The 19th Century: Extending The Franchise

Question 1

In the early 19th century, how was the British Electoral system regarded? State 4 reasons for this

Answer 1

unfair and corrupt

• Rotton boroughs(small populations) sent an MP to Parliament but new industrial towns (e.g B’ham) didn’t
• Only people who owned property could vote
• Factory Owners/Industrial Workers not represented in Parliament
• Un-secret ballot = bribery and corruption

Question 2

When was the Peterloo Massacre?

Answer 2

1819

Question 3

Why were the Corn Laws in 1815? (4)

Answer 3

• Kept wheat prices high
• Landowners and farmers made more
• Manufacturers and farmers made less
• intended to protect English farmers from cheap foreign imports of grain after end of Napoleonic Wars

Question 4

What happened at the Peterloo Massacre?

Answer 4

A peaceful protest
60k ppl came to hear radical speaker Henry Hunt called to reform parliament (MPs not working with workers interests)
Milita stopped event- killed 11 (women and children included)

Question 5

Why did the government due to the Peterloo Massacre in1819?

Answer 5

Introduced the ‘Six Acts’ - no meetings with more than 50 ppl- considered treason

Question 6

What year was the Great Reform Act?

Answer 6

1832

Question 7

What did the Great Reform Act (1832) do? (3)

Answer 7

• Gave vote to more middle class people
• extended the franchise by 65,000 voters
• Redistributed MPs so industrial towns were represented

Question 8

Why were many not happy by the outcomes of the Great Reform Act?

Answer 8

Many felt the Act thought the Act didn’t help working class enough

Question 9

What were the 6 demands of the Chartists (on People’s Charter)?

Answer 9

• Votes for all men
• Equal-sized constituencies
• Secret Voting
• Wages for MPs
• No property qualification for voters
• Yearly elections

Question 10

In which years did the Chartists send petitions to parliament? What happened to these petitions?

Answer 10

The Chartists sent petitions in 1839, 1842, 1848

These were rejected

Question 11

What were the short term consequences of the fight for franchise in the early 19th century? (2)

Answer 11

• Great Reform Act did increase no. of voters - many felt it didn’t help enough and so Chartist movement grew
• Chartist movement failed but it did raise awareness for universal suffrage

Question 12

What were the long term consequences of the fight for franchise in the early 19th century? (1)

Answer 12

-Lots of Chartists aims were met
1918- votes for all men
1911- wages for MPs