Reforms in the British Empire

1. Reforms in the British Empire Chapter 23 Section 1

2. Key Terms • Queen Victoria • Victoria Era • Benjamin Disraeli • Suffrage • Emmeline Parkhurst

3. Reform Act of 1832 • Growing prosperity of the working and middles classes led to demand for goods • 1800 landowning aristocrats made up Parliament • Some industrial cities had no representation

4. Reform Act of 1832 • Britain wealthy male property owners could vote • Catholics and Jews could hold political office • House of commons not paid so only wealthy served

5. Reform Act of 1832 • British liberals were challenging the old order • People demanded greater political participation • Reform Act of 1832 gave representation in Parliament

6. Reform Act of 1832 • Gave the vote to the middle class • Increased eligible voters by 50% • Reduced power of the aristocracy • Only men with a certain amount of property could vote • Prevented many working class from voting

7. Sadler and the Factory Act • Investigate treatment of children in factories • Harmful conditions • Mistreatment • Long hours • Low wages • Passed the Factory Act of 1833 • Teenagers could not work more than 12 hours • Children 9-13 had to receive two hours of school

8. Other Reforms • 1833 parliament abolished slavery • Government would compensate slave owners • Passed public health and crime laws to improve living conditions

9. Chartism • 1839 Chartists demanded • voting rights for all men • Secret ballot • Annual elections • Pay representatives in parliament • Secret ballot prevented intimidation during voting

10. Chartism • Parliament rejected their ideas • Turned down the People’s Charter • By the end of the 1800’s many of their reforms had been passed

11. Victorian Era • 1837 Queen Victoria • Reign lasted to 1901 longest in British history • Became more democratic during her reign

12. Disraeli and Gladstone • Benjamin Disraeli- Prime Minister, member of conservative party • Slow to accept reforms • Wanted to preserve the past • Gladstone was a liberal • More progressive to solving society’s problems

13. Voting Rights for Men • Disraeli put forth a new reform bill • 1867 one out of every three men could vote • Another bill created the secret ballot • 1885 Gladstone pushed a reform bill that extended voting rights even further

14. Women’s Suffrage • Suffrage- the right to vote • Women’s rights were raised during the Enlightenment • 1800’s women not equals • Could not own property • Not considered legal guardians of their children

15. Women’s Suffrage • Queen Victoria against women’s right to vote • “Mad, wicked folly.” • 1886 Disraeli argued for women’s right to vote • Said if a women could be queen or own land they should be able to vote

16. Women’s Suffrage • Millicent Garrett Fawcett • -lobbied members of Parliament • Signed petitions • Educated the public • Emmeline Pankhurst • Founded Women’s Social and Political Union • “You have to make more noise than everyone else”

17. Women’s Suffrage • 1918 Parliament grants the right to vote • Women over the age of 30 • 1928 women have the same voting rights as men

18. Ireland • 1801 Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom • Act of Union joined England, Scotland, and Wales • Some Irish hated British rule • British landlords owned much of Ireland’s land

19. Ireland • Had power to evict Irish farmers • Several times in the 1800’s the potato crop failed • Left many with no food or income • 1 million starved • 1.5 left for the U.S.

20. Ireland • Ireland continued to export food during the famine • Left Irish ports for England • British officials encouraged the trade • Did not want to harm British economy

21. Ireland • Famine made people more resentful • 1860’s Irish began to fight for change • Violent protests • Ireland wanted to govern itself • Ireland received limited self government in 1920

22. Canada • Colony controlled by Britain • Some spoke French • 1837 rebellions in Canada • 1838 Lord Durham wanted to unite Canada • Form “a great and powerful people“

23. Canada • 1867 united several Canadian colonies • Power to govern themselves • Canada becomes a dominion • Canada developed its own identity but remained close to Britain

24. Australia and New Zealand • Canada became model of self government • 1700’s Australia used for prisoners • 1800’s discovery of copper and gold brought settlers • 1901 Britain granted self rule

25. Australia and New Zealand • Britain made a deal of land for self rule • Maori people • New Zealand became a dominion • 1893- New Zealand was the first country to give women the right to vote