The old British electoral system was unfair, with only 400,000 of a population of 16 million able to vote in 1832. Rotten boroughs allowed landowners to choose MPs despite few or no residents. The Great Reform Act of 1832 expanded suffrage to more wealthy men and abolished rotten boroughs. However, the Chartist movement demanded further reforms, including universal male suffrage. Full male suffrage was achieved in 1884, while women obtained suffrage in the early 20th century due to activists like Emmeline Pankhurst.

1. Unit 5.4 Political reform
The Age of Reform

2. Words to learn
Terminology Definition
Electoral system Set of rulesby which representative elected in parliament
Rotten boroughs Electoral borough where one family or landowner chose the
MP
Secret ballot An election where the election is not cast in public
Working class Society groups that carry out industrial jobs for wage
Great Reform Act Landmark of political reform of the british parliament
Electorate Ppl who entitled to vote
Suffrage The right to vote in political movements
Chartism Working class movement for equal political rights that began
in 1838

3. Unfair Old electoral system
• In 1832, Br had a
population of 16
million ppl but only
400 thousands
(2.5%) had the right
to vote for a
member of
parliament.
• Most of the voters
were wealthy
property owners,
and all of them were
male.
• But the Br electoral
system had been
evolving since the
medieval period, the
right to vote varied
across country

4. Rotten borough-Old Sarum
• In rotten boroughs, just one family or
landowner had the power to choose
the MP.
• The most notorious borough was Old
Sarum. Its market town but been an
uninhabitated hillside since 17th
century.
• Nevertheless, a group of local
landowners still got to choose Old
Sarum MP’s for parliament.
• In contrast, many of Britain’s growing
industrial city had never been given
respresentasion in parliament like
Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield
and Leeds were the largest borough
but non have their own MP
• Thus, they were the one who needed
more representative due to the pack
population within industrial area
where most social problems occured

6. What’s wrong with the old system?
• In Boroughs where a large number
of people had the right to vote ,
candidates would spend a fortune
buying voters support with bribes,
food and alcohol.
• In addition, there was no secret
ballot , it means voting took
public, so landowners could
intimidate their rich tenants to
vote in certain way
• Corruption and poor system
meant that parliament did not
serve the interest of common
people, the power to change rules
are in hands of rich aristocrats
• These rich MPs only favour
changes that support their
interest and favouritism

7. Great Reform Act
• Inspired by the American
and French Revolutions,
political radicals n Britain
campaigned for an end to
corruption and aristocrats
govt.
• Radicals gained support
from middle class and
working class
• In 1831, a Whig politician
called Earl Grey became
Prima Minister. Although
he was an aristocrat, Grey
was a long-time supporter
of political reform

8. Changes has been made?
• Grey extend the vote to every
man living in property worth
10pounds or more
• He abolished 60 of Britain’s
small rotten borough and
redistributing their MP’s to
industrial region.
• Grey reform Bill was accepted
by House of Common but
rejected at the house of Lords
(higher level in parliament
system)
• At the end Grey resigned and
people were furious about it.

9. Riots and threat
• Riots erupted across
country. An angry mob burnt
a castle belonging to the
Duke of Newcastle
• Radical party in Birmingham
led by Thomas Attwood
promised to raise 100 000
armed men to march on
London
• During riot, the rebels broke
windows, machines as they
march and they were absent
from work causing the
factory to shut down.
• The house of Lords changed
their minds and Earl Grey’s
Great reform Act passed in
1832.

10. More demand??
• The Great Reform Act was a landmark
of British History as it increased british
electorate to 650 000 ppl, all taken by
both wealthy and middle class
• In 1838, a group of working class
radicals led by William Lovett (a
London cabinet maker) wrote the
people’s charter. It contain six demand
for further political reform
• Supporters of Lovett became known as
Chartists.
• In 1848, Chartist held a largest meeting
attended by 50 000 supporters, but it
was disbanded and died anyway due to
economic depression and lack of govt’s
support.
• All charter demand was accepted but
one was not – annual election

11. 6 demand of chartism

12. Meaning…
• All men above 21 to have
the vote (universal
manhood suffrage)
• Voting should take place
by secret ballot
• Parliamentary elections
every year, not once
every five years
• Constituencies should be
of equal size
• Members of Parliament
should be paid
• The property qualification
for becoming a Member
of Parliament should be
abolished

13. Further reform
• Campaigns for political reform return
during 1860’s. In parliament,
members of Liberal party were its
strongest supporters
• In 1867, conservative Prime minister
Benjamin Disraeli approved second
reform allowing one million more man
to be allowed to vote earning boot
support for Conservative party
• While on the other side, the liberal
party led by William Gladstone
passing the 3rd reform act in 1884.
• This extended the vote to all male
homeowners (2/5 male population).
• Only 50 years later, woman were
allowed to vote on the same basis as
men in Britain

14. Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst is shown in this
photograph, flanked by police officers, during
the WSPU’s (Women’s Social and Political
Union) militant campaign for women’s
suffrage. Her first arrest was in February 1908,
when she led a deputation to the Houses of
Commons and was subsequently arrested for
obstruction. Her activism and agitation for
suffrage led to numerous arrests between
1908 and 1914.

15. Hunger strike

16. Q1
1. In 1832, Br had a population of 16 million ppl
but how many could vote?

17. Answer
• Most of the voters were wealthy property
owners, and all of them were male , 400 00
PPL WITH ONLY 2.5 % of the population

18. Q
• What is rotten borough and secret ballot?

19. Answer
• Rotten boroughs
• Electoral borough where one family or
landowner chose the MP
• Secret ballot
• An election- where the election is not cast in
public

20. Q
• What events led to the growing rotten
borough

21. Answer
• People are migration from village into
industrial city living their county with least
population or less people to manage
(sometimes only one family left). Members of
parliament in that rotten borough should be
removed

22. Q
• Who introduced 1st great reform? And what
were the demand in the 1st Great reform?

23. answer
• Grey extend the vote to every man living in
property worth 10pounds or more
• He abolished 60 of Britain’s small rotten
borough and redistributing their MP’s to
industrial region.

24. Q
• Was Great reform a success?? What are the
consequences of it?

25. answer
• Grey reform Bill was accepted by House of
Common but rejected at the house of Lords
(higher level in parliament system)
• At the end Grey resigned and people were
furious about it.

26. Q
• Why did British Government re-justify Earl
Grey requests and finally approved it???

27. answer
• Riots erupted across country. An angry mob burnt
a castle belonging to the Duke of Newcastle
• Radical party in Birmingham led by Thomas
Attwood promised to raise 100 000 armed men
to march on London
• During riot, the rebels broke windows, machines
as they march and they were absent from work
causing the factory to shut down.
• The house of Lords changed their minds and Earl
Grey’s Great reform Act passed in 1832.

28. Q
• Who led the 2nd reform in 1838?

29. answer
• In 1838, a group of working class radicals led
by William Lovett (a London cabinet maker)
wrote the people’s charter. It contain six
demand for further political reform
• Supporters of Lovett became known as
Chartists.

30. Q
• What are the 6 six chartist demand? And what
demand has not been approved

31. answer
• All men above 21 to have the vote (universal
manhood suffrage)
• Voting should take place by secret ballot
• Parliamentary elections every year, not once
every five years
• Constituencies should be of equal size
• Members of Parliament should be paid
• The property qualification for becoming a
Member of Parliament should be abolished

32. Q
• More reformation in electoral system?

33. Answer
• Prime minister Benjamin Disraeli approved
second reform allowing one million more man
to be allowed to vote
• William Gladstone passing the 3rd reform act
in 1884. This extended the vote to all male
homeowners (2/5 male population).

34. Q
• Were woman allowed to vote>
• Who was the famous activist to fight for vote
for woman in early 20th century?

35. Answer
• Not allowed
• Emmeline pankhurst

36. The End