Examiner’s Specific Advice

This question is testing several skills and also your knowledge of the topic. Because the question is on an important topic, you are expected to know the main details; in this case, the changes in Lord Liverpool’s government after 1822. You are also being required to provide a historical explanation and make a substantiated judgement.

As always with an essay-type question, relevance is the key – your answer can be reasonably concise as long as you address the precise question. Relevance is more important than elegance of style.

The key thing is not to narrate and describe, but to keep the precise question in mind: How far did Lord Liverpool’s government change to a more liberal form of Toryism in the years 1822 to 1827? You need to show knowledge and understanding of the changes made to Lord Liverpool’s cabinet in 1822 and the reforms introduced by these new ministers. You need also to show that you have some understanding of what the Tory Party stood for and whether there was a significant change to a more ‘liberal’ approach after 1822. There needs to be some reference, albeit brief, to the policies pursued by Liverpool’s government before 1822 so that you can make some comparisons.

Most importantly, whatever the approach, do make a judgement about ‘how far’ the government of Lord Liverpool from 1822 to 1827 was more ‘liberal’ than the preceding Tory government and back it up with evidence, either with a concluding paragraph or throughout the essay.

It is advisable for an essay-type answer of this sort to have a plan, since you will almost certainly be writing several paragraphs.

Exemplar Question

1 (02) How far did Lord Liverpool’s government change to a more liberal form of Toryism in its domestic policies in the years 1822 to 1827? [24 marks]

Plan

• Introduction – changes in Liverpool’s cabinet in 1822
• Tory philosophy – traditional and ‘liberal’
• Reforms introduced by Peel, Huskisson and Robinson
• Limitations to reform
• Conclusion

View Exemplar Answer 1

View Exemplar Answer 2