Chapter Fourteen Flashcards
What did the passing of the Great Reform Act prompt?
People to expect more reform in other areas of British society.
What was taken into account before any reform was introduced?
Findings of a Select Committee of the House of Commons. System was improved by the greater use of Royal Commissions, a body set up by Government to look into a specific issue e.g Poor Law, whose members included experts as well as MPS, and so opinion outside of Parliament was taken into consideration in making legislative decisions- ops for general ideology.
What were the concerns regardign Education?
Lack of education for working classes and poor children- Industrial society required literate workforce.
What were Sunday and Monitorial Schools?
Sunday schools were set up by a Methodist chapel, and by 1830 over a million working class children were attending bible classes on Sundays- one day they didn't work. Financed by voluntary contributions. Monitorial schools moost successful- one teacher instructed older pupils who taught younger children. Promoted by two organisations- National Society and British and Foreign Society. 1811
What action did the Government take in Education?
Monitorial and Sunday schools were overwhelmed by rapid urban development and growing ppulation so 1833 Government made a grant of £20,000 to be shareed between the two societies to help open more schools.
What were the effects of Government interference in Education?
Angered traditional politival classes- idea of using public funding for wc chidren to learn when they can be empoyed in factories.
System was not regularly administered, even hough regular accounts were to be submitted to reasury.
Salaried inspectors were appointed.
1839 grant increased to £30,000 and Cabinet set up to oversee this.
What further attempts to improve Education were there?
Proposals to establish colleges for teacher training, and place responsibility for education in hands of Privy Council Committee received an outcry from Anglicans.
But Committee was set up by James Kay Shuttleworth, a philanthropist.
1843, Factory Education Bill by James Graham was soundly defeated.
1846 Shuttleworth’s Committee proposed system of national teachr training but criticism over cost so was abandoned.
What was Factory Life like?
By the 1830s it was an established part of the Industrial landscape. Hours were set in requirements of the owner not labour force, system was harsh, disciplined and inflexible, entire families working up to 16 hours a day. Women and children paid less. Orphans exploited.
What was the 10 Hour Movement?
Originally Michael Sadler but lost his seat December 1832. Lord Ashley took over. Campaign to shorten working hours. Supported by other MPs such as Richard Oastler. Humanitarian and and evangelicals joined forces with wc groups.
Failed as the Government was reluctant to interfere in the working hours of adults.
What did the Report of the Royal Commission recommend for factory reform?
Led by Edwin Chadwick. Recommended legislation nly in respect of children’s working hours, on the grounds that they needed protection. This Benthamite approach persuaded Parliament to pass the Factory Act.
What was the Factory Act?
- Restrictd working hours of children to no more than 12 hours a day. Stopped employment of those under 9. Enabled children to be used in relays and so allowed adults to be worked up to 16 or 17 hours. Chadwick factored in introduction of Poor Law, meaning chidlren could be taken from workhouses. Effective because of system of regulation through inspectors. Adult hours untouched.
Did not satisfy Ahsey and campaign for shorter working hours continued.
What were the actions of Abolitionists after the Great Reform Act?
They were disappointed that the abolition of slavery was not included in the government programme. Parliament was therefore flooded with ptitions against the continuance of slavery int he British Empire, led by humanitarian and evangelical groups.
What happened in Jamaica in 1831-82?
There was an extremely violent uprising, causing shock waves in government circles and fear among plantation owners for their lives and profits. Parliamentary inquiry followed, which led to the passing of the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833.
When was Slavery ended?
Officially to end August 1834 but slaves were reclassified as apprentices with release dates set as far ahead as 1840
Peaceful protests brought this to 1838
What were the effects of the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act?
Government paid out £20,000,000 across all owners of slaves to reflect the Government’s belief that slavey was not acceptable, whilst keeping the slavery owners and the families among the political classes happy.
To satisfy them further system of indentured labour was introduced, wherein workers from India were brought. This was a form of forced labour, and there were many abuses of the system.
Anti-Slavery society was formed in 1839.
