Industrial Britain: Economy, Society and Reform Flashcards

Analyse the impact of industrialisation on British society, economy and political reform. (111 cards)

1
Q

Who became Prime Minister in Britain in 1783 and dominated politics until 1801?

A

William Pitt the Younger

Pitt became PM aged 24 and led government through financial reform and the early years of war with France.

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2
Q

What was the name of the two main political groupings in late eighteenth-century British politics?

A

Whigs and Tories

These were loose factions rather than modern political parties with rigid structures.

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3
Q

Which monarch worked closely with Pitt the Younger and supported his government?

A

George III

The king played an active political role and supported Pitt against Whig opposition.

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4
Q

What was significant about the general election of 1784?

A
  • Strengthened Pitt’s authority
  • Whig opposition weakened
  • Crown influence reinforced

Pitt won strong parliamentary support after appealing directly to the electorate.

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5
Q

What major change in Britain’s economy began accelerating during the late eighteenth century?

A

Industrialisation

Mechanised production, factory growth and technological innovation transformed industry.

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6
Q

Which textile industry expanded most rapidly during early industrialisation?

A

Cotton industry

Cotton manufacturing grew rapidly due to mechanisation and increased demand.

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7
Q

What new power source became increasingly important during the Industrial Revolution?

A

Steam power

Steam engines allowed factories to operate independently of water sources.

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8
Q

Which sector remained economically dominant in Britain despite industrial growth?

A

Agriculture

Most people still worked in agriculture during the late eighteenth century.

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9
Q

Which social group expanded significantly due to industrialisation and trade?

A

Middle class

Industrialists, merchants and professionals gained increasing economic influence.

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10
Q

What term describes factory and industrial workers created by industrialisation?

A

Industrial workforce

These workers often faced long hours, low pay and unsafe conditions.

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11
Q

Which social group remained politically dominant in Britain during this period?

A

Landowners

The landed aristocracy controlled Parliament and most political influence.

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12
Q

Fill in the blank:

Laws passed in 1799–1800 banning trade unions were known as the _______ Acts.

A

Combination

These laws made worker combinations and strikes illegal.

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13
Q

What was the general purpose of the Combination Acts?

A

Prevent worker organisation

The government feared collective action and possible revolution.

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14
Q

Which foreign revolution beginning in 1789 alarmed the British government?

A

French Revolution

It spread radical political ideas and fears of unrest in Britain.

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15
Q

True or False:

The British government generally welcomed the ideas of the French Revolution.

A

False

The government feared revolution and responded with repression.

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16
Q

What was the name of the Irish uprising in 1798?

A

Irish Rebellion

Led by the United Irishmen, it aimed to end British rule in Ireland.

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17
Q

What was the cause of the Irish Rebellion in 1798?

A

The United Irishmen sought parliamentary reform, Catholic emancipation, and an end to British domination.

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18
Q

Rank the three consequences of the Irish Rebellion by importance.

A
  • Irish Parliament abolished — Led directly to the Act of Union (1800)
  • Stronger British control — Britain tightened political and military authority
  • Lasting sectarian tension — Catholic–Protestant mistrust deepened
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19
Q

What political measure united Britain and Ireland in 1801?

A

Act of Union

Ireland was incorporated into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

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20
Q

What term describes political activists demanding parliamentary reform and wider rights?

A

Radicalism

Radical groups campaigned for democratic reforms and civil liberties.

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21
Q

What major international conflict dominated British politics after 1793?

A

French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

Britain fought France for over two decades.

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22
Q

By 1812, what two main pressures had strained Britain domestically?

A
  • War
  • Economic hardship

War costs and trade disruption worsened living conditions.

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23
Q

Who became Prime Minister after the assassination of Spencer Perceval in 1812?

A

Lord Liverpool

Liverpool led a long-lasting Tory government until 1827.

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24
Q

What law introduced in 1815 protected British grain producers by restricting imports?

A

Corn Laws

These tariffs kept grain prices high to protect landowners.

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25
# True or False: The **Corn Laws** generally benefited **urban industrial workers**.
False ## Footnote High grain prices raised food costs and harmed workers.
26
Which early nineteenth-century **protest movement** destroyed **machinery in textile industries**?
Luddism ## Footnote Workers feared machines would take their jobs.
27
What **year** saw the repeal of the **Combination Acts**?
1824 ## Footnote Workers could legally form trade unions, though restrictions returned in 1825.
28
Which **Prime Minister** served briefly after **Lord Liverpool** resigned in 1827?
George Canning ## Footnote Canning represented a more liberal Tory faction.
29
Which **Prime Minister** succeeded **Canning** later in 1827?
Lord Goderich ## Footnote His government was short-lived and politically weak.
30
Which **conservative leader** became **Prime Minister** in 1828?
Duke of Wellington ## Footnote Wellington initially resisted reform but eventually passed Catholic Emancipation.
31
Which **laws repealed in 1828** removed restrictions on **Protestant dissenters**?
Test and Corporation Acts ## Footnote Their repeal allowed non-Anglicans to hold public office.
32
What **police force** established in **1829** improved law enforcement in London?
Metropolitan Police ## Footnote Founded by Home Secretary Robert Peel.
33
Which **Irish political leader** campaigned successfully for **Catholic rights**?
Daniel O’Connell ## Footnote He organised mass political pressure for emancipation.
34
# Fill in the blank: The 1829 law granting **civil rights to Catholics** is called _\_\_\_\_\_\_ Emancipation.
Catholic ## Footnote It allowed Catholics to sit in Parliament.
35
# True or False: **Catholic Emancipation** allowed Catholics to become **MPs**.
True ## Footnote It removed many political restrictions on Catholics.
36
Which **industry** continued expanding rapidly during the **early nineteenth century**?
Textile industry ## Footnote Cotton manufacturing remained a key industrial sector.
37
What **agricultural change** increased **food production** in this period?
Agricultural improvement ## Footnote New techniques and enclosure increased efficiency.
38
Which **economic policy** favouring **reduced trade barriers** gained influence?
Free trade ## Footnote Advocates argued tariffs harmed economic growth.
39
What **social problem** increased in many **industrial towns** during rapid industrialisation?
Urban poverty ## Footnote Overcrowding and poor sanitation worsened living conditions.
40
Which **social group** experienced the **worst working conditions** in factories?
Working class ## Footnote Long hours and dangerous workplaces were common.
41
# True or False: **Industrialisation** immediately improved **living standards** for most workers.
False ## Footnote Early industrialisation often worsened conditions for many labourers.
42
Which **protest movement of skilled workers** opposed **new machinery**?
Luddism ## Footnote Machine-breaking protests occurred between 1811 and 1816.
43
Which major **humanitarian campaign** sought to end **slavery across the British Empire**?
Anti-slavery movement ## Footnote Abolitionists campaigned through petitions and political pressure.
44
What law **ended slavery** in the British Empire?
Slavery Abolition Act of 1833
45
Which **religious movement** grew among the **working classes** and promoted moral reform?
Methodism ## Footnote Methodism encouraged discipline, sobriety and community support.
46
Which **early socialist thinker** promoted **cooperative communities** and worker welfare?
Robert Owen ## Footnote Owen experimented with model communities such as New Lanark.
47
What term describes **Owen’s ideas** promoting **cooperation over competition**?
Early socialism ## Footnote These ideas influenced later socialist movements.
48
# True or False: **Robert Owen** supported **unrestricted industrial capitalism**.
False ## Footnote He criticised harsh industrial practices and proposed cooperative alternatives.
49
Which **political party** won the **election that began reform momentum** in 1830?
Whigs ## Footnote Reform-minded Whigs replaced Wellington’s Tory government.
50
What major **issue** dominated **British politics** between 1830 and 1832?
Parliamentary reform ## Footnote Growing pressure demanded changes to representation.
51
# Fill in the blank: The reform law passed in 1832 is known as the _\_\_\_\_\_\_ Reform Act.
Great ## Footnote It significantly changed parliamentary representation.
52
What was one major aim of the **Great Reform Act**?
Reduce rotten boroughs ## Footnote Many small constituencies lost representation.
53
Name three consequences of **the Great Reform Act 1832**.
* Rotten boroughs removed — seats shifted to big industrial towns * More voters (middle class) — franchise expanded by ~50% * Aristocratic power reduced — urban middle class gained influence
54
Which new **social group** gained greater **political influence** after the 1832 Reform Act?
Middle class ## Footnote Industrial and commercial elites gained representation.
55
# True or False: The **Great Reform Act** introduced **universal male suffrage**.
False ## Footnote Voting rights were expanded but still limited to property holders.
56
By 1832, what major **economic transformation** had **Britain undergone**?
Industrial economy ## Footnote Industry and manufacturing played an increasingly central role.
57
What key **political change** had occurred by 1832 regarding **parliamentary representation**?
Partial democratisation ## Footnote Representation expanded though the system remained limited.
58
What major **social feature** characterised Britain by 1832 after decades of **industrialisation**?
Large industrial working class ## Footnote Urban industrial workers formed a major part of society.
59
Which **Whig Prime Minister** oversaw the passage of the **1832 Reform Act**?
Earl Grey ## Footnote Grey led the reforming Whig government from 1830 to 1834.
60
Which **Prime Minister** led the **Whig government** after Earl Grey resigned in 1834?
Lord Melbourne ## Footnote Melbourne served as Prime Minister twice during the 1830s and 1840s.
61
Which **political ideology** guided the **Whig Party** during the early reform era?
Liberal reformism ## Footnote Whigs generally supported moderate political reform and limited social change.
62
Which **political group** reorganised under **Robert Peel** during the 1830s and 1840s?
Conservative Party ## Footnote Peel modernised the former Tory party and broadened its appeal.
63
What **document issued by Robert Peel** in 1834 outlined **Conservative principles**?
Tamworth Manifesto ## Footnote It accepted moderate reform while defending traditional institutions.
64
Which **law of 1833** restricted **child labour in textile factories**?
Factory Act ## Footnote It limited working hours for children and introduced factory inspectors.
65
# Fill in the blank: The 1833 law ending slavery in most of the **British Empire** is called the _\_\_\_\_\_\_ Abolition Act.
Slavery ## Footnote It emancipated enslaved people in British colonies with compensation to owners.
66
What major **welfare reform** was introduced by the **Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834**?
Workhouse system ## Footnote Relief for the poor was restricted to workhouses to discourage dependency.
67
# True or False: The **Poor Law Amendment Act** aimed to make **poor relief** more generous.
False ## Footnote Conditions in workhouses were deliberately harsh to deter applicants.
68
Which **1835 reform** reorganised **local government in towns**?
Municipal Corporations Act ## Footnote It replaced corrupt borough corporations with elected councils.
69
Which **working-class movement** demanded **universal male suffrage and political reform**?
Chartism ## Footnote Chartists organised petitions and mass demonstrations during the 1830s and 1840s.
70
# Fill in the blank: The **Chartist programme** of political reforms was known as the _\_\_\_\_\_\_ Charter.
People’s ## Footnote It listed six demands including secret ballots and universal male suffrage.
71
Which **country** experienced strong **radical political agitation** during the 1830s and 1840s?
Ireland ## Footnote Nationalist movements and opposition to British rule grew.
72
Which **organisation** opposed the **Poor Law** and criticised the workhouse system?
Anti-Poor Law League ## Footnote Critics argued the Poor Law punished the poor unfairly.
73
Which **campaign group** fought for the abolition of **tariffs on imported grain**?
Anti-Corn Law League ## Footnote Led by middle-class industrialists advocating free trade.
74
Which **social reformer** campaigned for **factory reform and better conditions for workers**?
Lord Shaftesbury ## Footnote He supported factory legislation and protection for children.
75
Which **government official** promoted **sanitary reform and public health improvements**?
Edwin Chadwick ## Footnote His 1842 report exposed poor urban sanitation.
76
# True or False: **Edwin Chadwick** believed disease was linked to **poor sanitation**.
True ## Footnote His ideas influenced later public health reforms.
77
Which **Conservative Prime Minister** reformed **finance and administration** in the 1840s?
Robert Peel ## Footnote Peel modernised government finance and economic policy.
78
What **financial law of 1844** regulated the **issue of banknotes in Britain**?
Bank Charter Act ## Footnote It gave the Bank of England control over note issuance.
79
What major **technological development** expanded rapidly in Britain during the **1840s**?
Railway network ## Footnote Railways transformed transport, trade and economic growth.
80
Which **agricultural policy** was repealed by **Peel in 1846**?
Corn Laws ## Footnote Their repeal signalled a major shift toward free trade.
81
# True or False: The **repeal of the Corn Laws** caused a major split in the **Conservative Party**.
True ## Footnote Many protectionist Conservatives broke with Peel.
82
Which **political party** gradually emerged from **Whig and reformist alliances** after 1850?
Liberal Party ## Footnote It combined Whigs, radicals and Peelites.
83
Which **political leader** became the dominant **Liberal statesman** in the mid-Victorian period?
William Gladstone ## Footnote Gladstone served several terms as Prime Minister.
84
Which **Conservative leader** was **Gladstone’s main political rival**?
Benjamin Disraeli ## Footnote The two dominated Victorian politics.
85
What was a key **principle of Gladstone’s political philosophy**?
Moral liberalism ## Footnote He supported economy in government and political reform.
86
Which **political ideology** emphasised **empire, national unity and social reform**?
Conservative democracy ## Footnote Associated with Disraeli’s approach to politics.
87
Which **Reform Act** passed under **Disraeli** expanded the **urban electorate** in 1867?
Second Reform Act ## Footnote It gave voting rights to many urban working-class men.
88
# Fill in the blank: The 1872 law introducing **secret voting in elections** is called the _\_\_\_\_\_\_ Act.
Ballot ## Footnote It reduced bribery and intimidation.
89
Which **1884 reform** greatly extended **voting rights in rural areas**?
Third Reform Act ## Footnote It brought many rural labourers into the electorate.
90
# True or False: By 1885 Britain had achieved **full universal male suffrage**.
False ## Footnote Voting rights were expanded but still limited by property qualifications.
91
Which **political issue** continued to generate pressure for reform throughout the century?
Parliamentary representation ## Footnote Many demanded fairer electoral districts and wider suffrage.
92
Which **movement** continued campaigning for **political rights for workers** after 1848?
Trade unionism ## Footnote Workers increasingly organised to defend wages and conditions.
93
Which **nationalist movement** sought greater **autonomy for Ireland**?
Irish Nationalism ## Footnote It became a major issue in British politics later in the century.
94
Which **public reform movement** sought improvements in **sanitation and urban health**?
Public Health reform ## Footnote Campaigners argued that government should address disease and living conditions.
95
What term describes the period of **strong economic growth** in **mid-Victorian Britain**?
Mid-Victorian boom ## Footnote Industrial expansion and trade increased prosperity.
96
What phrase describes the prosperous period of **British farming** in the **mid-nineteenth century**?
Golden age of agriculture ## Footnote Farming benefited from high demand and improved techniques.
97
Which **transport developments** helped expand **national markets and trade**?
Railways and steamships ## Footnote These innovations improved movement of goods and people.
98
What **global economic downturn** began affecting Britain in the **1870s**?
Great Depression ## Footnote Agricultural prices and profits declined significantly.
99
# True or False: The **Great Depression** of the late nineteenth century affected **agriculture more than industry**.
True ## Footnote Falling grain prices hurt British farmers especially badly.
100
Which term describes the **coexistence of wealth and poverty** in **Victorian towns**?
Social inequality ## Footnote Industrial growth did not eliminate poverty.
101
What **social divide** existed between **industrial regions and rural areas**?
Regional divisions ## Footnote Economic conditions varied widely across Britain.
102
Which **religious influence** encouraged **moral discipline and social reform**?
Evangelicalism ## Footnote It inspired campaigns for moral improvement and philanthropy.
103
Which **Victorian ideology** promoted **individual responsibility and hard work**?
Self-help ## Footnote Popularised by writers such as Samuel Smiles.
104
# True or False: Victorian **‘self-help’ ideology** emphasised reliance on **government welfare**.
False ## Footnote It stressed personal effort rather than state support.
105
Which **working-class organisations** gained strength during the **later nineteenth century**?
Trade unions ## Footnote Legalisation and organisation increased their influence.
106
Which **reform** expanded access to **schooling for children in England and Wales in 1870**?
Education Act ## Footnote It created locally elected school boards.
107
By 1885, what **political trend** had significantly expanded since 1832?
Electoral democracy ## Footnote Many more men could vote after successive reform acts.
108
What remained a key **feature of Britain’s economy** by 1885?
Industrial leadership ## Footnote Britain remained a major industrial power though competition grew.
109
What characterised the **social structure of Britain** by 1885?
Class divisions ## Footnote Industrial society produced clear divisions between classes.
110
Which **political system** had developed by the **late nineteenth century**?
Two-party system ## Footnote Politics was dominated by Liberals and Conservatives.
111
# Fill in the blank: By 1885 Britain was widely considered the world’s leading _\_\_\_\_\_\_ power.
Industrial ## Footnote Industrial production and global trade were central to Britain’s influence.