3.1-3.4 Flashcards
(40 cards)
politics in 1800 Britain
658 MP’s in house of commons each one represented region. To vote you needed land worth 40 shilllings
What is a ‘rotten borough’
A borough where votes had been bought or had no voters but still returned MPs (e.g. Old Sarum
What was Thomas Paine’s criticism of the British political system in The Rights of Man?
He argued it was corrupt and only represented the landowning class
What two major world events inspired political criticism in Britain before 1800?
The American Declaration of Independence (1776) and the French Revolution (1789).
What were some reasons why there was no revolution in Britain by 1800
-fear of french revolutionary violence
-combination act banned workers protesting
What did the Combinations Act (1799) do?
It made it illegal for workers to join together in protest
Who were two key early radical reformers in 1812 and what did they do?
John Cartwright and William Cobbett; they published materials calling out inequality and spoke publicly for a more representative government.
What were the Gagging Laws introduced by Lord Liverpool in 1819?
Laws to suppress dissent, limiting public meetings, censoring newspapers, increasing taxes on papers, and allowing home searches of radicals.
What was the Peterloo Massacre?
In 1819, during a peaceful protest at St. Peter’s Fields in Manchester, local militia killed 11 people.
What did Thomas Attwood form in 1830 and what was its aim?
The Birmingham Political Union (BPU), to unite the middle and working classes to demand political reform. Reform bill
What happened in 1831 and how did it lead to the 1832 Reform Act?
The reform bill failed, sparking riots. Earl Grey and the Whigs later succeeded in passing the bill through Parliament in 1832.
What were the main changes made by the 1832 Great Reform Act?
No secret ballot (intimidation continued)
• Most MPs remained landowners
• Many working-class people were still excluded
1832 act and its significance
It marked a shift toward including more of the middle class in politics and showed how public pressure could drive reform.
What was the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 and why did it cause anger?
It introduced harsh workhouses for the unemployed, disappointing many working-class activists after the mild 1832 Reform Act.
: What were the five key demands of the Chartist movement in 1842?
Universal suffrage
2. No property qualification to be an MP
3. Annual parliaments
4. Payment for MPs
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What were the outcomes of the Chartist movement despite its failure to get reforms passed directly
• Influenced repeal of Corn Laws
• Supported the development of Trade Unions
What were New Model Unions and when did they emerge?
In the 1850s, skilled worker unions like the ASE (engineers) supported ill or unemployed members and grew to over 1 million members by 1874.
What were the key achievements of the 1867 Reform Act?
• More seats in industrial areas
• Men who rented or leased land could vote
• 40% of men could vote
What did the 1884 Reform Act do?
• Extended vote to respectable rural householders
• Increased the electorate by 2 million
• Made constituency sizes fairer
After the reform acts, why was Britain still not fully democratic in 1870
Nearly half of all men and nearly all women still could not vote.
What was the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and when was it formed?
In 1868, various new unions like dockers and farm labourers united to form the TUC, representing nearly 2 million workers by 1870.
When was the Independent Labour Party formed and why?
Formed in 1893 by working-class groups who believed political representation in parliament was key to improving workers’ rights.
