TOPIC 1 - UK POLITICAL HISTORY

Question 1

HOW DID FEUDALISM WORK?

Answer 1

KING POSSESSED ULTIMATE EXECUTIVE, LEGILSATIVE AND JUDICIAL POWER. KING AT TOP OF SYSTEM FOLLOWED BY NOBLES, KNIGHTS AND THEN PEASANTS AT BOTTOM. PEOPLE WERE GIVEN LAND AND PROTECTION BY PEOPLE OF HIGHER RANK AND FOUGHT FOR THEM IN RETURN.

Question 2

WHAT WAS THE DOMINANT POLITICAL SYSTEM IN THE UK IN MEDIEVAL TIMES?

Answer 2

FEUDALISM

Question 3

WHAT WAS THE WITAN?

Answer 3

EARLY FORM OF ROYAL COUNCIL THAT EXISTED DURING ANGLO SAXON PERIOD. WITAN MEANS MEETING OF THE WISE MEN.

Question 4

WHAT WERE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE WITAN?

Answer 4

1. ADVISED THE KING ON IMPORTANT MATTERS OF STATE
2. CHOSE THE KING IF THERE WAS NO CLEAR HEIR
3. INVOLVED IN PASSING LAWS AND MAKNG JUDICIAL DECISIONS
4. DISCUSSED LAND GRANTS AND PROPERTY DISPUTES

Question 5

WHAT WAS THE CURIA REGIS?

Answer 5

SERVED AS PRINCIPLE ROYAL COUNCIL OF THE NORMAN TIMES.

Question 6

WHAT WAS THE FUNCTION OF THE CURIA REGIS?

Answer 6

1. ADVISED THE KING ON IMPORTANT MATTERS
2. FUNCTIONED AS A COURT OF LAW
3. INVOLVED IN COLLECTING TAXES AND MANAGING ROYAL FINANCES.

Question 7

WHAT WAS THE MAGNA CARTA?

Answer 7

FIRST DOCUMENT TO PUT INTO WRITING THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE KING AND HIS GOVT IS NOT ABOVE LAW. ISSUED IN JUNE 1215.

Question 8

WHY WAS THE MAGNA CARTA IMPORTANT?

Answer 8

1. INTRODUCED IDEA THAT THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WERE WORTHY OF PROTECTION FROM ARBITRARY ACTS OF KING
2. PREVENTS KING EXPLOITING POWER

Question 9

WHY WAS THERE AN ENGLISH CIVIL WAR IN THE 17TH CENTURY?

Answer 9

DISPUTES OVER HOW ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND IRELAND SHOULD BE GOVERNED. CENTRE OF CONFLICT WAS DISAGREEMENTS OVER RELIGION AND ABUSE OF KING’S POWER

Question 10

WHY WAS THE 1689 BILL OF RIGHTS IMPORTANT?

Answer 10

1 .ESTABLISHED PRINCIPLES OF FREQUENT PARLIAMENT, FREE ELECTIONS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH WITHIN PARLIAMENT KNOWN AS PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE.
2. CREATED SEPARATION OF POWERS AND LIMITED POWER OF THE MONARCH.
3. ALLOWED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONSTITUIONAL MONARCHY.

Question 11

WHAT IS A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY?

Answer 11

SYSTEM OF GOVT THAT IS RULED BY THE MONARCH WHOSE POWER IS LIMITED BY ITS COUNTRY’S CONSTITUTION.

Question 12

WHAT WAS THE PARLIAMENT ACT OF 1911?

Answer 12

LEGISLATION THAT REDUCED THE POWER OF HOL AND REASSERTED POWER TO HOC. B4 1911. HOL HAD POWER TO VETO BILLS INDEFINITELY BUT ACT LIMITED THEM TO BEING ABLE TO ONLY DELAY BILLS - MONEY BILLS BY UP TO A MONTH AND OTHER BILLS FOR UP TO 2 YRS.

Question 13

WHAT WAS THE PARLIAMENT ACT OF 1949?

Answer 13

FURTHER REDUCED HOL ABILITY TO DELAY BILLS. REDUCED TO ONLY 1YR. ALSO ALLOWED BILLS TO BECOME LAW DESPITE BEING REJECTGED BY HOL IF BILL WAS PASSED IN 2 CONSECUTIVE SESSIONS BY HOC WITH AT LEAST 1 YR GAP.

Question 14

WHO WERE THE FIRST 2 POLITICAL PARTIES THAT STOOD IN THE 1685 ENGLISH PARLIAMENT?

Answer 14

TORIES AND WHIGS

Question 15

WHICH PARTY FIRST WON SEATS IN 1900 UNDER KEIR HARDIE?

Answer 15

LRC WHICH THEN BECAME THE LABOUR PARTY. BUILT OUR OF TRADE UNION MOVEMENT WHICH REPRESENTED WORKERS IN FACTORIES.

Question 16

WHAT WAS THR TREATY OF WINDSOR 1175?

Answer 16

TERRITORIAL AGREEMENT MADE DURING THE TIME OF THE ANGLO-NORMAN INVASION OF ENGLAND.

Question 17

WHAT WAS THE TREATY OF ABERCONWY IN 1277?

Answer 17

AGREEMENT BETWEEN KING EDWARD1 AND PRINCE OF WALES THE MARKED THE END OF THE PRINCE’S EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH WELSH INDEPENDENCE. SET STAGE FOR COMPLETE CONQUEST OF WALES.

Question 18

WHAT WAS THE TREATY OF UNION 1707?

Answer 18

AGREEMENT THAT LED TO THE CREATIONS OF THE KINGDOM OF GB BY UNITING ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND. BROUGHT 2 KINGDOMS TOGETHER UNDER A SINGLE PARLIAMENT AND CROWN.

Question 19

WHAT WAS THE TREATY OF UNION 1800?

Answer 19

REFERS TO LAWS PASSED THAT UNITED DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BRITISH ISLES.

Question 20

WHAT WAS THE 1921 ANGLE IRISH TREATY?

Answer 20

AGREEMENT BETWEEN GOVT OF UK AND IRELAND THAT CONCLUDED THE IRISH WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. LED TO ESTABLISHMENT OF IRISH FREE STATE.

Question 21

WHAT WERE THE TROUBLES?

Answer 21

TIME OF VIOLENT CONFLICT IN NORTHERN IRELAND BETWEEN UNIONISTS AND NATIONALISTS.

Question 22

HOW LONG DID THE TROUBLES LAST?

Answer 22

LATE 1960S TO 1998 GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT

Question 23

WHAT IS DEVOLUTION?

Answer 23

TRANSFER OF POWERS AND FUNDING FROM NATIONAL TO LOCAL GOVT. IS THE DECENTRALISATION OF GOVT POWER.

Question 24

WHAT OCCURED IN 1929?

Answer 24

GREAT DEPRESSION WHICH LEAD TO POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND HENCE RISE OF EXTREMISM E.G COMMUNISM AND FASCISM.

Question 25

WHAT WAS THE BEVERIDGE SUPPORT?

Answer 25

REPORT THAT PROMISED REWARDS FOR EVERY 1S SACRIFICE. LED TO INTRODUCTION OF WELFARE STATE WHICH INCLUDED ESTABLISHMENT OF NHS IN 1948.