The Unreformed Political System 1785-1832

Question 1

How many MPs were in the House of Commons?

Answer 1

658

Question 2

Did MPs get a salary?

Answer 2

No

Question 3

What was the minimum income needed to become an MP?

Answer 3

£300 per year

Question 4

What did many people have to do in order to qualify financially to become and MP, and what system did this create?

Answer 4

Get a patron (sponsor), therefore creating a system of patronage

Question 5

Approximately how many MPs had patrons in the House of Lords, and what did this mean in terms of control?

Answer 5

Approximately 111, meaning the House of Lords had control over the House of Commons

Question 6

Approximately how many MPs did the King control, and what were they called?

Answer 6

Approximately 100 MPs, called placemen

Question 7

What were sinecures?

Answer 7

Essentially meaningless jobs given by the king which allowed the king to ‘buy’ MPs. This meant that the king’s PM had support

Question 8

When did being Church of England stop being a requirement for being in parliament?

Answer 8

1829

Question 9

In 1785 how many voters were there in the country, and what percentage of the adult male population was this?

Answer 9

1/2 million voters, 3% of the adult male population

Question 10

What property value did you need to have in order to be enfranchised for county elections?

Answer 10

40 shillings (£2) (40 shilling freehold)

Question 11

What are the requirements for enfranchisement in freeman boroughs?

Answer 11

If you were a free man (paid taxes) you could have the vote

Question 12

What are the requirements for enfranchisement in Scot and Lot boroughs?

Answer 12

If you paid local rates (local taxes, eg. poor tax) you could have the vote

Question 13

What are the requirements for enfranchisement in burgage boroughs?

Answer 13

If you had a back garden you could have the vote

Question 14

What are the requirements for enfranchisement in potwalloper boroughs?

Answer 14

If you had a fireplace that could fit a big pot you could have the vote

Question 15

What was the population of Manchester and how many MPs were there in 1831?

Answer 15

144 000 people, 0 MPs

Question 16

What was the population of Gatton and how many MPs were there?

Answer 16

6 houses, 1 voter, 1 MP

Question 17

What was the population of Dunwich and how many MPs were there?

Answer 17

By 1831 had a population of 232 and only 44 houses, but still had 2 MPs

Question 18

How many voters did Yorkshire have and how many MPs were there?

Answer 18

20 000 voters, 2 MPs

Question 19

How many voters did Ruttland have and how many MPs were there?

Answer 19

800 voters, 2 MPs

Question 20

How many boroughs had their MPs through nomination? (MP decided by local landowner, not by voters)

Answer 20

276

Question 21

Approximately how many counties and boroughs were there?

Answer 21

Approximately 200 counties, 400 boroughs

Question 22

What fraction of MPs were sons of Lords in 1800?

Answer 22

1/5

Question 23

How did the distribution of population change since the medieval times?

Answer 23

Originally many people lived in the south + in East Anglia for farming. However during the industrial revolution most people moved to big industrial towns + cities in the north

Question 24

What affect did the change in the distribution of population have on the worth of the vote and why?

Answer 24

It meant that votes weren’t worth the same because the distribution of seats stayed the same. This meant that where there were more people, the votes were worth less

Question 25

What was the population in Birmingham and how many MPs were there in 1831?

Answer 25

188 000 people, 0 MPs

Question 26

How many voters were there in Old Sarum and how many MPs were there?

Answer 26

Abandoned town, 3 houses, 7 voters, 1 MP

Question 27

Which area was underrepresented, and what impact did this have on what was looked after in parliament?

Answer 27

The north was underrepresented, which meant that parliament looked after the land and not industry

Question 28

Was the vote a secret ballot?

Answer 28

No, people voted on the hustings (open voting)

Question 29

How much was spent in Yorkshire in 1807 to bribe people?

Answer 29

£228 000 (modern £4.5 million)

Question 30

What was treating?

Answer 30

Paying for voter’s food and drink while they stayed to vote (elections lasted approximately 15 days)

Question 31

Why did each political party have a lawyer at the elections?

Answer 31

The lawyer was there to decide if people could vote because there were no electoral registers

Question 32

What was cooping?

Answer 32

Kidnapping opposition voters until after the election

Question 33

What fraction of elections were unopposed?

Answer 33

2/3