History mock 2026 – UK active recall questions
1783-1815 – William Pitt’s domestic record as PM and the war with France
Before being appointed PM, how did Pitt rise to power?
When was Pitt the younger appointed PM?
Why did George III want to appoint him?
How did most of the Commons feel about Pitt at first? Who did they support?
Why was Pitt an unlikely choice for PM?
Why was it called the ‘mince-pie ministry’?
Why did Pitt want to delay the general election? When was it?
Who supported Pitt from 1784?
When was Pitt able to pass the Mutiny Bill? What was this and why was it
significant?
10. What were the values that made him popular?
11. What was the result of this support for the Whig Lords?
12. Why could Pitt count on a majority in the House of Lords?
13. In conclusion, was his rise to power the result of patronage, his personal qualities,
or the unpopularity of the opposition?
14. What were the results of the 1784 election?
15. Who were some of his major supporters?
16. How did patronage influence the election?
17. What were some of the personal qualities that made him popular?
Pitt’s reforms:
18. What was the impact of recent history on the nation’s finances?
19. What was the problem with national debt?
20. What is meant by a ‘fiscal military’ state?
21. Did Pitt implement these reforms all at once, or more gradually? Why?
22. What was the impact of the war years on national debt?
23. What was the sinking fund?
24. What was the effect of the sinking fund?
25. What were the problems with it?
26. Name a few of the indirect tax increases that Pitt implemented.
27. How did Pitt reduce the problem of smuggling?
28. How did he cut back the number of government jobs? How did he target corruption
here?29. What also helped reduce incentives for corruption in government officials?
The events of the war with France:
1. 2. 3. When did Britain declare war with France?
Why was the French revolution a problem for Britain?
What were the key motivations for declaring war on France? Name 5 major reasons
for Britain wanting to curb French power.
4. 5. 6. What were the United provinces and who were they ruled by?
Why were relations with the United Provinces somewhat strained?
What was the Patriot party in this area? What were their aims and why were they a
threat?
7. Why did Britain need France not to gain power in the Netherlands?
8. Why was Pitt eager to remain at peace?
9. When was the Triple Alliance formed and who with?
10. What was the significance of this alliance?
11. Why was Britain afraid of a Quadruple alliance and why was this threat not
realized?
12. What were some of the long-term effects of the Eden treaty?
13. What was positive about the situation in 1790? Give at least 3 examples.
14. What were some of the problems with foreign policy in 1790?
15. What were some of the main reasons Britain did not get involved with the French
revolution?
16. What were the concerns about Russian expansion?
17. What were some of the reasons to not start a war with France? Give at least one
social, political and economic reason why.
18. What was the trigger for the war?
19. When did Napolean become first consul? From when did he lead France?
20. How was this war different to previous wars, and how was it different to what they
had been expecting?
21. When did Pitt attempt peace negotiations and why?
22. How were the coalitions failing?
23. How did Britain’s naval supremacy have a positive impact on the war, and what
were some of their main successes in 1797?
24. When was the Battle of the Nile? What were the events of this?
25. What was the significance of the Battle of the Nile? What did it lead to in terms of
military alliances?
26. When did Pitt leave office?
27. When and what was the Peace of Amiens? Who negotiated this and how?28. When did Pitt return as PM?
29. When was the Battle of Trafalgar and what were the events of this?
30. What was the impact of this battle on the war as a whole?
31. What was the effect of Napolean’s land campaign on the coalitions and what
position did this leave Britain in?
32. How was Britain’s navy superior?
33. What were the 1795 Quota acts and why were they significant to the Navy and the
war effort?
34. When and what was the Battle of the Glorious first of June? Who was this led by and
how was it significant?
35. What did Nelson do in Copenhagen in 1801?
36. What was Pitt’s policy to using the armed forces in Europe?
37. Which French colonies did England sieze and when?
38. How did Britain utilize its considerable financial resources and when? Why was this
an effective and profitable decision?
39. How did Pitt skillfully pay for the war without sinking into major debt?
40. What was he forced to do with free exchange and paper money in 1797?
41. What was the effect on indirect taxation?
42. When was income tax introduced?
43. Who were his war speeches delivered to? How did his contemporaries criticize
them?
44. What was the position of the French in 1806 on land?
45. What was Britain’s foreign policy in relation to the coastline?
46. What was its policy in terms of the power balance on continental Europe?
47. What were their concerns over Russian expansion and power?
48. What was Britain’s position in 1807?
49. How did Britain oppose Napolean between 1803 and 1814?
50. When did Austria go to war with France and what was the result of this?
51. When did Napolean invade Russia and who joined the resulting coalition against
him?
52. What was Britain’s policy of naval blockade? How was this effective?
53. What was the Continental system and how did it relate to Napolean’s campaign of
continental warfare?
54. What did Napolean need to do to put the Continental system into practice?
55. What did this lead to?
The Peninsular war56. When did the Peninsular war begin? Which of Britain’s allies began it?
57. When did Napolean invade Russia?
58. When did war with the USA start?
59. Why did Britain’s naval policy lead to war with the US?
60. Where was the bulk of Britain’s land warfare in the Peninsular war?
61. Why did Napolean encounter resistance in Spain?
62. What happened at Baylen in 1808? What was the significance of this?
63. When did Britain send forces to Portugal and who commanded them?
64. How did Portugal’s geography contribute to a British victory?
65. When and what was the Convention of Cintra? What did this allow?
66. How and why were the British able to defeat the French in Portugal in 1809?
67. What was Wellesley’s (Duke of Wellington) defensive strategy in Lisbon and when
did they drive the French from Portugal?
68. When did Britain advance into Portugal and what city did they take?
69. What was the result of war in Russia and what did this lead to in Victoria, June
1813? What did this allow the British to do?
70. When did Toulouse fall?
71. What were some of the weaknesses on the part of the French that contributed to
British victory?
72. What about Spain’s resources and warfare challenged the French?
73. How did the navy contribute to victory here?
74. When was the Congress of Vienna?
75. When did Napolean abdicate?
76. Where was Napolean exiled to?
77. When did he return to France?
78. What were the ‘Hundred days of power’?
79. Where was the crucial final battle fought and who was it led by?
80. When was the Battle of Waterloo?
81. What was Wellington’s key strategy that helped them win the battle?
82. What was Britain’s main policy to their land army?
83. When was the treaty of Vienna?
84. When was the Holy Alliance?