The Corn Laws 1815

Question 1

What were the Corn Laws of 1815?

Answer 1

In 1815 the Corn Laws were passed, stating that foregin grain could no longer be imported until Domestic Grain reached reached 80 shillings a quarter

Question 2

Landowners’ reactions to the Corn Laws

Answer 2

Happy as they owned the land where the crops are grown - more profit - Preserved the value of their land and preserved their agricultural interests

Question 3

Merchants’ reactions to the Corn Laws

Answer 3

Less supply so prices rise, people can’t afford it to they sell less
Makes their jobs more difficult
Wanted to increase the selling and trading of gods abroads so they wanted to remove the corn laws altogether.

Question 4

Workers’ reactions to the Corn Laws

Answer 4

Workers were doing more labour for less pay
Workers’ diets mainly consisted of bread but it became too expensive and unrepresentative of them.

Question 5

Foreign reactions

Answer 5

Foreign countries were eager to sell grain as they had a surplus of it (offering it at lower prices- 50 Shillings)

Foreign trade could’ve helped build positive relations.

Not buying corn off of France damages the French Economy, causing the price of bread to rise there too.

Question 6

Cause of social and political dissapproval

Answer 6

Lower classes blamed the government - government was made of upper class mean who were able to afford increased prices. These people made decisions on behalf of the lower class. Believed it was a conspiracy of in favour of rich landowners 2

Foreign corn was being offered to the government at 50 shillings a sack but the government refused to buy until British Corn reached 80 Shillings.

Led to widespread popular protests