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

1
Q

Who was Napoleon Bonaparte?

A

the Emperor of France

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2
Q

Why did Napoleon come to France?

A
  • relations broke down in Corsica, where he had advocated for independence from the French.
  • he was rejected by his homeland.
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3
Q

What enabled Napoleon to rise through the ranks?

A
  • 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
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4
Q

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

A
  • ‘consul for life’
  • reminded the French of their old monarchy
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5
Q

Where did Napoleon’s empire stretch to in 1811?

A
  • Italy, parts of Germany and Holland
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6
Q

What led to Napoleon’s downfall?

A
  • his attempt to invade Russia
  • Battle of Leipzig 1813 defeat
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7
Q

Where did Napoleon spend his final days?

A

St Helena, living in isolation

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8
Q

What did men at home do, during the war?

A
  • train with local volunteer forces in case of French invasion
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9
Q

What did women do, during the war?

A
  • make uniforms for the troops
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10
Q

What were the economic impacts of the war?

A
  • 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
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11
Q

What were the social impacts of the war?

A
  • strikes, riots and Luddism
  • hopes for a better life amongst the labouring population
  • unrest among working people
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12
Q

What were the political impacts of the war?

A
  • 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
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13
Q

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

A
  • 1802
  • Treaty of Amiens
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14
Q

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

A
  • 1803
  • Napoleon broke the terms of the treaty
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15
Q

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

A
  • Levée en Masse act: forced enlistment for men 17-55
  • 800,000 men under arms
  • biggest armed mobilisation in British History
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16
Q

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

A
  • 1793
  • Britain, Prussia, Austria, Holland and Spain
  • 1795
17
Q

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

A
  • 1799
  • Britain, Russia, Austria, Portugal, Naples
  • 1801
18
Q

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

A
  • 1804
  • Britain, Russia and Austria
  • 1805
19
Q

What were Addington’s actions in war?

A
  • income tax
  • ordered a clean up of corruption at the Navy Board
  • ordered a blockade of French ports
  • Treaty of Amiens 1802
20
Q

What was the problem with Addington’s income tax?

A

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

21
Q

What were Pitt’s actions in war?

A
  • 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
22
Q

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

A

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

23
Q

What were Grenville’s actions in war?

A
  • 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
24
Q

What were Portland’s actions during war?

A
  • 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
25
Q

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

A
  • weak ministry
  • ‘pursued the war against France more fruitfully than his predecessors’
26
Q

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?

A
  • 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
27
Q

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

A
  • £456 million
  • £228 million
28
Q

What was Napoleon’s continental system?

A
  • a system of blockades against Britain
29
Q

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

A
  • Berlin Decrees 1806
  • proclaimed Britain as in a state of blockades
  • forbade European trade with Britain
  • Britain was not self-sufficient enough for this
30
Q

What were the Milan Decrees?

A
  • furthered Napoleon’s Berlin Decrees; stated that any European ship that entered British ports could be seized by the French
31
Q

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

A
  • 1807: Orders of the Council
  • any countries that followed Napoleon’s decrees would be under a British blockade
32
Q

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

A
  • 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
33
Q

How was industrialisation boosted by the French Wars?

A
  • 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
34
Q

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

A
  • gave way for Tory dominance for 30 years
35
Q

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

A
  • more government intervention to decrease the risk of radicalism, although this wasn’t really a threat
36
Q

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

A
  • 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
37
Q

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

A
  • 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