The condition of Britain in 1812

Question 1

According to J.H Plumb, what was Britain now emerging as?

Answer 1

The strongest, richest and most powerful country in the world

Question 2

According to J.H Plumb, what did Britain seem to be on the verge of?

Answer 2

Bankrupcy and social revolution

Question 3

How does J.H Plumb describe the poor at this time?

Answer 3

Starvation drove them to wreck machinery, as they saw this as the source of their misery

Question 4

How does Plumb describe the government as respoding to the violence of the poor?

Answer 4

With brutal repression

Question 5

How does J.H Plumb describe the intellectuals at this time?

Answer 5

To thinking men, the horizon looked dark and foreboding

Question 6

How does J.H Plumb describe France at this time?

Answer 6

Says they were on the verge of defeat in the struggle for a commercial empire

Question 7

What does J.H Plumb say was opening up to Britain at this time?

Answer 7

The ports of the New World

Question 8

How does J.H Plumb describe Britain at the end of the Napoleonic wars?

Answer 8

There was fear, envy and greed, but little hope

Question 9

Outline the consequences of the economic crisis Britain was enduring at this time

Answer 9

There was real poverty, distress and starvation in both town and countryside

Question 10

Why were the labouring classes so resentful following the Napoleonic wars?

Answer 10

Because they had seen people profiting off the wars

Question 11

What was the consequence of the economic crisis and the negative perceptions about the Napoleonic wars?

Answer 11

Social unrest and outbreaks of violence

Question 12

What was the consequence of the assassination of Spencer Perceval?

Answer 12

It created turmoil in government circles and necessitated the appointment of a sixth PM in just over a decade

Question 13

Why did Lord Liverpool seem like a sensible replacement for Perceval?

Answer 13

• Leader of the House of Lords
• Had already served in cabinet for some time as foreign secretary, home secretary and secretary of war and the colonies

Question 14

Who did Lord Liverpool select to be his home secretary?

Answer 14

The former PM Henry Addington, 1st Viscount of Sidmouth, who developed a reputation for ruthless and efficient crackdown on dissent

Question 15

Why do some see the idea that the 5 previous PMs managed the war poorly as harsh?

Answer 15

They all made some contribution to strengthening Britain’s position vis-a-vis Napoleon

Question 16

List the factors that led to Britain’s victory over Napoleon

Answer 16

• Sea power
• Military efforts in the Spanish Peninsular
• Economic blockades like the orders of council

Question 17

Why was Napoleon’s continental system a failure?

Answer 17

Britain’s export and re-export of trade as it had a virtual monopoly on shipping goods across the world

Question 18

What was the government under pressure to rescind?

Answer 18

The damaging orders of council

Question 19

What causes the considerable rural depopulation to areas of industry?

Answer 19

A more capitalist system of agriculture leading to the development of fewer but larger farms

Question 20

What were the result of the first and second national census?

Answer 20

Population increased from 10.5 millionin 1801 to 12 million in 1811

Question 21

What was the consequence of the population becoming more youthful?

Answer 21

They were more likely to be looking for change

Question 22

What were the handful of radicals in parliament concerned with at this time?

Answer 22

Establishing individual rights and liberties, like the right of Dissenters to hold public office, rather than an extension of the parliamentary franchise

Question 23

Who was Sir Francis Burdett?

Answer 23

A popular champion of the radicals who was elected an MP in 1807

Question 24

How did Sir Francis Burdett put pressure on government?

Answer 24

By repeatedly raising the issue of free and fair elections

Question 25

How did Sir Francis Burdett come into conflict with government?

Answer 25

By criticising the House of Commons in a book written by fellow radical William Corbett called ‘Political Register’

Question 26

What was Sir Francis Burdett’s punishment for speaking out against the Commons?

Answer 26

He was briefly imprisoned in the tower

Question 27

Why did Sir Francis Burdett eventually decisde to step back?

Answer 27

For fear of stirring up the mob and bringing more serious against him

Question 28

Which political thinker had an especially large influence on radicalism at this time?

Answer 28

Radicalism was greatly influenced by Jeremy Bentham’s ideas of political reform, which he thought must come before all other types of reform. His conversion to democracy influenced a broad spectrum of politicians and administrators

Question 29

Why were radical reformers cautious about making use of popular support?

Answer 29

They did not want to risk encouraging violence, as this could alienate respectable opinion and provide an excuse for government repression

Question 30

What was the Hampden club?

Answer 30

Formed in 1812 by a group of leading radicals, it ‘pointed the way to the Whig-radical politics of the post war world, but had little impact as a force for real political change

Question 31

Why could the exercise of political power be seen as largely the same as it was in the 1780s?

Answer 31

The aristocratic landed interest was still predominant

Question 32

What was their a growing awareness of in terms of the exercise of political power?

Answer 32

The importance of commercial and manufacturing interests and a greater willingness to listen to their opinion, but not to give them a share in political power. The opinions of the labouring classes still counted for nothing

Question 33

What was the consequence of Britain’s naval and military successes in the Napoleonic wars?

Answer 33

The emerged from the war stronger, wealthier and as the 19th century progressed, the most powerful country in the world

Question 34

What provoked the increasing attacks on textile machinery?

Answer 34

Parliament removing centuries old legislation for the protection of domestic textile producers

Question 35

What was Luddism?

Answer 35

The idea that workers would take any action necessary to protect their property - their labour

Question 36

What did Britain seem to be on the brink of in 1812?

Answer 36

A political, social and economic revolution