Democratic Reforms in Britain 5.5

The Great Reform Act of 1832

eliminated rotten boroughs and redistributed seats in Parliament.

Queen Victoria

reigned from 1837 until 1901, the longest reign in British history/symbolized British life during the period now known as the Victorian age/set a tone of moral respectability & strict social manners/trend-setter for the growing middle class/introduced customs such as displaying a Christmas tree (a German practice) and wearing a white wedding gown.

rotten boroughs

rural town in England that sent members to Parliament despite having few or no voters

penal colonies

place where people convicted of crimes are sent

absentee landords

one who owns a large estate but does not live there

home rule

local self-government

parliamentary demoracy

a form of government in which the executive leaders (usually a prime minister and cabinet) are chosen by and responsible to the legislature (parliament), are also members of it

repeal

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ASSESSMENT: How did the political, social, and economic reforms of the early 1800s in Britain reflect the growing power of the middle class?

Due to the British middle class growing in political power it caused an increase in their economic and social influence. The great Reform Act of 1832 gave them greater representation to growing industrial areas and expanded the lecture rate. Middle class merchants and industrialists were able to repeal tariffs and hindered competition. Along with political economic and social influence came recognition they were viewed as a higher power and were more respectable.

William Gladstone

Gladstone served as prime minister four separate times and was a leader of the Whigs, and later, the Liberal Party/extended suffrage to farmworkers and most other men during the 1880s/notably with the Representation of the People Act in 1884/strongly supported Irish home rule/Benjamin Disraeli, Gladstone helped transform the British government into a parliamentary democracy.

ASSESSMENT: Why did many people view the criminal justice system in Britain during the 1800s as unjust? Provide specific examples.

Many people viewed the criminal justice system in Britain during the 1800s as unjust because it was cruel and inefficient. They did public beheadings for minor crimes such as stealing a sheep. Most of the time criminals were found innocent because many judges did not want to send them to their death.

Which of the following best describes the reign of Queen Victoria?

She embraced a strict code of morals and manners that came to embody the values of the time period.

Why did Marxism gain only limited support among the British working class?

Social reforms protected the well being of the lower classes and shielded workers from abuse.

Why did the famine solidify Irish resentment of British control?

The British continued to export food from Ireland while people starved.

ASSESSMENT: How did the Fabian Society reflect Victorian ideals?

The Fabian Society reflected Victorian ideals because they fit into the "respectability" of the Victorian age by not using violent measures and methods. Most of their members were intellectuals form the middle and upper middle classes which flourished under Queen Victora's rule

As Parliament became increasingly democratic, what was the effect on the House of Lords?

The House of Lords eventually became a ceremonial body with little power.

ASSESSMENT: Which groups would benefit from repealing the high tariffs known as the Corn Laws? Why?

The groups that would benefit from repealing the high tariffs known as Corn Laws are importers and traders. They would benefit because the grain price would be lowered meaning bread making was more affordable and the price of it dropped. Also, it opened up trade in general.

ASSESSMENT: What were two of the reforms that improved conditions in Ireland?

The two reforms that improved conditions in Ireland are the 1829 Catholic Emancipation Act and the home rule bill. The first reform ended discrimination against Irish Catholics by allowing them to vote and hold public office. Under these, they were able to pass laws to protect Irish tenant farmers from absentee landlords. The 1914 home rule bill was passed but it was delayed putting the new law into effect after WW1. They didn't get independence until 1921 yet they still were under British control in the Northern parts of Ireland.

Which of the following was a key demand of the Chartist movement?

establishing universal male suffrage

Benjamin Disraeli

a leading Conservative politician/seven years as prime minister/worked to expand suffrage & slowly transformed the British Parliament during the 1800s into a more democratic institution/spearheading of the Second Reform Act of 1867, allowed more men to vote, including members of the working class/focused on other social reforms, including public health laws and recognition of workers' unions.

On which major issue did William Wilberforce work to shift political thought?

abolition

Which of the following was one of the major influences of Queen Victoria?

adhering to the traditional values of the time period

electorate

body of people allowed to vote

capital offenses

crime punishable by death

What did Emmeline Pankhurst mean when she said, "It is through property that we shall strike the enemy"?

destroying property would make the greatest political statement

Women suffragists were

divided over the use of violence to achieve their goals.

abolition

the campaign against slavery and the slave trade

free trade

trade between countries without quotas, tariffs, or other restrictions

Which of the following British policies forced mass migrations from Ireland?

treatment during the "Great Hunger," or Irish potato famine

secret ballot

votes cast without announcing them publicly

William Wilberforce was a British politician who

worked to abolish the slave trade and slavery.