The Franchise

1. National 5 History:
Era of the Great War
The Franchise

2. Today’s lesson – The Franchise
We are developing our knowledge and understanding of
changes to the Franchise after the war.
By the end of today’s lesson I should be able to:
1) Describe the changes in voting rights up to 1928.
2) Explain why more people in Britain got the right to vote.
Today’s lesson involves:
Note taking
National 5 Question

3. What is the franchise?
The Franchise is when you are given the right to vote in
parliamentary elections.

4. Why is having the vote so
important?

5. Background
In the 1800s Britain was not a democracy, as
only a select few rich and powerful men had
the vote.
Full equality in terms of voting was not
achieved until 1928.
Historically, these rich and powerful men
were not expected to represent ordinary
working people instead they had to stand up
for the rights of landowners and
businessmen.

6. Task 1 – Timeline task
Take a new double page in your jotter and create a timeline from 1800
to 1928.
Include the dates: 1832, 1867, 1884, 1910-1912, 1918, 1923, 1928

7. Victorian Reform Acts
1832 – The Great Reform Act was passed that allowed all middle class
(about 1 in 6) men to vote for the first time. However no women or
working class men could get the vote.
1867 – Due to campaigning by groups such as the Chartists a second
Reform Act was passed which allowed some working class men to get
the vote. Now 1/3 of men had the vote.
1884 – The Third Great Reform Act extended the franchise to more
working class men. Now 2/3 of all men had the vote. Women were
angry about being excluded from having the vote and set up campaign
groups to campaign for a women’s right to vote.

8. Wartime changes
1910-1912 – There was a variety of Conciliation bills which were all
designed to give some women the vote. Every single bill was voted
down in the House of Commons.
1918 – Representation of the People’s Act 1918. This law allowed some
women to vote for the first time in election and for some women to
stand as candidates for election. Many believed that this was a reward
for war work.
1923 – The first female Scottish MP Katherine Stewart Murray was
elected for the constituency of Kinross and West Perthshire.
1928 – The Equal franchise act of 1928 granted all men and women
over the age of 21 the vote in UK General Elections.