A LEVEL HISTORY A: FROM PITT TO PEEL
1783–1853 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ 1783.
Answer: Pitt appointed PMloss of American colonies
◍ What was Lord Liverpool known for?.
Answer: - Dealing with radical threat with repression- Successfully holding
together a Tory party of reactionary hardliners and liberal reformers
◍ How did Lord Liverpool become PM?.
Answer: - Perceval shot dead in HoC, Liverpool made PM by Prince
Reagent (June)- Sat in HoL, Lord Castlereagh spokesman in HoC
◍ 1784.
Answer: Commutation Act, reduced tax on imports like tea
◍ Early grievances: New machinery.
Answer: - Traditional jobs becoming extinct- Mass unemployment, owners
relied on machinery- Factory wages from 21 shillings to 6 shillings a week
◍ 1786.
Answer: sinking fund introduced to deal with debtEden Treaty with France
◍ 1789.
Answer: French Revolution
◍ Early grievances: Combination Laws.
Answer: - Trade Unions banned by Pitt (temporary)- Workers couldn't
organise themselves to pressure for better wages and conditions- Liverpool
, refused to repeal the law
◍ 1792.
Answer: London Corresponding Society formed
◍ Early grievances: Corn Laws.
Answer: - Foreign corn imported at low prices, home grown couldn't
compete- Banned all foreign corn imports (1815), made prices high, no
competition, bread expensive, famine- Govt accused to 'class legislation'
◍ Early grievances: Taxation.
Answer: - Abolished income tax for earning £60+ a year- Govt debt
repayments £31 Mn a year- Chose to tax tea, sugar, tobacco, beer, paper,
soap, candles. Poor were outraged
◍ Early grievances: Game Laws.
Answer: - Increased desperation for food- Increased cases of poaching (on
private land etc)- Sentence upped to 7 years in Australia
◍ Early grievances: Recession after war with France.
Answer: - 22 years of making weapons; war ended, and demand dropped-
Businesses collapsed and there was mass unemployment- 40 000 men
demobilized after war- Living standards fell and famine increased
◍ Early grievances: Urban living and working conditions.
Answer: - 16-hour workdays; 14-hour workdays for 5+ years- Some only
paid in vouchers; maintained the poverty cycle- Strict discipline and easy to
be dismissed- Housing cramped, dirty; 20 000 lived in cellars
◍ 1793.
Answer: War declared with France
◍ 1794.
Answer: Reign of terror begins in England as radicals arrestedHabeas
Corpus suspended
◍ 1795.
Answer: Seditious Meetings Act
1783–1853 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ 1783.
Answer: Pitt appointed PMloss of American colonies
◍ What was Lord Liverpool known for?.
Answer: - Dealing with radical threat with repression- Successfully holding
together a Tory party of reactionary hardliners and liberal reformers
◍ How did Lord Liverpool become PM?.
Answer: - Perceval shot dead in HoC, Liverpool made PM by Prince
Reagent (June)- Sat in HoL, Lord Castlereagh spokesman in HoC
◍ 1784.
Answer: Commutation Act, reduced tax on imports like tea
◍ Early grievances: New machinery.
Answer: - Traditional jobs becoming extinct- Mass unemployment, owners
relied on machinery- Factory wages from 21 shillings to 6 shillings a week
◍ 1786.
Answer: sinking fund introduced to deal with debtEden Treaty with France
◍ 1789.
Answer: French Revolution
◍ Early grievances: Combination Laws.
Answer: - Trade Unions banned by Pitt (temporary)- Workers couldn't
organise themselves to pressure for better wages and conditions- Liverpool
, refused to repeal the law
◍ 1792.
Answer: London Corresponding Society formed
◍ Early grievances: Corn Laws.
Answer: - Foreign corn imported at low prices, home grown couldn't
compete- Banned all foreign corn imports (1815), made prices high, no
competition, bread expensive, famine- Govt accused to 'class legislation'
◍ Early grievances: Taxation.
Answer: - Abolished income tax for earning £60+ a year- Govt debt
repayments £31 Mn a year- Chose to tax tea, sugar, tobacco, beer, paper,
soap, candles. Poor were outraged
◍ Early grievances: Game Laws.
Answer: - Increased desperation for food- Increased cases of poaching (on
private land etc)- Sentence upped to 7 years in Australia
◍ Early grievances: Recession after war with France.
Answer: - 22 years of making weapons; war ended, and demand dropped-
Businesses collapsed and there was mass unemployment- 40 000 men
demobilized after war- Living standards fell and famine increased
◍ Early grievances: Urban living and working conditions.
Answer: - 16-hour workdays; 14-hour workdays for 5+ years- Some only
paid in vouchers; maintained the poverty cycle- Strict discipline and easy to
be dismissed- Housing cramped, dirty; 20 000 lived in cellars
◍ 1793.
Answer: War declared with France
◍ 1794.
Answer: Reign of terror begins in England as radicals arrestedHabeas
Corpus suspended
◍ 1795.
Answer: Seditious Meetings Act
