15.1.1

The 1832 Great Reform Act

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The 19th Century

By the 19th century Britain was a democracy but only a small number of the population could vote for a Member of Parliament.

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The Industrial Revolution

  • The Industrial Revolution began in the 19th century.
    • The population started growing rapidly and more people began to live in towns and work in factories.
    • As a result there were growing calls for change to political representation.
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1832 Great Reform Act

  • In 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft demanded equal political rights for all men and women.
  • Before 1832, only 2.5% of the population had the right to vote for a Member of Parliament.
    • To be able to vote you had to own property or pay certain taxes.
    • Women could vote if you met the criteria but it was incredibly unusual.
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The impact of the Great Reform Act

  • The Great Reform Act was only passed in 1832 after riots broke out across the country.
  • The 1832 Great Reform Act made some improvements to the electoral system in England and removed 'rotten boroughs'.
    • Rotten boroughs were very small constituencies which could be used by parties to gain influence in the House of Commons easily.
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Exclusions from the Great Reform Act

  • The 1832 Great Reform Act did not include working class men due to the property qualifications.
    • Women were also formally excluded from voting as a voter was legally defined by the act as a male.

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1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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