but created suffering for some (laboring class)
- In recent years, many historians have agreed that real wages rose considerably after the Napoleonic Wars
110
Why was there working class discontent 1812-32?
- unsatisfactory poor relief system, living and working conditions
- harsher system of working for industrial workforce
- periodic bad harvests
- enclosure had destroyed many small farmers' livelihoods
- industry didn't progress at a steady pace (wages were unsteady)
111
Examples of working class discontent turning into riots
- Peterloo Massacre
- Luddism
- Spafields
112
When was luddism rife?
1811-12
113
How did Luddism start?
Outbreaks of machine breaking in Nottinghamshire as stocking-frame knitters believed that the wide-frame machine (which produced poorer quality stockings faster and more cheaply) was depriving them of livelihoods
114
Ned Ludd
There was a rumour spread that he was the organizer of the machine breaking (luddism)
115
When were the Swing Riots?
1820s-30s
116
What were the Swing Riots?
Another slump in the economy led to outbreaks of violence among agricultural labourers
- farm machinery smashed
- hay-ricks set ablaze
- threatening letters sent to local landowners and farmers signed by 'Captain Swing'
117
What happened to protesters in Swing Riots?
Hanged, gaoled or transported
118
When was there a revival of radical agitation?
1815
119
When did the Methodist movement take off?
1790
120
How many people were part of the Methodist movement in 1812?
350,000
121
What did Methodism encourage people to do?
Find their own will and sense of purpose in life as people could empower themselves and then contribute something good to society
122
Why were Methodists regarded as dangerous/suspicious?
They had a strong belief in equality which could be seen as radical tendencies.
123
What were the demands of the protesters (1812-32)?
- payment of MPs
- universal male suffrage
- equal electoral districts
- secret ballot
- annual elections
- abolition of property qualifications to stand as MP
124
What individuals were placing pressure on the government for reform?
- Henry Hunt (orator and 'champion of liberty')
- William Cobbett (attacked the 'old corruption' in his book)
125
How did the Whigs coming into power affect the pressure for parliamentary reform?
- more open-minded
- many believed that political innovation was necessary otherwise uncontrollable change may overwhelm existing social order
- saw perfect solution for moderate reform (Great Reform Act) but Tories rejected it
126
Who formed the BPU?
Thomas Attwood
127
What was the BPU?
Birmingham Political Union
128
Who formed the NPU?
Francis Place
129
What was the NPU?
National Political Union
130
How did the NPU, BPU and other pressure groups demand reform?
- petitions
- mass meetings
- demonstrations
- riots (sometimes)
131
When was Young Ireland formed?
1844
132
What was Young Ireland?
A radical group who aimed to repeal the Act of Union in order to gain independence for Ireland
133
When was the Young Ireland uprising?
1848
134
When was Daniel O’Connell arrested?
1843
135
How many people attended Daniel O’Connell’s ‘monster’ meetings?
100,000
136
How did Britain improve from the Poor Law Amendment Act to 1837 recession?
- good harvests
- drop in the rates bill
- numbers in people resorting to poor relief remained steady
- outdoor relief still available
- increased employment (job on railways)
137
What happened to the Anti-Poor Law movement?
It fizzled out within a short period due to the competition it faced with other protest groups e.g. Chartists
138
When was the Poor Law Amendment Act extended?
1942
139
Urban growth stats 1801-51
1801 - 10.5 million
1851 - 21 million
140
How much of the population lived in urban areas in 1846?
Half
141
Effects of urban growth
Put immense strains on existing structures that failed to cope and were major factors in social change
142
Living conditions in towns (1832-46)
- crowded
- hastily built back-to-back housing
- caused significant public health problems e.g. cholera and whopping cough
- short life expectancy
- wealthy middle class segregated themselves from the rest of society in large houses
143
How many children died before their 5th birthday?
Half
144
When was the ‘parliamentary train’ introduced?
1844
145
What was the ‘parliamentary train’?
A train carriage for third-class passengers that cost no more than a penny a mile.
Introduced with the Railway Act
146
How was the ‘parliamentary train’ important?
An important advance to a less elitist society and in improving the lives of workers and the poor.
147
When was the GNCTU set up?
1834
148
What does GNCTU stand for?
Grand National Consolidated Trades Union
149
Why was the GNCTU set up?
After the Combination Acts, there was an upsurge in small trade unions (but they had little influence). So, an idea formed that national unions (each representing a particular trade) would have more resources to demand increase in wages)
150
Who created GNCTU?
Robert Owen
151
What were the aims of the GNCTU?
- to work towards Owen’s vision of cooperative commonwealth
- to fight against recurrent economic crises and unemployment.
152
What were the problems with the GNCTU?
- communication between the branches was poor
- widely differing opinions on strikes
153
What happened to the GNCTU?
It collapsed within a few months as a deep trade recession set in (1837) meaning that workers could not afford even the cheapest subscriptions and so a lot of trade union members turned to Chartism.
154
How many members did the GNCTU have?
Over half a million within a few weeks (each paid 1 shilling)
155
When were the Tolpuddle Martyrs?
1834
156
Who were the Tolpuddle Martyrs?
A group of agricultural workers from Tolpuddle in Dorset who had set up a branch of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Workers.
157
What happened to the Tolpuddle Martyrs?
They were convicted on the grounds that they had taken a secret oath. Six of them were prosecuted and transported to Australia for 7 years.
However, Lovett organised a well-coordinated campaign, which led to them being pardoned and allowed to return to Britain.
158
How did the Cooperative Movement come about?
From Owen’s ideas and the values of skilled tradesmen who believed if they applied thrift and elf help (popular at the time) to their daily lives, they could continue to enjoy a decent standard of living even during economic downturns.
159
When was the Cooperative store set up?
1844
160
Who set up the Cooperative store?
Rochdale weavers (who set up the The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers) who each contributed £1
161
How many Cooperative stores were there by 1850?
Over 100
162
What did the Cooperative stores do?
Bought goods at wholesale and sold for profit - food was reliable quality and reasonably priced.
163
What was the purpose of Friendly Societies?
To provide basic welfare benefits when required (e.g. if the main earner, the husband, died there would be protection so the wife and child did not enter the workhouses
164
When did Chartism start?
1838
165
Who were the Chartists?
A pressure group that supporter working class activity and agitated for political reform that would extend the franchise to working men so their grievances could be heard.
166
What were the causes of Chartism?
- economic downturns & poor harvests
- government reforms failed to improve working class lives
- 1832 reform act still excluded W/C
- resentment towards new poor law
- factory act had increase hours for adults
167
What were the 6 points of the People's Charter?
1. A vote for every man over 21
2. Secret ballot
3. No property qualifications to become an MP
4. Payment of MPs
5. Equal electoral districts
6. Annual parliament
168
What were the issues with Chartism?
- variety of different groups/aims - made a single strong leadership impossible
- there were differences on how the charter was meant to be achieved
169
When was the first Charist petition?
1839
170
First Chartist petition
- over 1 million signatures
- led to Newport Rising
- failed (rejected by Whigs AND Tories)
171
Newport Rising
- due to appalling working conditions in the coal mines and iron foundries & failure of 1st Chartist petition
- 'armed Chartists' beaten down by 30 armed soldiers
- 24 Chartists killed
- Lovett imprisoned
172
Why did support for Chartists lessen?
There was a slight economic recovery and decrease in unemployment between 1842-46.
173
Second Chartist petition
- Supposedly signed by 3 million people (all joke names - including Queen Victoria)
- ridiculed in parliament and dismissed
- led to Plug Plot
174
When was the second Chartist petition?
1842
175
Plug Plot
- Chartists removed all of the boiler plugs from the steam engines which prevented factories from operating
- dealt with quickly
176
Who were the 2 key figures of the Chartist movement?
Francis Place and William Lovett
177
178
When was Grey PM?
1832-34
179
What reforms did Grey introduce?
- the Great Reform Act (1832)
- Abolition of Slavery (1833)
- Factory Act (1833)
- Poor Law Amendment Act (1834)
180
What were the major difficulties that Grey faced as PM?
- disagree the between Whigs and Radicals (as Whigs believed that political reform had been settled in 1832)
- problems within Ireland (wanted repeal of the Act Of Union)
181
Coercion Act
1833
Gave wide powers to the authorities in Ireland e.g. curfews and suppression of disturbances
Introduced in order to overcome to the rural unrest in Ireland.
182
When was Melbourne PM?
1834
183
What was the Lichfield House Compact?
A pact formed between Lord Russell and Daniel O’Connell where Irish support was promised for the Whigs in parliament and in return a Whig commitment to carry through Irish reforms.
184
When was Peel PM?
1841-46
185
What economic reforms did Peel introduce?
- income tax
- cut tariffs
- lowered the corn law sliding scale
- duties on raw materials (e.g. cotton) abolished
- Bank Charter Act
186
When was the Bank Charter Act?
1844
187
What was the Bank Charter Act?
Bank of England was able issue notes with a face value in place of cash (but notes worth over £14 million has to be supported by gold reserves) and there was to be weekly publications of accounts.
188
Why was the Bank Charter Act introduced?
- to curb the over-issue of bank notes as this only continued financial instability
- to meet the requirements of a growing industry
189
Impacts of the Bank Charter Act
- Eventually, Bank of England notes became normal currency
- injected a degree of confidence in the economy
190
When was the Joint Stock Companies Act introduced?
1844
191
What was the Joint Stock Companies Act?
- made it obligatory for a company with 25+ members to declare themselves
- introduced measures to regulate company finance
- registrar appointed
192
Who was exempt from the Joint Stock Companies Act?
The railway industry
193
What were Peel’s main focuses as PM?
- to stabilise government finances
- to stimulate trade and industry
- sort out cost of living, unemployment and ultimately discontent and distress by sorting out the economy
194
What was the Maynooth Grant?
Money given to Maynooth, the Catholic college wheee priests receive training, as Peel be,is ex if would gain loyalty from the Catholic Church and peasantry (who were under the Church’s influence)
195
Impact of Maynooth Grant
Divided the Tories as it was opposed by Anglican’s and nonconformists
196
When was the GNCTU formed?
1834
197
What does GNCTU stand for?
Grand National Consolidated Trades Union
198
How many members did the GNCTU have?
Over half a million within a few weeks (each payed 1 shilling)
199
Why did the GNCTU form?
Idea = national unions (each representing a different trade) would have more resources to be able to demand
200
Who created the GNCTU?
Robert Owen
201
What was the aim of the GNCTU?
To fight against recurrent economic crises and unemployment
202
What were the problems within the GNCTU?
- poor communication
- widely differing opinions on strikes
203
When were the Tolpuddle Martyrs?
1834
204
Who were the Tolpuddle Martyrs?
A group of agricultural workers from Tolpuddle in Dorset who set up a branch of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Workers and were convicted on the grounds that they had taken a secret oath.
6 of them were transported to Australia for 7yrs.
205
What did the Tolpuddle Martyrs lead to?
A well coordinated campaign by Lovett, which led to them being pardoned and allowed to return
206
Who set up the Cooperative Movement?
Rochdale Pioneers (weavers)
207
When was the first Cooperative store set up?
1844
208
How many Cooperative stores were there by 1850?
100
209
What did the Rochdale Pioneers believe?
That if they applied thrift and self help to their daily lives then they could continue to enjoy decent standard of living even during economic downturns.
210
What was the purpose of Friendly Societies?
To provide basic welfare benefits when required e.g. if the husband (main earner) died, there would be protection so the wife and children did not have to enter the workhouse
211
What was the membership like for Friendly Societies in 1846?
1.5 million
212
1801-51 urban population growth
1801 - 10.5 million
1851 - 21 million
213
How much of the population lived in urban areas by 1846?
Almost half
214
What were the living conditions within towns?
- crowded
- hastily built and back-to-back houses
- significant health problems caused by poor living conditions
- short life expectancy
215
How many children died before their 5th birthday?
Half of the children within the population
216
When was the Parliamentary train introduced?
1944
217
What was the Parliamentary train?
A carriage for 3rd class passengers that run at least once a day and the fare could not be more than 1 penny per mile.
It was obligatory for every railway company (Railway Act)
