Power and the people part 3

Question 1

Causes of the great reform act

Answer 1

1) British electoral system was considered unfair
2) Rotten boroughs
3) Only the wealthy could vote
4) Peterloo massacre-a peaceful protest for votes where hundreds were killed and injured by military attacks
5) Government introduced 6 acts which banned meetings of more than 50 people

Question 2

Events of the great reform act

Answer 2

1) Gave the vote to middle class people
2) Working class didn’t have the vote
3) Chartists campaigned for votes for all men, equal sized constituencies, secret ballots, wages for MPs, annual elections
4) Chartists main method of protest was petitions , in 1839,1842 and 1848 huge petitions were taken to parliament but rejected

Question 3

Short term significance of the grey reform act

Answer 3

1) Gave votes to middle class men but not working class men
2) Chartist movement failed but raised awareness of universal suffrage

Question 4

Long term significance of great reform act

Answer 4

1) 5 of the 6 aims of the Chartists were met , only one not met was annual elections

Question 5

Causes of 19th century protest - Anti corn law league

Answer 5

1) In 1815 parliament placed taxes on imported corn. Factory owners complained that most their wages were being spent on bread which meant they had to be paid higher wages which means factories had to increase price of products so other good were too expensive to sell overseas

Question 6

Events of the anti corn law league

Answer 6

1) The bill against the corn law was rejected but gained 195 votes which showed popularity
2) Was also supported by skilled workers and the whigs

Question 7

Significance of the anti corn law league

Answer 7

1) In 1846 Robert Peel brought in the repeal of the corn laws response to the Irish potato famine. This convinced many people that the future of Britain lay in free trade

Question 8

Causes of anti slavery movement

Answer 8

1) Many people believed the slave trade was wrong, Quakers presented a petition with 300 signatures to parliament, was made in response to where 130 sick slaves were thrown overboard a ship

Question 9

Events of anti slavery movement

Answer 9

A group including Thomas clarkson persuaded William wilberforce to introduce a motion in the House of Commons

Question 10

Significance of the anti slavery movement

Answer 10

1807- a hill to abolish slavery was passed by both Houses of Parliament

Question 11

Causes of the campaign for factory and social reform

Answer 11

1) Working conditions in factories and mines were terrible

Question 12

Events of the campaign for factory and social reform

Answer 12

1) Some individuals such as Robert Owen improved conditions in their own factories. Lord Shaftesbury campaigned in parliament for new laws of working hours

Question 13

Significance of factory and social reform

Answer 13

1) 1833 factory act limited hours children could work
2) 1842 mines act banned women and children from working underground

Question 14

Significance of overall protest in 19th century

Answer 14

All three campaigns are significant as they demonstrated that protest could be effective. Some were also the first time the government acted in the interests of the poor over the landed gentry

Question 15

Causes of 19th century workers movements

Answer 15

1) Industrialisation meant that many jobs were less skilled
2) The master and servants act of 1823 made it illegal for workers to break their contracts and go on strike
3) Gap between rich and poor had widened

Question 16

Events of 19th century workers movements

Answer 16

1) Some workers destroyed machines they believed had taken their jobs
2) Tolpuddle martyrs- 1834, group of farm workers formed a trade union but were arrested for swearing a secret oath, leaders exiled them to Australia, protests were caused so government reversed their decision

Question 17

Short term significance of 19th century workers movements

Answer 17

1) Treatment of tolpuddle martyrs helped union to grow
2) Union for skilled workers were called new model union
3) Union for unskilled workers were known as new unions
4) Match girls held first successful strike in 1888 followed by dockers strike in 1889

Question 18

Long term significance of workers movements in 19th century

Answer 18

1)Workers created their own political party- labours party
2) Unions would continue to gain power through the 20th century