Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

The growth of parliamentary democracy > The unreformed Parliament and its critics > Flashcards

The unreformed Parliament and its critics Flashcards

1
Q

What did Britains political system consist of?

A

House of Lords (nobility), House of Commons (the people)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What were the qualifications to be in the House of Commons?

A

Own property worth £300 a year (if selected no pay)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Why was this system corrupt?

A

The House of Lords had influence over Commons —> impossible for majority to stand for election

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What was the issue with this system?

A

No representation of majority of Britain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What was the pre-reform electorate like?

A

Only men could vote, qualifications differed depending on what type of constituency you lived in

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What were the two types of constituencies?

A

The counties, The boroughs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What’s we’re the qualifications for the pre-reform electorate if you were from a county?

A
  • rural shores that selected 2 MPs each
  • Own peppery worth over 40 shillings a year (£2)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What was the problem of representation in counties + example?

A

Each county had 2 MPs regardless of size - eg Bedfordshire population of 2,000 whole Yorkshire 20,000 but both only 2 MPs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What were the qualifications if you lived in a borough?

A
  • elected 2 MPs but franchise qualifications broad corporation, freemen, scot and lot, burgage, potwolloper, freeholder
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What was the rule for corporation (borough qualifications)?

A

Only members of town council could vote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What was the rule on voting if you were a freeman (borough)?

A

Anyone w status of freeman could vote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What was the rule on voting with Scot & Lot (borough)?

A

Anyone who paid poor rates could vote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What was the rule on voting with burgage (borough)?

A

Burgage - ancient form of rent on property in a borough. Owners of this property could vote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What was the rule of potwolloper voting from a borough?

A

Hearth big enough to boil a pot could vote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What’s a freeholder and could they vote in boroughs?

A

Similar franchise to the counties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

PARLIAMENTARY SEATS

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How many contested seats were there in 1780

A

only two

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What was the issue with voting?

A

Lack of secret ballot (public viewing) meant bribery, intimidation and cooling could affect votes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What’s a pocket borough?

A

Small borough which could easily be manipulated/ controlled by prominent family/landowner in area (bribery)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What’s an example of a pocket borough?

A

Gatton in Surrey ‘bought’ at auction for £90,000 in 1801

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What was the issue in commons?

A

Wealthy property owners controlled representation so vote didn’t reflect different interests in Britain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What % of the population could take part in election?

A

Only 11%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What was the issue with the upper class in election?

A

Corruption and political dominance which raised the need for reform

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What’s a rotten borough?

A

Small town that used to be prominent in Middle Ages but over time declined in stature. Still remained their 2 MPs despite this bc of last importance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Why was the system out of date?

A

Distribution of seats based upon importance of constituency at time of creation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

DEMANDS FOR REFORM

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What’s an example of a group dedicated to reform pre 1785?

A

Society for Constitutional Information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What did the Society for Constitutional Information do?

A

Promoted public awareness through pamphleteering

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Why was the Society for Constitutional Information unsuccessful?

A

Undermined by Gordon Riots 1780

30
Q

What did Pitt (PM) propose in 1785?

A

Disenfranchising 36 of worst boroughs and redistributing seats - defeated by 74 votes in commons

31
Q

Why Pitt’s proposal in 1785 defeated?

A

Reform not a popular issue bc MPs didn’t want to change system they benefited from

32
Q

When was the French Revolution?

A

1789

33
Q

What impact did the French revolution have on demands for reform?

A

Criticism of British model + question legitimacy

34
Q

What was the reaction from conservative politicians to demands as a result of French Rev?

A

Strong defensive reaction —> they benefited from the system

35
Q

Who wrote Reflections on the Revolution in France?

A

Burke —> virtue of British system was its slow and adaptive nature + those MPs were best in society and knew best how to govern

36
Q

Who wrote The Rights of Man and what was its significance?

A

Thomas Paine (in response to Burke) —> 1793 more than 200,000 copies sold - condemning inequalities of political system

37
Q

What reform groups did Paine’s book inspire?

A
  • Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information (1971, working class)
  • London Corresponding Society —> raise public awareness through pamphleteering
38
Q

What did The London and Sheffield Socitey do?

A
  • Sheffield —> 10,000+ signatures on petition calling for manhood suffrage
  • London —> demonstration with 100,000 people
39
Q

What overshadowed the demand for reform?

A

Outbreak of war with France in 1793 —> unpatriotic

40
Q

What was introduced to stop political meetings in 1795?

A

Treason Act of 1795 —> death penalty for any treasonable activity like political meetings

41
Q

What happened as a result of the end of the Napoleonic War in 1815?

A

Soldiers returned home looking for work in a depressed economic climate

42
Q

Why did food prices rise in 1816?

A

Harvests failed

43
Q

What impact did the failed harvests have?

A

Higher food prices at a time of economic struggle

44
Q

Why did wages decline?

A

Ready supply of workers (soldiers)

45
Q

What was the result of failed harvests and declining wages?

A

Closer look at gov who seemed not to be supporting those in need

46
Q

What was there a growth of as a result of these issues?

A

Active reform press (reformist activity)

47
Q

What did Cobbett write and why did it become popular?

A

Covbett’s political register - reduced price to 1s 1/2 to 2d.

48
Q

How many copies were sold of Cobbetts Political Register in 1816 and in what time?

A

Sold 200,000 copies in 2 months

49
Q

What book did Wooler write?

A

The Black Dwarf —> satirical journal supporting working class interests

50
Q

How many of Woolers journals circulated in 1819?

A

12,000

51
Q

What did Henry Hunt do in the growth of reformist activity?

A

Speeches to crowds ab reform

52
Q

What influence did these reformist activities have?

A

Allowed political awareness to spread at a time where people were interested + listening

53
Q

What Riot occurred in Nov-Dec 1816?

A

Spa Field Riots in Islington —> speaker like Hunt + attracted crowds of 10-20,000

54
Q

What and when was the March of the Blanketeers?

A

Lancashire weavers planned an armed march to London in March 1817 —> broken up by local yeomanry

55
Q

What was the name of the riot in St Peter’s Field in Manchester?

A

Peter loo Massacre

56
Q

When was Peterloo Massacre?

A

16th August 1819

57
Q

What happened at the Peterloo Massacre?

A

Political rally.
Henry Hunt speaking.
Crowds of 60,000.
Forcibly dispersed by yeomanry.
18 killed, 400 injured.

58
Q

What happened in Government as a result of the Peterloo Massacre

A

Agitation alarmed gov (control lost) —> Six Acts passed

59
Q

What was the Six Acts?

A

Passed in December.
Banned public meeting of over 50 people + harsher punishments like death penalty

60
Q

What was the reaction from the moderate middle class as a result of the Peterloo Massacre?

A

Dropped reform intentions —-> preserve positions and avoid reactionary policies

61
Q

What was the Cato street Conspiracy?

A

As a result of stirred up determination bc of Six Acts - reformers plotted to assassinate cabinet (arrested)

62
Q

THE POLITICAL DEMANDS OF THE MANUFACTURING INTEREST

A
63
Q

What arose as a result of industrialisation?

A

Rise of manufacturing self made middle class

64
Q

What ability did this new middle class have?

A

Potential to force political chnage —> educated + employers do thousands who relied on their goodwill

65
Q

What did the new manufacturing middle favour?

A

Laissez-fair approach of gov (no control over economic matters)

66
Q

What were the Corn Laws?

A

Law to protect farmers from foreign comp now war was over

67
Q

Why did the Corn Law cause discontent?

A

Forced farmers to raise wages to ensure workforce fed + price of bread in cities rose (main source of food for poor)

68
Q

What was the Corn Law an example if?

A

Gov looking after own + prioritising interests of landowners

69
Q

How did the new middle class view the political system?

A

Inefficient- patronage

70
Q

Why didn’t industrial manufacturing cities have enough power?

A

Seat distribution didn’t give them enough power

The growth of parliamentary democracy (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions