1867 Reform Act +

Question 1

Impact of Death of Lord Palmerston

Answer 1

• Blocked further Parliamentary reform
• His death gave way to a more reformist PM

Question 2

Role of John Bright

Answer 2

• Gave many public speeches which inspired many to join the cause of public reform

Question 3

Role of William Gladstone

Answer 3

• Reinvented himself as someone who supported the ‘respectable’ working class

Question 4

Role of Benjamin Disraeli

Answer 4

• Saw political reform as a vote winner for the conservatives

Question 5

Role of Robert Peel

Answer 5

• Introduced police force into London
• Didn’t support the 1832 Reform Act
• Oversaw the foundation of the Conservative Party which made it more appealing to a wider range of people
• Tamworth Manifesto in 1834 promised that his party would support moderate reform

Question 6

Impact of Party Rivalry

Answer 6

• After the defeat of the Liberal Bill in 1866 the Tories saw their chance to seize political momentum

Question 7

Impact of 1852 Reform Bill

Answer 7

• Shows there was a stronger will in Parliament to achieve further reform

Question 8

Impact of Nation Reform Union

Answer 8

• Formed in 1864, mainly supported by middle-class liberals
• Persuade the government to extend the franchise to that of a household suffrage, distribute seats more evenly and bring in secret ballots

Question 9

Impact of Reform League

Answer 9

• Formed in 1865
• Pressed for complete manhood suffrage
• By 1867 working with the National Reform Union

Question 10

Impact of Philosophical arguments

Answer 10

• Economic downturn in 1866 caused social discontent

Question 11

Impact of American Civil War and Italian Unification

Answer 11

• Both events increased demand for change at home

Question 12

Impact of population

Answer 12

• During 1821-1861 population rose from 24 million to 31 million who lived in industrial towns and cities
• Many were not able to vote
• Began to have a more modern outlook and much more accepting of the idea of democracy

Question 13

Impact of Hyde Park Riots

Answer 13

• Reform League peaceful protest that turned into an unruly mob, for 2 days troops had to be called out to restore order
• Not the same as the 1830s
• Appearance of respectable working class was a much stronger argument for reform

Question 14

What were the measures of the 1867 Reform Act?

Answer 14

• 45 seats taken from boroughs with less than 10,000 people
• 7 boroughs completely disenfranchised
• Size of electorate doubled from 1.36 to 2.46 million
• Parties became more representative of the public interest
• Seats reserved for universities

Question 15

What were the impacts of the 1867 Reform Act?

Answer 15

• Electoral defeat for Disraeli in 1868
• Working class had their own minds
• Political system became honest and professional
• More diverse electorate
• Plural voting still permitted
• Still had many failings (North under-represented etc.)

Question 16

When and what was the Ballot Act?

Answer 16

1872, Polling booths installed and secret ballots put in place for voting

Question 17

When and what was the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act?

Answer 17

1883, prevent corruption in the voting process, established what a candidate could spend on election expenses and what the money could be spent on

Question 18

When and what was the Parliamentary Reform Act?

Answer 18

1884, Created a uniform franchise in both county and borough and applied to the UK as a whole, but plural voting still permitted

Question 19

When and what was the Redistribution of seats act?

Answer 19

1885, Gave growing towns the right to send more MPs to Parliament and redistribution of 142 seats, Scottish representation to 72

Question 20

When and what was the Parliament Act?

Answer 20

1911, reduced the power of the House of Lords

Question 21

When and what was the Representation of the People Act?

Answer 21

1918, have the vote to all men over 21 and all women over 30

Question 22

What is plural voting?

Answer 22

For those who owned property in both a borough and a county

Question 23

When were The Hyde Park Riots?

Answer 23

23rd July 1866