Protest and Reform: Causes of the 1867 Reform act

Question 1

Role of Pressure Groups - What were the two most notable pressure groups?

Answer 1

National Reform Union.

Reform League.

Question 2

Role of Pressure Groups - Who joined the National Reform Union and what were their aims?

Answer 2

Liberal-Minded employers e.g. future MP, Wool Manufacturer Samuel Morley from Nottingham.

Lobby group - respected by parliament as non violent and educated.

Question 3

Role of Pressure Groups - Who joined the Reform League?

Answer 3

Ex-Chartists and trade unionists .

Question 4

Role of Pressure Groups - What were the methods of the Reform League?

Answer 4

demonstrations, disliked violent protest, promoted public discussion to improve open political debate.

Question 5

Role of Pressure Groups - Who was the leader of the Reform League?

Answer 5

John Bright - Birmingham MP.

Question 6

Role of Pressure Groups - What was a meeting that caused military retaliation by the Reform League?

Answer 6

Hyde Park Riots 1866
200,000 people assembled to listen to Bedford Leno
Police arrived and called for Military support.

Question 7

Role of Pressure Groups - What Reform Union member was a lead speaker at Hyde Park in 1866?

Answer 7

John Bedford Leno.

Question 8

Role of Pressure Groups - What did Bedford Leno do after Hyde Park?

Answer 8

Organised another rally in Trafalgar Square the following evening, both ended peacefully and strengthened reputation of the activists.

Question 9

Role of Pressure Groups - What other riots did the Reform Union and League engage in?

Answer 9

Chiswick Meeting December 1866.

Agricultural Meeting Islington February 1867.

Question 10

Actions of the political parties - What is an example of an early reform proposal?

Answer 10

1852 Lord Russel proposes to decrease £10 Borough limit to £6 was rejected though.

Question 11

Actions of the political parties - Who died which led to more open reform discussion?

Answer 11

Lord Palmerstone in 1865 .

Question 12

Actions of the political parties - Who was the reformist leader of the Liberal party? What was his key ideal?

Answer 12

William Gladstone

To support ‘deserving’ members of the working class.

Question 13

Actions of the political parties - What did Gladstone do in 1866 which divided the liberal party?

Answer 13

Introduced a non-radical reform bill.

Question 14

Actions of the political parties - Who headed the other side of Gladstone’s divided liberals?

Answer 14

Robert Lowe (led the liberals who voted no to Gladstone’s bill).

Question 15

Actions of the political parties - What happened to Robert Lowe after March 1866 when he split from Gladstone?

Answer 15

Opposed Gladstone’s bill on the grounds of disagreeing with class equality and then he resigned after bringing down his own parliament.

Question 16

Actions of the political parties - What opposition did the Conservatives pose to Gladstone?

Answer 16

Little - they were a minority government wanting to market themselves as resistors of change but also developers of constitutional progress - many members sick of division and opposition.

Question 17

Actions of the political parties - Who was the Conservative leader who opposed Gladstone?

Answer 17

Benjamin Disraeli

Question 18

Actions of the political parties - What were Disraeli’s actions as Conservative leader?

Answer 18

sought to introduce his own bill in March 1867 which was passed with a larger franchise than initially expected, despite it being opposed by Conservative leadership.