British History: 1815-65
British History AQA 1815-65
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- Created by: MeganAndTheHart
- Created on: 09-04-12 15:23
Problems in 1815 (1)
Economic Depression
- Br. economy position eroded by war --> had over specialised in war goods during war = trade disrupted= rising prices/falling wages
- Move to capitalist way of farming= rural depopulation
- Industrialisation= pop. unrest (& unemployment)
- 1815- National debt= £861 mil. (owed £57 mil. by allies!)
- Income tax produced 30% of gov. revenue
International prestige
- USA= angry--> Br. intercepted US ships heading for EU
- US soldiers undermined Br. war effort
- USA wanted to break Br. control over Caribbean, Canada etc.
- Went against Br. fishermen, Tobacco & Sugar traders in these places
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Problems in 1815 (2)
Political Problems
- Needed confidence & Goodwill of Prince Regent (PR) --> majority of MPs not committed to one party to govern country
- PR could not be relied upon to support ministers
- Liverpool & 8 others = members of House of Lords
- Party Organisations= not tight- lacked patronage
Post Napoleon Conditions
- Transition- wartime to peacetime economy= mini boom then recession
- Revival of radicalism & Extra Parliamentary Protest
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Liverpool's reaction to Problems:
Habeas Corpus Suspension, 1817
- Could hold people without trial
The Six Acts, 1819
- Training Prevention Act= Must be in army to train in weapons usage
- Seizure of Arms Act= magistrates could enter houses to look for weapons
- Seditious Meetings Act= No more than 50 people could meet to riot etc. (like Peterloo 1819)
- Misdemeanours Act- no reasons needed to arrest & fast track through trial
- Blasphemous & Seditious Libel Act= illegal to bad-mout Gov.
- Newspapers & Stamp duties Act= Newspapers must be stamped to ensure no bad-mouthing of Gov.= made more expensive to buy
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Threats & Gov. Reaction: 1815-20: LUDDITES
Luddism 1812-15
- What? = Armed protestors - broke into factories, broke machinery
Act against Industrialisation/Mechanisation - Why? = Wanted trade union objectives
'Quasi-Revolutionary Movement' -Thompson
Historians agree economic distress= root cause - Gov.? = 1812- 12,000 troops sent to affected areas = no impact
(had already stopped)
Used spies to find out main culprits
Feb. 1812: Made 'Machine-breaking' a capital offence
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Threats & Gov. Reaction: 1815-20: SPA FIELDS/ BLAN
Spa Field Riots, 1816-21
- What? = 3 Meetings November/Decmber 1816 (Organised by Spenceans)
Henry Hunt spoke of 'Utopia'
Dr. Watson told crowd to "capture parliament"
Parliament panicked
Prince Regent's Carriage= stoned - Gov.? = Used Spies
Passed legislation to prevent reoccurence
March of the Blanketeers, 1817
- What?= March from Manchester to London
- Why? = Wanted to give PR a petition to relieve distress in North textile
districts
Wanted an end to Habeas Corpus suspension - Gov.? = Local magistrates declared it seditious--> dispersed it
Set up 'Manchester and Salford Yeomanry'
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Threats & Gov. Reaction: 1815-20: PENTRICH URPRISI
Pentrich Uprising, 1817
- What? = Some northern working class wanted to march to London to 'seize' it
2 Minor uprisings occured (Huddersfield and Pentrich)
Attacked factories en route - Why? = To protest against the terrible working isolation in the North due to
French wars - Gov.? = 'Oliver the Spy' warned authorities= became well-prepared
1st uprising = stopped by a small number of troops
2nd uprising = Leaders arrested & charged with high treason
= 3 executed, 30 transported (Australia)
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Threats & Gov. Reaction: 1815-20: PETERLOO & CATO
Peterloo Massacre, 1819
- What? = Post-Habeas Corpus restoration- Henry Hunt continued to appeal
for parliamentary reform--> made aggresive speech
Hunt to make 2nd speech--> local magistrates= nervous about
the consequences
50-60,000 gathered to listen - Gov.? = Magistrates sent in yeomanry to arrest Hunt- But difficult to reach
Sent in regular forces to rescue yeomanry armed with sabres
Crowd Tried to protect Orators- All panic= 11 killed, 300-400 injured
Cato Conspiracy, 1820
- What? = Plans to assassinate Liverpool's Cabinet = the most revolutionary
action of the period - Why? = Wanted to paralyse decision-making body in Capital & then trigger
uprisings around Britain. - Gov.? = Spy 'George Edwards' Informed Gov. = Leaders arrested/executed
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Cabinet Reform, 1822
Cabinet Reform, 1822- a turning point?
- Traditional view= 1st 10 years of Liverpool's premiership was reactionary &
last 5 years= Liberal-Toryism - Still some continuity in cabinet post-1822
- Impression of change= illusionary --> All had served in Liverpool's Cabinet
pre-1822! - All had supported the Gov. through its reactionary years
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Liberal-Tory Reforms, 1822-29 (1)
Navigation Acts Relaxation, 1823 (Huskisson)
- All goods entering Br. had to be by Br. ships
= more work for Br. people but less foreign trade
Reciprocity Treaties (Huskisson)
- EU states agreed to reduce duties on each others goods
= cheaper goods for civilians but difficult for Br. traders to profit
Relaxation of Trade Restrictions (Huskisson)
- Br. Colonies could trade with all countries but Br.
- Br. lowered duties on goods to keep colonies trading
= colonies had more freedom, Br. made more money but colonies had little choice because Br. was cheapest
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Liberal-Tory Reforms, 1822-29 (2)
Reduction of Import Duties (Robinson)
- Taxed no silk, wool, coffee & iron
- Reduced in return for other countries doing the same
= Trade up, raw materials cheaper for public
Repeal of Combination Act, 1824
- Had Been illegal for workers to combine to improve working conditions or press for higher wages--> banned trade unions & strike action
- 1824= Trade Unions/strikes= no longer liable to prosecution
Amending Act, 1825
- Trade Unions still legal but illegal for them to use any form of force/participation in strikes
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Liberal-Tory Reforms, 1822-29 (3)
Gaols Act, 1823 (Peel)
- Gaolers paid and inmates received basic education
= chance to reform and get a job
= some argued that prisons were too liberal
= not widespread across country at first
Trade Union Reform, 1824 (Peel)
- Offcially legalised trade unions with certain restrictions
= workers could be heard but several limitations
Juries Act, 1825 (Peel)
- Regulated formation of Juries
= Stopped juries acting in self-interest
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Liberal-Tory Reforms, 1822-29 (4)
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1826 (Peel)
- Reduced number off offences punishable by death (By 100)~
= conviction was more certain & transportation and public hangings remained
Metropolitan Police Force Act, 1829 (Peel)
- Created 3,000 'Bobbies' in London only
- Spread slowly (Not to rural areas until 1850s)
= crime was regulated
Banks Act, 1826
- Banks couldn't print notes of less than £5
- Gov. increased size of banks
= more confidence and investment
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1822-29 Gov.: Liberal or Repressive?
Liberal?
- Peel single-handedly reorganised & streamlined criminal law. Gave more credibilityto laws and reduced capital offences.
- Rubenstein: The Gaols Act= a "major reform"
- Liverpool's death= party broke into Liberal-tory & Ultra-tory factions
Liberal-toryism began in Liverpool's final years
Repressive?
- Simplified criminal law but not more lenient. Peel's reforms= conservative
=designed to make system more effective, not to change it - Economic policy by Huskisson designed pre-1823
= no decisive break to "liberalism" - Combinations Act encouraged strikes, restricted freedom of trade unions
Gov. soon backtracked once workers had taken advantage of it. - Huskisson & Robinson= 1st economic experts --> "supported" liberal economics = but necessary not ideological.
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