Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 8

Robert Walpole and 'Cabinet' government

I can explain how the role of Prime Minister and ‘Cabinet’ government emerged in response to the South Sea Bubble.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
New
New
Year 8

Robert Walpole and 'Cabinet' government

I can explain how the role of Prime Minister and ‘Cabinet’ government emerged in response to the South Sea Bubble.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
View new resources
arrow-right

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The South Sea Company was a prominent joint-stock company in the early 18th century.
  2. Many British people had been persuaded to invest their money in the Company.
  3. The Company collapsed, provoking a major political crisis.
  4. Robert Walpole managed the crisis and emerged as the nation's first Prime Minister.
  5. Walpole formalised the system of cabinet governance.

Keywords

  • Shares - issued upon investment in a company, ensuring a ‘share’ of future profits

  • Bubble - in this context it refers to the effect of over-confidence in a company, resulting in over-investment and a false high share price

  • Bankruptcy - a bank running out of money, due to lending more than they should and people withdrawing what is left

  • Chancellor of the Exchequer - politician and Member of Parliament in Britain who is in charge of the economy and spending tax money

  • Cabinet - team of politicians in Britain who work together to run the country in the form of a government

Common misconception

Walpole created the role of Prime Minister and the idea of Cabinet.

Walpole's leadership saw him become de-facto Prime Minister and he formalised the idea of Cabinet which already existed in a loose, unofficial form.

Take time to make sure students know why British people were investing in the South Sea Company and why this set the stage for crisis later on.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
When did parliament pass the Act of Settlement?
1601
Correct answer: 1701
1801
1901
2001
Q2.
Which monarchs did not rule England jointly after the Glorious Revolution in 1688?
William III
Correct answer: James I
Correct answer: Sophia of Hanover
Mary II
Q3.
According to the Act of Settlement, what type of Christian would always inherit the English throne?
Correct Answer: Protestant, protestant, a protestant, a Protestant, A Protestant
Q4.
Put the following events into chronological order, starting with the earliest.
1 - The Glorious Revolution
2 - Coronation of William III and Mary II
3 - The Act of Settlement
4 - Death of William III and Mary II
5 - Coronation of Queen Anne
6 - Death of Queen Anne
7 - Coronation of George I
Q5.
Put these monarchs in reverse order in which they reigned, starting with the most recent.
1 - George I
2 - Queen Anne
3 - William III and Mary II
4 - James II
Q6.
Match the keywords with the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:Parliament,representatives of the people who advise the monarch and enact laws

representatives of the people who advise the monarch and enact laws

Correct Answer:Catholic,a Christian whose leader is the Pope in Rome

a Christian whose leader is the Pope in Rome

Correct Answer:Protestant,representatives of the people who advise the monarch and enact laws

representatives of the people who advise the monarch and enact laws

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Which statement is correct?
Correct answer: High demand for shares leads to shares going up in value.
High demand for shares leads to shares going down in value.
High demand for shares leads to share prices remaining the same.
Q2.
Put the following events into chronological order, starting with the earliest:
1 - The South Sea Company was formed.
2 - The South Sea Company was granted a monopoly on trade in the South Seas.
3 - The monopoly excited Britons who rushed to invest in the South Sea Company.
4 - The rush to invest saw share prices rise quickly in what is known as a 'bubble'.
Q3.
What measures did Walpole take to stabilise the country during the South Sea Bubble crisis?
Correct answer: paid small amounts each year to South Sea Company shareholders
Correct answer: investigated the causes and passed laws to prevent it happening again
took advice from King George I due to his own inexperience
Correct answer: supported banks on the verge of bankruptcy as they had loaned out too much
Q4.
Which continent is closest to the South Seas?
Correct Answer: South America, South america, south america, south America, Latin America
Q5.
Which features of British government emerged thanks to Walpole’s leadership after the collapse of the South Sea Company?
the role of Chancellor of the Exchequer
Correct answer: the role of Prime Minister
Correct answer: the governance of Britain by Cabinet government
the role of the House of Lords
Q6.
Match the key features of this period with their correct definitions:
Correct Answer:Robert Walpole,Chancellor of the Exchequer during the South Sea crisis

Chancellor of the Exchequer during the South Sea crisis

Correct Answer:Cabinet,team of politicians who run the governing of Britain

team of politicians who run the governing of Britain

Correct Answer:George I,King of Great Britain

King of Great Britain

Additional material

Download additional material
We're sorry, but preview is not currently available. Download to see additional material.