1789 French Revolution & British Reform Movements: Key Events & Figures

Which event of 1789 sprung from Enlightenment ideas and saw the declaration of a Republic?

The French Revolution

Although the Tory MPs were united in a fear of the threat posed to the nobility in France, Whig MPs were divided. Give 2 examples to illustrate this.

Whig MP Edmund Burke was critical of the Revolution, fearing it was too poorly planned to lead to stability. In contrast, Whig opposition leader Charles James Fox described the formation of a new constitution based on principles of equality to the 'the greatest event [...] that ever happened in the world.'

Which mainly middle-class group was formed by Major John Cartwright in 1780?

The Society for Constitutional Information.

Initially, why was the Society for Constitutional Information established?

To oppose Lord North and support the American colonists who desired independence from Britain.

What beliefs and practices were held by the Society for Constitutional Information about parliamentary reform?

· That reform would only be possible if information was shared.

· Gave free leaflets (handbills) to the public, which called for: - Less time between parliamentary elections

- Greater equality in parliamentary representation

By the end of 1793, how many penny editions of Paine's Rights of Man were in circulation thanks to radical publishers producing them?

200,000

Why were members of the middle classes more reserved regarding the idea of any radical reforms to parliament?

Radicals sought such changes as land ownership rules, which would have directly and negatively impacted many of the middle classes.

In 1792, the Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information had gathered roughly how many signatures on its petition for manhood suffrage?

10,000

Which event was organised by the London Corresponding Society on 26th October 1795 and how many people attended?

A demonstration at Copenhagen Fields in London, attracting 100,000 people.

The London Corresponding Society was established in 1792 by Thomas Hardy. Which groups of people primarily supported it?

Tradesmen and artisans.

How did the London Corresponding Society seek to secure maximum engagement with, and growth, of itself?

· Charged only 1d (1 pence) per week - 20% of the joining fee of the SCI

· Met in taverns/pubs over food - where most of the working classes would be anyway to eat their meals

· Distributing handbills to people to spread their campaigns

By 1797, roughly how many political societies like the SCI and LCS had sprung up, and with how many members in total?

c. 80 societies, with a total membership of c.10,000

Which action of George III in May 1792 indicated a serious fear regarding the involvement of the lower classes in radical conversation and political agitation?

He issued the Royal Proclamation Against Seditious Libel and Tumult, imploring the populus to be alert to such activities and to report them to the government.

List three impacts of the Royal Proclamation of May 1792.

· Correspondence from public flowed in, as to support the government was seen as patriotic & 'British'

· Local magistrates in some places made threats to remove licenses from inns and public houses where radicals were known to meet.

· Increased pressure on groups such as the LCS to curb activities.

Which act was passed in 1795 and what did it mean?

Treasonable Practices Act: Death penalty could be given for any treasonable activity, including political meeting & for the publication of seditious material that could challenge the government.

Which two MPs raised the issue of reform at the 1807 election?

Sir Francis Burdett and Sir William Cobbett

Give at least 2 reasons why demands for reform re-emerged from 1815.

· The end of the war with France - attention turns back to domestic issues

· Soldiers returning from war looking for jobs in a downturned job market

· 1816 famine exacerbated economic issues for the poor, as food prices rose. In turn, this further highlighted the gap between the wealthy aristocracy and the rest of the population.

List 4 examples of the 1815+ resurgence and growth in reform agitation:

· Broader range of people involved - from working classes to newly-rising commercial interests

· An active reform press, publishing political pamphlets and articles

· Spa Fields Riots in Islington on 2nd December 1816

What was the aim of the March of the Blanketeers?

To march to London to draw attention to the problems of the Lancashire cotton workers. En-route, they planned to hold meetings to gain support of other textile workers, aiming for 100,000 marchers by the time they reached London

List at least 3 outcomes of the Peterloo Massacre of 16th August 1819.

· The yeomanry sabre charges left 18 people killed and over 400 wounded, many of whom were women and children

· The Six Acts of December 1819 increased government repression.

· More conservative middle-class reform campaigners stepped back after other respectable campaigners like Francis Burdett MP and Henry Hunt were arrested by the authorities; they wished to protect their status and privileges.

· For disaffected radicals, the repression led them to continue their efforts, with Arthur Thistlewood leading the Cato Street Conspiracy - an attempt to assassinate the cabinet whilst they dined in Grosevenor Square.

· The Cato Street Conspiracy sparked a flurry of further failed attempts at attacking the political elite, with a group of Scottish weavers attempting to seize Glasgow and a group of English weavers trying to take Huddersfield.