The triumph of democracy?

Question 1

By 1967, how many branches of the National Reform Union were established throughout Britain?

Answer 1

By 1967 150 branches were established throughout britain.

Question 2

How many branches did the Reform League have by 1867?

Answer 2

it had 400 branches by 1867.

Question 3

How many lives did the Cholera epidemic of 1866-67 claim?

Answer 3

14,000 lives

Question 4

When did William Gladstone introduce the Representation of the People Bill into the House of Commons?

Answer 4

12th March 1866

Question 5

What did the1866 Representation of the People Bill propose?

Answer 5

it proposed extending the franchise in the boroughs to householders paying more than £7 in rent and in counties to householders with or without land who paid more than £10 a year in rent.

Question 6

What effect would the 1866 Representation of the People Bill on the number of voters?

Answer 6

It would increase the electorate by about 400,000

Question 7

How was the 1866 Representation of the People bill recieved?

Answer 7

-There were some who thought i did not go far enough, and others who believed it went too far.

Question 8

What did the ‘ten minute bill’ propose?

Answer 8

-extend the franchise to include £6 ratepayers in the boroughs and £20 ratepayers in the counties.

Question 9

What did the 1867 Representation of the People bill propose?

Answer 9

-In boroughs there was to be a household suffrage, provided that the male lived in the property for two years and paid rates separately from rent.-University graduates, members of the professions and those with savings of more than £50 were to be given extra votes.-In counties the franchise was to be reduced from £50 to £15-Fifteen seats were to be redistributed.

Question 10

When did the 1867 Representation of the People Bill become law?

Answer 10

15th August 1867

Question 11

What changes did the 1867 Reform Act bring in terms of extending the franchise?

Answer 11

-Franchise extended in the boroughs to men who owned or occupied houses provided they paid rates and had lived there for at least a year. Also men who had been living as lodgers in property worth at least £10 a year.-Franchise extended in counties to men who owned or leased land worth at least £5 a year. Also to men who occupied land with rateable value of at least £12 a year.

Question 12

What changes did the 1867 Reform Act bring in terms of the distribution of seats?

Answer 12

-45 seats were removed from boroughs with under 100,000 inhabitants-25 seats were given to the counties-20 seats were given to new boroughs-6 boroughs were given an extra seat

Question 13

What mention of women had there been during the 1867 Representation of the People Bill?

Answer 13

There was little to do with women. However john Stuart Mill proposed an amendment to change the word ‘man’ to ‘person’ in May 1867 so that equally qualified women could vote. However this was defeated by 196 votes to 73.

Question 14

What was the impact of the 1867 reform Act on the electorate?

Answer 14

-the electorate was considerably enlarged.-The act gave the vote to a further 1,120,000 which almost doubled the electorate.-In boroughs around 830,000 voters were added to the electorate.-The number of voters in birmingham rose from 8,000 to 43,000-For the first time, the working classes dominated the borough electorate.-In the counties the electorate only increased by around 40% so it remained mainly middle class.

Question 15

When was the Ballot Act?

Answer 15

1872

Question 16

When did the secret ballot bill become law?

Answer 16

1872

Question 17

When was the corrupt and illegal practices prevention act?

Answer 17

1883

Question 18

What did the corrupt and illegal practices prevention act of 1883 say?

Answer 18

-The maximum sum of money that could be paid out in election expenses would be calculated according to the size of the constituency and the number of voters.-Outlawed the practice of one party booking up in advance all available means of transport the polls.-Fines/imprisonment would result if a politician or his agents were found guilty of corrupt practices, and the MP or so elected would forfeit his seat

Question 19

When was the Franchise act?

Answer 19

1884

Question 20

When was the Redistribution act?

Answer 20

1885

Question 21

What was the pressure for reform in 1884 and 1885?

Answer 21

the pressure for reform was far less specific than for 1832 and 1867. The pressure emerged as part of a growing democratisation of British Society in the 1870’s.

Question 22

What did the Arlington Street Compact say?

Answer 22

Salisbury was able to re-draw the constituency boundaries and got his redistribution. Gladstone got his extension of the franchise.

Question 23

What were the terms of the 1884 Representation of the People act?

Answer 23

It gave the vote to all male householders in the counties and to male lodgers, provided that they had occupied their house or lodgings for at least 12 months.

Question 24

How many people gained the vote in the 1884 representation of the people act?

Answer 24

Some two million agricultural workers were added to the electorate. 2/3 men were now entitled to vote.

Question 25

What were the terms of the 1885 redistribution of seats act?

Answer 25

-All counties and most boroughs became single member constituencies, with an average population of 50,000.-Boroughs with less than 15,000 people lost both members and boroughs with population of between 15,000 and 50,000 lost one member.-London constituencies increased from 22 to 55-Cornwall was represented by 7 MP’s rather than 14. -Lancashire gained 15 new seats.