What political and economic impact did war have on Britain from 1802-1812?

Question 1

Who was Napoleon Bonaparte?

Answer 1

the Emperor of France

Question 2

Why did Napoleon come to France?

Answer 2

• relations broke down in Corsica, where he had advocated for independence from the French.
• he was rejected by his homeland.

Question 3

What enabled Napoleon to rise through the ranks?

Answer 3

• captured Toulon from royalists = brigadier-general at 24
• quashed a revolt in Paris that threatened to overthrow the National Convention in 1795 = military adviser to government
• bloodless coup on 9th November 1799

Question 4

What was Napoleon elected as in 1802? Why was this controversial?

Answer 4

• ‘consul for life’
• reminded the French of their old monarchy

Question 5

Where did Napoleon’s empire stretch to in 1811?

Answer 5

• Italy, parts of Germany and Holland

Question 6

What led to Napoleon’s downfall?

Answer 6

• his attempt to invade Russia
• Battle of Leipzig 1813 defeat

Question 7

Where did Napoleon spend his final days?

Answer 7

St Helena, living in isolation

Question 8

What did men at home do, during the war?

Answer 8

• train with local volunteer forces in case of French invasion

Question 9

What did women do, during the war?

Answer 9

• make uniforms for the troops

Question 10

What were the economic impacts of the war?

Answer 10

• high taxes, unemployment, high food prices caused by wartime trade restrictions
• this caused many men to sign up to the army which meant families were separated and had to rely on relief

Question 11

What were the social impacts of the war?

Answer 11

• strikes, riots and Luddism
• hopes for a better life amongst the labouring population
• unrest among working people

Question 12

What were the political impacts of the war?

Answer 12

• 1819: the female Reform Society of Manchester denounced the war, saying it was against the liberties of France
• they also stated that war increased landed property and taxes; (idea that only the aristocracy benefitted)
• the burden of taxation caused the formation of political groups who wanted better political representation as they believed only the aristocracy benefitted from the war

Question 13

When and how did the first phase of the war with France end?

Answer 13

• 1802
• Treaty of Amiens

Question 14

When and why did the second phase of the war with France begin?

Answer 14

• 1803
• Napoleon broke the terms of the treaty

Question 15

What was passed in July 1803? What is significant about this?

Answer 15

• Levée en Masse act: forced enlistment for men 17-55
• 800,000 men under arms
• biggest armed mobilisation in British History

Question 16

When did the first coalition begin? Who was it with? When did it collapse?

Answer 16

• 1793
• Britain, Prussia, Austria, Holland and Spain
• 1795

Question 17

When was the second coalition formed? Who was it with? When did it collapse?

Answer 17

• 1799
• Britain, Russia, Austria, Portugal, Naples
• 1801

Question 18

When was the third coalition formed? Who was it with? When did it collapse?

Answer 18

• 1804
• Britain, Russia and Austria
• 1805

Question 19

What were Addington’s actions in war?

Answer 19

• income tax
• ordered a clean up of corruption at the Navy Board
• ordered a blockade of French ports
• Treaty of Amiens 1802

Question 20

What was the problem with Addington’s income tax?

Answer 20

it upset the upper class, who supported him
(meant that it was even easier for Pitt to attack his administration)

Question 21

What were Pitt’s actions in war?

Answer 21

• income tax in 1798
• government borrowed such large sums of money/ raising loans to fund the war = inflation
• sinking fund but this was not popular during war time
• weak ministry

Question 22

What was Pitt’s alternative for raising loans? Was this effective at all?

Answer 22

income tax
- in the longer term this was effective as by 1806 it began offsetting the high costs of war

Question 23

What were Grenville’s actions in war?

Answer 23

• failed to establish a clear strategy for dealing with war = administration divided
• faced a lot of criticism due to the failure of Catholic Emancipation (caused him to resign)
• third coalition crumpled under him; lost Russia as a valuable ally
• the 1807 Orders of the Council

Question 24

What were Portland’s actions during war?

Answer 24

• the Peninsula War
• Napoleon marched through Spain and into Portugal to ‘plug the gap’ of where Britain could still trade
• this turned the once compliant Spaniards against Napoleon
• Britain intervened to attack Napoleon on land
• Portland’s government isn’t credited, as it could be due to Napoleon’s lack of success
• drained France of men and material = successful

Question 25

What were Perceval's actions in war? What did Dick Leonard say about him?

Answer 25

- weak ministry - 'pursued the war against France more fruitfully than his predecessors'

Question 26

What did Addington, Pitt, Grenville, Portland and Perceval all fail to do to bring an end to the war with France? Why did they fail?

Answer 26

- they all failed to devise a clear strategy - couldn't unite Parliament - they all had very short terms - inherited problems from predecessors meant there was already political instability at the start of their time in Parliament

Question 27

What was the national debt in 1801? What did this increase from?

Answer 27

- £456 million - £228 million

Question 28

What was Napoleon's continental system?

Answer 28

- a system of blockades against Britain

Question 29

What did Napoleon pass in 1806? Why did this put Britain's economy in danger?

Answer 29

- Berlin Decrees 1806 - proclaimed Britain as in a state of blockades - forbade European trade with Britain - Britain was not self-sufficient enough for this

Question 30

What were the Milan Decrees?

Answer 30

- furthered Napoleon's Berlin Decrees; stated that any European ship that entered British ports could be seized by the French

Question 31

How did Britain retaliate to Napoleon's economic warfare and when?

Answer 31

- 1807: Orders of the Council - any countries that followed Napoleon's decrees would be under a British blockade

Question 32

What were the limitation's to Napoleon's economic warfare?

Answer 32

- it was impossible to control all ports and stop them trading with Britain - Napoleon had to open up the French ports for British uniforms; giving them trade - Napoleon didn't have naval supremacy, like Britain

Question 33

How was industrialisation boosted by the French Wars?

Answer 33

- huge demand for armaments = increased demand for coal and iron - this increased the use of Watt's steam engine - textiles industry thrived, making uniforms for soldiers

Question 34

What was the long-term political impact of the French wars?

Answer 34

- gave way for Tory dominance for 30 years

Question 35

What was short-term political impact of the French wars?

Answer 35

- more government intervention to decrease the risk of radicalism, although this wasn't really a threat

Question 36

What was the economic and political crisis of 1810 and 1811?

Answer 36

- merchants and manufacturers saw the Orders of Council as unnecessary - neutral US closed its ports to both France and Britain - merchants switched trade to new South American ports - their instant success meant that they overproduced and faced economic collapse - there were consecutive failed harvests - banks collapsed - inflation

Question 37

What was a positive economic impact of the French wars on Britain?

Answer 37

- Napoleon's weakening position and lack of ability to enforce his continental system meant that ports in the New World were opening up to Britain = trade in the long term