Ch. 11 Sec. 1

1
Ch. 11 Sec. 1

• Democratic Reform in Britain

2
Reforming Parliament

• 1815 Britain was a constitutional monarchy with
  a Parliament, but not very democratic
• House of Commons controlled by wealth nobles and
  squires (lt 5 of people could vote)
• House of Lords could veto any bill passed by H of
  C
• Catholics and non-Anglican Protestants could not
  vote
• Rotten boroughs (rural towns losing most of its
  pop.) still had members in Parliament while new
  industrial centers had none

3
Reform Act of 1832

• Whigs rep. middle-class and business interests
  and Tories nobles, landowners and ag. Interests
• Great Reform Act
• Redistributed seats in Parliament
• Enlarged the electorate (still a property
  requirement)
• Chartists (more radical protesters) petitions for
  reforms were ignored and marches suppressed but
  passed in time
• Universal male suffrage
• Secret ballot
• Annual elections

4
The Victorian Age

• 1837-1901 Queen Victoria was the great symbol
  of British life
• Not a huge impact politically but represented
  Victorian values
• Duty, thrift, honesty, hard work, and
  respectability
• Expanded its huge empire overseas
• Middle class confidence in Britains future
• Continued push for reform

5
New Era in Politics

• 1860s - Political Parties reorganized
• Tories became the modern Conservative Party
  (Benjamin Disraeli)
• Pushed through the Reform Bill of 1867
• Gave vote to many working class men
• Whigs (William Gladstone) developed into the
  Liberal Party
• 1880s gave the vote to farm workers and most
  other men

6
Limiting the Lords

• By 1900 Britain was a parliamentary democracy
• Prime minister and cabinet are chosen by
  parliament and responsible to it
• 1911 bill greatly lessened the power of the House
  of Lords and gradually became mostly a ceremonial
  body