2019- Parliamentary Reform mainly occured because of political attitudes within parliament 1852-67

Question 1

What did a group of 3000 ironworkets do in 1821 in an outbreak of violence?

Answer 1

3000 ironworkets and coal miners refused to disperse when the Riot Act was read and fought soldiers. Two miners were killed and several soldiers injured.

Question 2

What were the main demonstration of violence in 1829?

Answer 2

• Several weavers were shot by soldiers who were guarding 16 men who had been placed in a lock-up in Rochdale following the destruction of factory machinery.
• Four weaving shops were attacked in Manchester
• Over 150 looms smashed

Question 3

When were the swing riots and where?

Answer 3

Kent 1830

Question 4

How many countries did the swing riots spread to and what did the riots involve?

Answer 4

20 countries and they involved machine breaking, arson, assaults on landlords, demands for higher wages and strikes.

Question 5

What did the swing rioters do between February and March 1830?

Answer 5

Sent 200 petitions were sent to Parliament demanding tax reductions in rural areas.

Question 6

What was the Birmingham Political Union and who set it up?

Answer 6

A general political union between the lower and middle classes set up by Thomas Attwood.

Question 7

What was the main aim of the BPU?

Answer 7

For middle-class suffrage, their argument was that all workers would benefit if Parliament included middle-class MPs.

Question 8

How many people did the BPU attract at rallies and how many at the “Days of May”?

Answer 8

100,000 and 200,000.

Question 9

When was the first reform bill and who introduced it?

Answer 9

March 1831, introduced by Lord John Russel.

Question 10

What did the first reform bill aim to do?

Answer 10

Redistribute 100 rotten boroughs to the industrial north and midlands. There was to be a £10 property qualification for voting rights.

Question 11

How many votes was the first reform bill passed by?

Answer 11

302 votes to 301

Question 12

When was the second reform bill and who introduced it?

Answer 12

July 1831, introduced by Grey as he won the election with a 130 majority.

Question 13

How many votes did the second reform bill pass through the commons by but who rejected it?

Answer 13

Passed through Commons with 136 votes but was rejected by the Lords by 41 votes.

Question 14

What happened as a consequence of the Lords rejecting the second reform bill?

Answer 14

Triggered a wave of rioting across the country.

Question 15

What happened in Bristol in reaction to the Lords rejection of the second reform bill?

Answer 15

It was controlled for three days by rioters and when troops were sent to restore order, 12 rioters were killed and over 100 injured.

Question 16

When was the third reform bill?

Answer 16

December 1831

Question 17

How did Grey suggest the impasse be broken so the Lords would approve the third reform bill? But what happened after this?

Answer 17

Grey asked William IV to create 50 Whig peers in the Lords. William IV refused and Grey resigned in May 1832.

Question 18

What triggered the days of May after the third reform bill?

Answer 18

Wellington was asked to form a new government.

Question 19

Why was the Days of May so significant?

Answer 19

It scared the Lords so in June 1832, The Reform Act became Law.

Question 20

When was the National reform League formed and what was their aim?

Answer 20

1864 and their aim was to extend the franchise to include all male rate payers, equal distribution of seats and a secret ballot.

Question 21

What was the National Reform Union considered?

Answer 21

A respectable lobby group.

Question 22

When was the Reform League formed and what did they aim for?

Answer 22

1865, wanted universal male suffrage and a secret ballot

Question 23

When were the Hyde Park Riots and who was involved in them?

Answer 23

The Reform League held the meeting on the 23rd July 1866.

Question 24

Who declared the Hyde Park meeting illegal?

Answer 24

The Conservative home secretary.

Question 25

How many people invaded Hyde Park and who was sent to help keep the peace?

Answer 25

200,000 and the police called for military support.

Question 26

Who was Disraeli and what did he do?

Answer 26

Chancellor of the government and saw the mood for changed and wanted to be the party to introduce moderate reform as it was a political advantage so in August 1866 he passed the bill to extend the vote to people that had traditionally voted liberal.