Why Did Brittain Become A Democracy

Question 1

What did Britain undergo between 1851-1928 and what were they started by?

Answer 1

Britain underwent numerous democratic changes started by the Great reform act 1832 (gave the vote to middle class men

Question 2

What other reforms took place which made Britain a more democratic country?

Answer 2

Introduction of secret ballots, payment of MPs and limitation on the power of the House of Lords

Question 3

What did the industrial revolution do to Brittain?

Answer 3

Transformed it from a country where most people lived and worked in the countryside to an urban country

Question 4

Where did most people work during the industrial revolution?

Answer 4

Large workplaces e.g. Factories, mines, shipyards etc e.g. Shipyards in Glasgow, jute mills in Dundee, mines in Ayrshire

Question 5

What did the industrial revolution create?

Answer 5

A middle and working class who lived together and started to develop shared identities leading to trade unions

Question 6

What did the industrial revolution link to?

Answer 6

It was industrialisation that bought Britain into conflict with Germany, based on competing economies and the arms race, thus leading to WW1

Question 7

What are arguments for the influence of the industrial revolution?

Answer 7

As middle class were given the vote (1832) this increased demands for all men to vote and eventually women

Living and working so closely together inspired people to campaign for change in all their lives, especially when they saw shared problems

Question 8

What are the arguments against the influence of the industrial revolution?

Answer 8

Industrial revolution said to begin in the 1750s almost 200 years before equal voting in Brittain

Clearly other factors must have played a role too

Question 9

When was stamp duty removed from newspapers and what did this mean?

Answer 9

Was removed in 1855 meant newspapers were cheaper to buy

Question 10

When did primary education (up to age of 13) become compulsory in Scotland?

Answer 10

1872

Question 11

What does better education and newspapers link to?

Answer 11

Better education and political awareness amongst the working classes encouraged the rise of the Labour Party and working class political candidates

Question 12

Arguments for influence of better education and newspapers?

Answer 12

More education enabled people to read about politics in newspapers and pamphlets

Helped start working class political campaigns, which played a role in bringing about political change

Question 13

Arguments against influence of better education and newspapers?

Answer 13

Newspapers did not focus entirely on political or social issues - gossip too

Many of the first pupils after 1872 were in their 40s (men) or 60s (women) before they could vote - again clearly not the only influence

Question 14

What revolutions took place around the world?

Answer 14

Italian revolution (1848)

Russian revolution (1917)

American civil war (1865)

Question 15

What did other British empire countries do?

Answer 15

Gave the vote to women (before Britain) e.g. Australia, NZ

Question 16

What does other countries influence link to?

Answer 16

World War One was a major cause of the Russian revolution, suggesting that ww1 may be more important factor overall

Question 17

Arguments for influence of other countries?

Answer 17

Revolution in other countries lead to fears it might happen in Britain too

Ruling class believe it better to give up some power than lose it all

Embarrassing for Britain if other countries in British empire appear to be ahead

Question 18

Arguments against influence of other countries?

Answer 18

People possibly aware of foreign events - no evidence of any real demand for revolution

Other countries did not give women the vote e.g. USA France

Question 19

What were men conscripted to do during WW1 (from 1916)?

Answer 19

Fight abroad

Question 20

What did many women do while men were off fighting?

Answer 20

Did many of the jobs men left behind e.g. Munitions factories

Question 21

What does WW1 link to?

Answer 21

WW1 largely caused by industrialisation so can be said to be a more important factor

Question 22

Arguments for influence of WWI?

Answer 22

Strong argument that men and women were given the vote as a thank you for their war efforts

Impossible to force men to fight then deny them the vote on their return

After this it was difficult to argue that rich, educated women could not vote whilst even poor men had the right

Also women’s work during the war supported giving them this right

Question 23

Arguments against influence of WWI?

Answer 23

Men had previously fought in wars e.g. Boer wars and not been given the vote after

Many of the women who did the most important work were single & under 30 - the women who didn’t gain the vote in 1918