The First Reform Act 1830-32

Question 1

What were the aims of the Drafting Committee in December 1830
Large…

Answer 1

Large enough to satisfy public opinion

Question 2

What does “large enough to satisfy public opinion” mean

Answer 2

• Big enough of a change to give the people what they want
• sufficient enough to lessen support for protest

Question 3

What were the aims of the Drafting Committee in December 1830
To afford…

Answer 3

To afford sure ground for resistance to further innovation

Question 4

What does “To afford sure ground for resistance to further innovation” mean

Answer 4

to eliminate any basis for encouraging extra-parliamentary protest

Question 5

What were the aims of the Drafting Committee in December 1830
Based on…

Answer 5

Based on property

Question 6

What does “based on property” mean

Answer 6

• protects the power of the landowners - keep middle & upper classes on side
• critically, the less well off people will not be considered for suffrage from the offset
• basis is age or sex

Question 7

What were the aims of the Drafting Committee in December 1830
[Based on] existing…

Answer 7

Based on existing franchises & territorial division

Question 8

What does “Based on existing franchises & territorial division” mean

Answer 8

won’t affect the people who already get to vote, & will continue to use counties & boroughs

Question 9

What were the aims of the Drafting Committee in December 1830
Run no…

Answer 9

Run no risk of overthrowing the existing form of government

Question 10

What does “Run no risk of overthrowing the existing form of government” mean

Answer 10

Protects the landowners & aristocracy already in power

Question 11

What were the aims of the Drafting Committee in December 1830
Lord Macauley

Answer 11

“Reform that ye may preserve”

Question 12

What does “Reform that ye may preserve” mean

Answer 12

• give a little bit of change(some concessions),
• to allow the aristocracy to keep their power (most of what they want)

Question 13

What was immediately removed from the proposal in January 1931

Answer 13

The secret ballot

Question 14

Why did the reform act pass
two main individuals pressuring from above

Answer 14

Earl Grey
Lord John Russell

Question 15

To what extent did the Great Reform Act satisfy those who demanded reform

Answer 15

-lowered amount of property needed to be able to vote

Question 16

To what extent did the Great Reform Act achieve ‘Reform that ye may preserve’

Answer 16

-lowered amount of property needed to be able to vote
-land given to affluent upper middle class members

Question 17

To what extent did the Great Reform Act meet the political interest of the Whigs

Answer 17

they have control of government until 1874 with the exception of 5 years, so act sustained their power

Question 18

To what extent did the Great Reform Act solve the problems of the unreformed electoral system

Answer 18

• polling & elections was to be limited to last 2 days in all constituencies,
• so lower bad behaviour at elections,
• less expensive
• & restricts district landowners voting in multiple areas
• more voters means more workers are closer to being represented

Question 19

To what extent did the Great Reform Act reflect the power and pressure being exerted by the working classes

Answer 19

• many rotten boroughs were disenfranchised, so redistribution occured which led to more accurate representation of populations

Question 20

Why did the reform act pass
8 October 1831 pressure from below (riots)

Answer 20

• Following rejection of Lord’s Second Reform Bill, in Nottingham & Derby riots broke out - not just in Industrial cities Exeter, Plymouth too
• Bristol: Bristol MPs (votes against the bill) house was burned down, city centre was ruined

Question 21

Why did the reform act pass
8 October 1831 The BPU

Answer 21

• Better Organisation : Under the leadership of attwood, the BPU organised a huge march in Birmingham consisting of a wide section of society, including bankers & coal miners uniting m/c with w/c
• 1932 - over 100,000 were attendning meetngs of BPU
• This led to The Times newspapers warning the HoL not to reject the bill

Question 22

What was the issues which sparked threat from the middle class in the Days of May
support of the ultras

Answer 22

• Wellington still lacked support - Ultras have not forgiven him for pushing through Catholic Emancipation in 1829

Question 23

What was the issues which sparked threat from the middle class in the Days of May
support of the HoC

Answer 23

• Peel lacked support in the House of Commons - like Wellington, he was seen as a traitor by many Tories, especially the Ultras

Question 24

What was the issues which sparked threat from the middle class in the Days of May
Political Unions

Answer 24

• fuelled support for parliamentary reform allowing the m/c to engage politically & dedonstrate power of active legal prtoest scaring the upper classes with fear of rveolution

Question 25

What did **To stop the Duke, go for gold** mean in the Days of May

Answer 25

this would involve those holding paper money to demand its gold equivalent from the banks thus causing a financial crisis.

Question 26

What is the slogan that displayed the threat posed by the middle classes in the days of may

Answer 26

To stop the Duke, go for gold

Question 27

What was the consequence of the Days of May (1) William IV asks Grey....

Answer 27

* William IV asks Grey to form a new Ministry, given that few Tories were willing to serve in a Wellington ministry.

Question 28

What was the consequence of the Days of May (2) William IV asks Grey to form a new Ministry, given that few Tories were willing to serve in a Wellington ministry............

Answer 28

* The king therefore had little choice

Question 29

What was the consequence of the Days of May (3) The king therefore had little choice so........

Answer 29

* Grey agrees to become Prime Minister on condition that William IV would create 100 new lords, which would enable the bill to pass in the house of lords (political gameplay, not scared of reform)

Question 30

Name 2 reasons why the Great Reform Act happened

Answer 30

-high political tactics -popular pressure

Question 31

Give an argument for and against as to if there was threat of revolution

Answer 31

**THREAT**: * BPU meetings showed organisation * changes in support with middle and working classes collaborating * violence **NO THREAT**: * containable within the govt's power

Question 32

Name the selfish reason as to why the Whigs were motivated to pass the act

Answer 32

gaining support to gain stable power in government, in other words, the selfish managing of their own political advantage they saw small boroughs & rotten boroughs as benefits to the tories

Question 33

Name the unselfish reason as to why the Whigs were motivated to pass the act

Answer 33

protecting the country out of fear or revolution, following the trajectory of protests

Question 34

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Whig Intentions

Answer 34

No change *Grey wants to preserve the Aristocratic government *seeks to shore up support for the established system *reform that ye may preserve

Question 35

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Number of voters

Answer 35

mild change 1/5 adult males could now vote

Question 36

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Psychology of change

Answer 36

* -if the constitution would change, there would be an influx of new voters * -arguments that the constitution cannot be changed are no longer valid, so it seems increasingly prevalent that it is not possible to deny respectable citizens the vote

Question 37

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act The monarchy

Answer 37

* Significant change * -the King was susceptible to the pressure to appoint new lords which allowed the reform act to pass in the House of Lords * -In 1932, the King's power to appoint & dismiss ministers was clearly diminished

Question 38

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act General elections become more significant

Answer 38

In 1841, it was the first time that in an election, a government with majority in parliament is defeated by an opposition in election

Question 39

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Contested elections

Answer 39

Significant change -the number of seats contested in elections more than doubles after 1832

Question 40

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act composition of the house of commons

Answer 40

little change: -landed interest still dominates as middle class don't have enough time or money, whereas MPs can do the job from 21+ as they have already made their money

Question 41

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act power of the house of lords

Answer 41

* Significant change & diminishing power in relation to the House of Commons * After 1932, the HoC clear connection to the electorate allows it to become the dominant branch of government

Question 42

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Party connection to voters

Answer 42

* Mild change: * most voters are increasingly polarised in seeing themselves as either Tory or Whig * a greater feeling of the accountability of workers & also a greater need to appeal to the increasing number of voters * greater responsibility to the 'people'

Question 43

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Political behaviour

Answer 43

* Little change in short term * the absence of a secret ballot means bribery and corruption, and intimidation continue. * elections remain rowdy and unpleasant affairs

Question 44

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Professionalism of parties

Answer 44

* Bigger change: * voters who qualified for the vote had to be registered, so parties had to work hard to make sure they were secured support * parties also became a legal issue, involving lawyers, as parties have to be organised in order to secure their voters onto the list

Question 45

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Qualification

Answer 45

* mixed change * low rateable land values - in some boroughs qualification is tighter with less chance of voting * the county franchise grows marginally to small landowners loyal to large landowners (resulting in an inconsistency between rich & poor areas)

Question 46

Impacts of the 1832 Reform Act Representation

Answer 46

* Mixed change * there were improvements in terms of removing some rotten boroughs and redistributing seats to areas whose population had grown * However, in rural areas, and the south of England remain overrepresented which ensures many large landowners retain their power

Question 47

What were the days of may | F

Answer 47

* political unions met in London following Grey's resignation & Wellington being asked to form a minstry * to stop the duke go for gold * times suggest recalling grey is all that cab prvenet economic collapse

Question 48

how was collapse of tories pressure from above

Answer 48

* over Catholic Empanicpation & parliamentary reform led to King Iv inviting grey to form a new ministry

Question 49

what were the actions of grey causing pressure from above

Answer 49

* 1831/2 * persuades king to call an election to esnure a greater majority following opposition to first bill in 1931 * resigns in may 1832 since king refused to create new bill to ensure bill passed laws

Question 50

who was lord john russell

Answer 50

* was one of the four men who drafted the Great Reform Bill, * and was singly responsible for introducing it into Parliament three times in 1831 and 1832, * and amending the final version which was finally granted Royal Assent in June 1832