Topic 1 Revision sheet – Reaction and Reform 1815-1829

1789 – – Radicals in England e.g. Tom Paine spread the radical ideas

1795 – speenhamland system

1810 - 11 = Luddites – response – machine breaking is a capital offence

Lord PM from 1812 – at first very popular; 1815 British forces were victorious at the Battle of Waterloo, It was hoped that with the end of the French wars, he would be able to introduce reforms.

Lord Sidmouth= Lord Castlereagh = Foreign Secretary Lord Eldon = Lord Chancellor

Social discontent – 1815-22 – poor working conditions, enclosure of the land, industrial revolution, unemployment, introduction of 1815, and end of war meant thousands of soldiers left unemployed, a huge national deficit – income tax abolished and duties increased on ever day items Corn Laws 1815 – Import duties of Foreign wheat – importing wheat was banned until British wheat reached 80 shillings.

Radical Movement 1816 Spa fields movement – government response – suspension of Habeas Corpus 1817 March of the Blanketeers – government response – illegal for groups of 50+ to meet 1817 Pentrich rising – government spy ‘Oliver’ involved (Brief improvement in trade etc, Habeaus corpus suspension and ban on meetings lifted) 1819 Peterloo – government disaster with 11 killed – 6 acts were passed 1820 Cato Street Conspiracy – extremist radicals ‘Spenceans’ – plotters were executed Spenceans – radical group that supported revolution Henry Hunt – radical speaker who wanted reform not revolution After 1820 Radical movement died down; leaders were imprisoned and trade had improved

1820-21 – Queen Caroline affair – Queen Caroline supported by Radicals – government embarrassed

1822 Lord Liverpool and Liberal . Sir – Home Secretary . WJ Robinson – Chancellor of the Exchequer . William Huskisson – President of the Board of Trade . – Foreign Secretary

Economic Reforms (Huskisson and Robinson) - Repeal of the Navigation acts 1823 – the NA restricted trade with other countries - Reciprocity of goods act 1823 – allowed trade agreements with other countries - Reduction of import duties - Adjustments to corn laws – 1828 sliding scale was introduced Trade Union Reforms - Repeal of the combination acts 1824 – key radical involvement of Francis Place - Amending act 1825 – Up rise of strikes – amendment banned picketing and force Topic 1 Revision sheet – Reaction and Reform 1815-1829

Legal Reform (Peel) - Reform of the penal code 1826 – simplified laws and made it more effective - Capital Offences Act – abolished the death penalty for 180 offences - Goals Act 1823 – Gaols set up in every county, inspectors, gaolers paid

PMs ... Liverpool resigns 1827 – Canning takes over soon dies – Robinson(Goderich) takes over and resigns – Wellington forms a government in 1828

1828 Repeal of the test and corporations act – this allowed Protestants that were not Church of England to be MPs and members of the government – act meant it was very difficult to justify exclusion of Catholics

Peel forms the Metropolitan Police Force 1829

Tories split into liberals and ultras (mainly because of the debate of catholic emancipation)

Catholic Emancipation act 1829 - Act of union 1800 – created UK – Catholics could vote but could not sit in parliament - Daniel O’Connell + – led protest movement demanding full political rights for Catholics - County Clare election – O’Connell voted MP but cannot take seat as Catholic - Causes much support for Catholic emancipation - Threat of Civil War - Aided By Peel catholic emancipation act passed 1829

Catholic emancipation act split the Tories further – Ultras left and the party weakened – did badly in the 1830 election having to let the Whigs take power.