Term
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Definition
| The right of the monarchy to give privileges - allowed the monarchy political influence. |
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Term
| What is a mixed constitution, or constitutional monarchy? |
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Definition
| Hereditary monarchy as head of state; powers limited by Parliament. |
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Term
| Why did Parliament have supremacy over the monarchy? |
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Definition
| The Bill of Rights - passed in 1689 |
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Term
| What rights did the monarchy retain? |
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Definition
| Summon and dissolve Parliament; granting Royal Ascent to acts. Could veto legislation also. |
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Term
| What ensured the parity would remain? |
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Definition
| Monarch had to call an immediate general election once dissolved and could not rule without - also financially dependent through the civil list. |
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Term
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Definition
| A fixed annual sum which the monarch would receive from parliament; would be jeopardised if the monarch vetoed (rejected) legislation. |
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Term
| Summary of political power in 1783? |
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Definition
| Shared between the King and Parliament. |
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Term
| What was the 'Supreme Authority' composed of? |
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Definition
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Term
| Who was the King in 1873? |
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Definition
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Term
| Who was Parliament composed of? |
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Definition
| HOL and HOC; Lords of unelected hereditary peers appointed by Monarchy; Commons of an elected assembly yet not yet democratic due to the limited franchise. |
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Term
| Power structure of Parliament? |
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Definition
| HOL could block legislation passed by HOC; maintained influence of them. HOC many different factions which made a stable majority difficult though late 18th century saw the growth of parties - strengthening the Commons. |
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Term
| Who were the Privy Council? |
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Definition
| Group of advisors for the King, whom acted as a link between the [M] and [P] |
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Term
| What was the issue with the Privy Council? |
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Definition
| Appointed for life and thus became too large to remain manageable. |
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Term
| What did the issues with PC lead to? |
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Definition
| The creation of the Cabinet, who were more manageable group of ministers and held weekly meetings to advice the [M] |
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Term
| How did they gain support in [P]? |
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Definition
| Appointed ministers in HOL; typically chose a prominent member from Whigs or Tories, whichever held a majority. |
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Term
| When did war break out between American colonists and Britain? |
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Definition
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Term
| When did the colonists declare themselves independent? |
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Definition
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Term
| When did the British recognise their independence, following a prolonged and bloody war? |
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Definition
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Term
| How did the loss of the war affect [G3]? |
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Definition
| Undermined his position through the loss of the colonies, thereby forced him to accept the resignation of PM Lord North in 1982. |
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Term
| Who was he forced to accept in Lord North's place? |
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Definition
| Lord Rockingham, whom he detested. |
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Term
| [G3] was determined to secure William Pitt as PM, how did he go about doing this? |
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Definition
| By undermining the existing coalition of Charles Fox and Lord North - forcing an election. |
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Term
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Definition
| Historian Grayson Ditchfield believed it he was 'ignoring constitutional priorities'. |
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Term
| What subsequently happened? |
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Definition
| Pitt won the 1784 election, which somewhat vindicated [G3's] interference; but ultimately hastened the reducation of the [M's] powers. |
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Term
| How did this affect the PM? |
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Definition
| The PM became much more accountable to the HOC, resulting in them coming to rely on the support of HOC rather than royal support. |
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Term
| What was the overall political system in the late eighteen century? |
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Definition
| In need of reform; HOC dominated by wealthy landowners and aristocrats, who were self-serving. |
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Term
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Definition
| The pre-existing lack of franchise was accentuated by the effects of industrialisation, as masses migrated into unrepresented cities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Rural areas declined in size and importance yet still sent two representatives to Parliament. |
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Term
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Definition
| Boomed in size and significance, yet lacking any representation. |
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Term
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Definition
| Despite Parliament gradually replacing the power of the monarch, it was not more democratic, nor was it representative. In Britain, few of the governed determined who should govern them. |
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Term
| Who were the electorate at this time? |
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Definition
| Small in size, male and based on ownership of property. |
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Term
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Definition
| Whatever legislation was passed was not the will of the people. |
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Term
| What were the two attempts to reform this? |
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Definition
| Attempts by Pitt in 1792 and 1795 to redistribute seats to industrial areas were defeated in the HOC. |
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Term
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Definition
| Disinterested in political reform as it would threaten their influence. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Issues with their influence? |
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Definition
| Owned vast land; facilitated control over nominations for seats in HOC. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Received no salary, ∴ needed to be wealthy. |
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Term
| Who was excluded from standing for HOC? |
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Definition
| Ordinary men; needed annual income of £600 to be a county member, £300 to be borough member. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Percentage of voters relative to population was falling; becoming less representative. |
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Term
| How did franchise work in boroughs? |
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Definition
| No uniform system, but typically based upon property qualifications. |
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Term
| What were 'Potwalloper' boroughs? |
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Definition
| Ownership of a hearth gave you the vote. |
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Term
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Definition
| Payment of a local tax gave you the right to vote. |
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Term
| What were 'Corporation' boroughs? |
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Definition
| Only the mayor and members of the corporation could vote. |
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Term
| What were 'pocket' boroughs? |
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Definition
| Boroughs entirely controlled by the landowner. |
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Term
| What were 'rotten' boroughs? |
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Definition
| Boroughs which very few qualified voters, yet still returned two MPs. |
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Term
| Example of a rotten borough? |
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Definition
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Term
| Why was Scotland even less representative? |
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Definition
| 45 MPs held a seat in HOC; 16 peers in HOL. |
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Term
| Proportion of franchise to population in Scotland? |
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Definition
| 4500 electorate to 1,600,000 population. (1 per 355) |
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Term
| How did pocket boroughs operate? |
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Definition
| Landowner nominated MP, returned unopposed. When voting did occur, it was in public to allow bribery and intimidation. |
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Term
| How did Britain appear to others? |
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Definition
| The British Constitution was regarded as liberal and democratic to European neighbours. |
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Term
| How frequent were general elections? |
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Definition
| Every seven years by law, yet many seats uncontested. |
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Term
| What was the 1716 Septennial Act? |
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Definition
| Extended Parliament from three to seven years; mitigated election expenses and created a more stable government. |
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Term
| Why were the Tories weak? |
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Definition
| After the accession of Protestant William of Orange, the Tories lost political influence, as they supported the succession of the Catholic Duke of York, whom the Whigs blocked from ascension. |
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Term
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Definition
| For most of the eighteenth century, the great Whig Protestant families monopolized political power, while the Tories continued to suffer from association with their failed attempts to restore the Stuart monarchy |
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Term
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Definition
| Mostly shifted away from these associations; both from landed classes and, as such, wanted to maintain a status quo and accepted royal patronage. |
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Term
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Definition
| Political power for the people through means of representation in [P] and preventing the [M] with interfering. Also believed in tolerance for dissenters, who broke away from the Anglican Church. |
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Term
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Definition
| Sovereignty belonged to the monarchy; accepting the hereditary nature & authority of the Anglican Church. Hostile to Radicals, Dissenters & Catholics. |
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Term
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Definition
| Two distinct parties, who lacked unity and organisation. Whigs led the way in this regard, after they were forced into opposition after [G3] supported Pitt in 1783. |
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Term
| Who is Pitt identified as? |
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Definition
| Being the first Tory, criticising the Whigs for being too narrow and serving the oligarchy. |
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Term
| How long did Pitt hold PM for? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Whigs became associated with liberal ideas and reform. |
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Term
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Definition
| Tories became regarded as reactionary and against reform. |
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