Section 1: Britain Becomes more Democratic
Section 2: A Century of Reform
Section 3: Division & Democracy in France
Section 4: Expansion of the United States

Section 1: Britain Becomes more
Democratic

Summary:

In Britain, political change came from gradual reform throughout the 1800s

Section 1: Britain Becomes more
Democratic

In 1815, Britain had a monarch

It also had a parliament with two political parties

Still, it was NOT democratic

Parliament was made up of the House of Lords
(nobles and high-ranking church leaders) and the
House of Commons (men elected by the 5% of the population who had the right to vote)

Section 1: Britain Becomes more
Democratic

Moreover, the House of Lords had the power to veto, or reject, any bill passed by the House of Commons

Therefore, reformers wanted more democracy

In the 1820s England ended laws that restricted some religious groups from voting

Another problem confronting English democracy was the existence of ‘rotten boroughs’

Section 1: Britain Becomes more
Democratic

The growth of cities had left some rural boroughs, or towns with few voters

These rotten boroughs had more than their fair share of seats in Parliament

The Reform Act of 1832 gave more seats to large towns

It also extended suffrage to all men who owned property

Section 1: Britain Becomes more
Democratic

Queen Victoria ruled the British Empire from 1837-1901

The Victorian Age was a time for manners hard work, honesty and reform

Section 1: Britain Becomes more
Democratic

In the 1860s, political parties changed

Nobles and landowners of the Tory Party joined the new Conservative Party

The mostly Middle-class Whig Party grew into the Liberal Party

Both Parties wanted Democracy

Section 1: Britain Becomes more
Democratic

A Conservative bill extended suffrage to working class men

Later, liberals extended suffrage to include farmers and most other men

Another Liberal bill limited the veto power of the House of Lords & gave the House of
Commons more power

Section 2: A Century of Reform

Summary:

In the 1800s and early 1900s, Parliament passed many reform measures

Section 2: A Century of Reform

From 1815 to 1914, British reformers called for change

New laws improved working conditions and allowed trade unions

They also provided for free elementary schools reduced harsh punishments for crimes and ended slavery

Trade reforms lowered tariffs, or taxes on imported goods

Section 2: A Century of Reform

In 1900, the trade unions founded a new political party, the Labour Party

It pushed through more laws to protect workers

Section 2: A Century of Reform

British women called for the right of
suffrage, or the right vote

They held huge rallies and marches

When these demonstrations failed, some protesters smashed windows and burned buildings

A few went on hunger strikes

In 1918, Parliament gave the right to vote for women over 30, in 1928 suffrage was extended to include women 18 and over

Section 2: A Century of Reform

Throughout the 1800s, Nationalists in
Ireland fought British rule

Ireland demanded CHANGE!!!

No longer would the Irish pay high rents to their
British landlords

No longer would Irish Catholics turn over their money to support the Church of England

No longer would Irish crops go to England while
Irish families starved

Section 2: A Century of Reform
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/handouts/sampleppt/sld001.htm

Section 2: A Century of Reform

In the 1870s, Irish Nationalists called for
Home Rule, or local self-government

Finally, in 1914, Parliament passed a home rule bill

Counties in the South of Ireland became independent in 1921

Section 2: A Century of Reform

Quiz – Irish Potato Famine

1.) Give a reason for the severity of the famine.

2.) How did the actions of England worsen this disaster?

Section 3: Division & Democracy in France

Summary:

Democratic reforms in France took place under Napoleon III’s Second Empire and its successor, the Third Republic

Section 3: Division & Democracy in France

After the French Revolution of 1848, Louis
Napoleon was elected president of the
Second Republic

He was the nephew to Napoleon Bonaparte and his famous name won him votes

Section 3: Division & Democracy in France

The working class liked his talk of social reform

But in 1852, he declared himself Napoleon III ruler of the Second Empire

He ruled like a dictator, censoring the press and choosing officials

However, he did keep his word to workers, by allowing them to set up unions and free health care

Section 3: Division & Democracy in France

While Napoleon III made reforms at home he made major mistakes in foreign policy

He tried to take power in Mexico and failed

In 1870, a crushing defeat at the hands of
Prussia (Bismarck & William I) ended the
Second Empire

Section 3: Division & Democracy in France

The Third Republic arose

It had a more democratic two-house legislature

All men could vote for members of the lower house

The two houses elected a president, but the real power belonged to the premier, or Prime
Minister

A constitution separated church & state and guarded human rights

Section 3: Division & Democracy in France

In 1894, a scandal shook the Third
Republic

Captain Albert Dreyfus was jailed for spying for the Germans

Some people felt the Army blamed Dreyfus solely because he was Jewish

In the end Dreyfus was proven innocent

Section 3: Division & Democracy in France

The Dreyfus Affair, along with
antisemitism (or prejudice against Jewish people), across Europe worried Jewish leaders

Some began to call for a separate state where
Jewish people would have the rights and freedoms denied to them in European countries

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

Summary:

In the United States, as in much of the world, the 1800s were a time of changing borders, growing industry and new laws

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

The United States grew and changed greatly in the 1800s

Many Americans felt it was their right to settle all the land between the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans

Settlers moved west, taking lands from the
Native Americans

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

In 1803, President Jefferson bought land from France

His Louisiana Purchase almost doubled the size of the Unites States

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

In 1848, Mexico gave up California and much of the Southwest

In 1867, the U.S. bought Alaska from
Russia

In 1898, it gained Hawaii

War with Spain in 1898 gave the U.S. control of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and
Guam

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

During the 1800s, two movements brought greater democracy

Abolitionists worked to end slavery

Women who worked in the abolitionist movement began to organize a women’s rights movement

They called for equality under the law, at work and in schools

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

By 1860, economic conflicts split the nation

The South relied on farming

The North was more industrialized

The regions also disagreed on the issue of slavery

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

Southern plantations felt they needed slave labor

The South worried about President-elect
Abraham Lincoln’s opposition to the extension of slavery into new territories

Section 4: Expansion of the United States

In 1861, southern states seceded, or separated from the Union

The American Civil War began

The North won the war in 1865, and the nation was reunited

It had been the bloodiest war in American history