Untitled Quiz

Political Parties

• Tories (Conservatives) supported the monarchy and the Church of England. They wanted traditional hierarchies maintained and resisted major reforms.
• Tories were cautious of the French Revolution and wanted strong leadership to prevent protest and rebellion (maintaining order). They did not want to expand the right to vote.
• Liberal Tories were more open to change.
• High Tories were the most conservative, often members of the Church. Tories were more united compared to the Whigs.
• William Pitt served as Tory Prime Minister twice (1784–1801, 1804–1806). Key actions involved unifying Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom and reforming the East India Company, which managed British trade and governance in India.

Challenges

• France as a rival: Continuous warfare with France increased taxes but boosted industries like metals, armaments, and textiles. Both countries supported each other's enemies.
• Whig opposition: Key figures such as Charles James Fox and Georgina Cavendish criticized Tory policies.

Whigs (Liberals)

• Favored constitutional monarchy with less royal power.
• Aimed for a balanced distribution of power between monarchy and Parliament.
• Supported more parliamentary reforms, including expanding voting rights for laborers (expanded civil liberties).
• Demonstrated sympathy for religious minorities and merchants.

Radicals

• Advocated for extensive voting reform, including universal male suffrage.
• Focused on economic reforms and workers' rights.
• Influenced by the French Revolution and advocated for massive societal changes. Met frequently to discuss and publicise their views.

Chartists

• A working-class movement advocating for free trade and universal male suffrage, secret ballots and parliamentary reform.
• Wanted economic reforms, especially free trade policies to reduce food prices.

Free Trade Liberals

• Supported the repeal of the Corn Laws to reduce food prices.

Irish Parliamentary Party

• Focused on greater Irish autonomy (Home Rule).
• Opposed British land policies in Ireland.

Industrialization and Mechanization

• Robert Peel (Tory/Conservative) was Prime Minister and advocated free trade policies that supported industrial growth.
• Peel's reforms focused on improving the economic environment, which indirectly supported industrialization.
• Peel's speech on free trade highlighted its benefits but did not fully address the immediate harm on agricultural workers and small farmers. Agricultural Laborers Act addressed economic distress in rural areas.

Limited Social Reforms and Workers' Rights

• Peel's focus on economic liberalization ignored the issues of working conditions and labor rights during the Industrial Revolution.
• The era was marked by exploitation in factories and mines. Work hours were long, wages were low, and working conditions were unsafe.

Class Divide and Economic Inequality

• Peel's speech assumed that free trade would lead to prosperity, but it didn't address widening class divisions.
• The benefits of free trade didn't benefit all equally. Urban consumers may have gained, but the industrial working class faced harsh conditions, and wealthy industrialists prospered.
• The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, although seeking to address issues of poverty, institutionalized a potentially punitive workhouse system.

Global Context and Imperialism

• Peel's focus on free trade ignored the broader global context, particularly the role of British imperialism and exploitation.
• British markets relied on exploitative practices in their colonies without benefiting the working populations of these territories.
• The British Colonial Trade Acts controlled the flow of goods and resources from colonies to Britain, further exploiting colonial labor for British benefit.

George Stephenson

• Pioneered railway development.
• Invented a revolutionary locomotive; “The Rocket.” (1829).
• Known as the “Father of Railways” for his pivotal role in expanding the railway system.

Richard Cobden

• Promoted free trade and economic reform by advocating for the repeal of the Corn Laws (which reduced food prices and fostered industrial expansion).

Andrew Ure

• A prominent advocate for mechanization in the early Industrial Revolution.
• Published writings on manufacturing processes and implications of industrialization.
• Emphasized the benefits of factory work over rural labor.

The End of Slavery

• William Wilberforce was a leading abolitionist campaigner and member of Parliament in his early career.
• His campaign was successful, resulting in the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (in 1807). Slavery was outlawed throughout most of the British Empire in the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.
• Lord Melbourne supported the transition period that followed the ban on slavery after 1833,
• Many abolition activists including religious figures worked outside traditional party political structures.

Olaudah Equiano

• Author and former enslaved person. His writings brought personal insight into the horrors of slavery.
• 1807 – Abolition of the Slave Trade Act

Peel, Conservatism, and the Corn Laws

• Peel led the Conservative Party from 1841–1846.
• Corn Laws (protecting British grain interests by imposing tariffs on imported grain), were repealed in 1846.
• Repeal of the Corn Laws was controversial, affecting many workers in British society.

Irish Potato Famine

• A potato blight devastated crops, triggering widespread starvation.
• Approximately 1 million Irish citizens died, and 1 million emigrated. The famine significantly impacted Ireland's demographics and social fabric.

Daniel O'Connell

• A leading Irish political figure who advocated for Catholic Emancipation and Irish self-governance.
• O'Connell played a major role in Irish political life before his death in 1847, during the initial period of the potato famine.

John Russell

• British Prime Minister during much of the Irish Potato Famine.
• Faced criticism for policies that were inadequate in response to the famine (e.g. inadequate relief efforts).

Michael Davitt

• A prominent figure in the Irish Land League (1879).
• Advocated for tenant rights and land reform in response to injustices caused by the famine.

Key Figures from the 19th Century

• William Ewart Gladstone, a Liberal Party figure; played a major role in addressing demands for parliamentary reform.
• Benjamin Disraeli, leader of the Conservative Party; focused on imperial expansion and moderate social reforms, opposed Gladstone's policies.
• Joseph Chamberlain, a figure who moved between political parties; championed social reforms.
• Lord Shaftesbury, a prominent figure in the Conservative Party; championed labor reforms.

Trade Unions

• George Odger was a pivotal figure in trade union activities.
• Tom Mann was a significant figure in the labor movement, gaining prominence in the 1880s and 1890s.

The Boer Wars

• Reflected the tensions between British imperial ambitions and Afrikaner independence in South Africa.

Women's Suffrage

• Millicent Fawcett, a significant leader of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, advocated nonviolent tactics.
• Emmeline Pankhurst, a key leader for women's suffrage in the early 20th century, advocated militant tactics.
• Florence Nightingale was a pioneer for modern nursing, particularly significant during and after the Crimean War.

Cultural Imperialism

• Critics challenged the prioritization of English and Western knowledge, which undermined Indian languages and traditions and marginalized Indian views.

Colonial Conferences

• Strengthened ties between Britain and its colonies.
• Reflected the view of imperial unity that Chamberlain had.