society 1851-1885

Question 1

how did Gladstone create a meritocracy in education?

Answer 1

Forster’s Education Act 1870 filled gaps with Board schools where Church Schools did not exist
Tension over religious teaching in the new Board schools - Cowper-Temple Clause
beginnings of state funded education
University Tests Act 1871 opened up places at Oxford and Cambridge to non-Anglicans

Question 1

what kind of society did Gladstone want to create in his first ministry?

Answer 1

meritocracy

Question 2

how did Gladstone create a meritocracy in the army and civil service?

Answer 2

The Abolition of the Purchase of Commissions 1871
Withdrawal of troops from the self-governing colonies
Civil Service Reform 1870 - appointments made through public examination

Question 3

what reforms for the workers did Gladstone do in his first ministry?

Answer 3

Trade Union Act 1871
Criminal Law Amendment Act 1871
Licensing Act 1872

Question 4

how successful was Gladstone’s first ministry?

Answer 4

lost 1874 election due to unpopularity of the Licensing Act
Long term success - gradual ending of privledges within the Army and the civil service
greater access to education and established the start of state education
Gladstone opened up society in the longer term

Question 5

what were the living standards like for the rich?

Answer 5

huge gap between rich and poor
rich owned several houses with servants
inherited money or earned it from land
had hobbies
access to healthcare

Question 6

what were living standards like for the middle class?

Answer 6

went on holiday to Brighton by train
low taxes
large group
some had a servant
access to healthcare

Question 7

what were the living standards like for working classes?

Answer 7

idea of laissez faire - not governments job to intervene in the economy and support poor
wages very low for unskilled workers
even with children bringing in extra wage they couldn’t afford to eat
basic diet
health problems
poor working conditions eg matchstick girls dies from breathing in fumes
overcrowding

Question 8

what was education attendance like early in this period?

Answer 8

15% received an education
majority could not read a newspaper or write a leader

Question 9

what action in education was taken in 1862?

Answer 9

Robert Lowe introduced payment by results
schools inspected and pupils tested on reading, writing and maths
results would determine grant that the school received and teachers wages

Question 10

what were the problems with Robert Lowe’s education system?

Answer 10

places strain on teachers and the system
considerable opposition

Question 11

impact of Forster’s education act

Answer 11

first time government intervened in education
non-conformists upset about lack of religious education in board schools

Question 12

sandon’s education act 1876

Answer 12

disraeli
set up local committees to encourage school attendance and remind parents of their responsibility to send their children to school

Question 13

mundella’s education act 1800

Answer 13

disraeli
made education compulsory for 5-10 year olds

Question 14

why did Disraeli cut taxes and what was the impact of this?

Answer 14

needed to keep the middle class on his side - reduced taxes from 3d to 2d
meant that he could not afford large scale social reform

Question 14

why did Disraeli favour permissive legislation?

Answer 14

“the characteristic of free people”

Question 15

what are 3 arguments to show that Disraeli was not interested in social reform?

Answer 15

used it as a political expedient instead of actually having any interest in it
left the work to Richard Cross
adopted laws that the Liberals had come up with