Chapter 11 Section 1
Britain Becomes More Democratic
Lesson Objectives
• Describe how reformers worked to change
Parliament in the 1800s.
• Understand the values that Queen Victoria
represented.
• Summarize how the Liberal and Conservative
parties helped bring the new ear to British
politics.
Reformers sought to change
Parliament in the 1800’s
• 1815 Britain was
constitutional monarchy
– Parliament; 2 political
parties, dominated by
wealthy landowners
– Far from democratic
• House of Commons
elected by less than 5% of
the people
• House of Lords
– Could veto any bill passed
by Commons
– Held most of the power in
Parliament
Reformers sought to change
Parliament in the 1800’s
• Some changes
– 1820’s parliament allowed
Catholics & nonAnglican
(Church of England)
Protestants political rights
– With industrial revolution
many rural towns lost so
many people, had few or
no voters
• Land owners sent
representatives to
Parliament became known
as rotten boroughs
• Large new industrial cities
had no representatives
Reformers sought to change
Parliament in the 1800’s
• Reform Act of 1832
– Battle between Whigs & Tories
• Whigs – middle class w/ business interests
• Tories – nobles, landowners w/ agricultural interests
– Redistributed seats in House of Commons
• Gave representatives to large towns & cities
• Eliminated rotten boroughs
– Suffrage to more men but kept property
requirement for voting
– Gave greater political voice to middle class men
Reformers sought to change
Parliament in the 1800’s
• 1830’s protesters known as Chartists drew up
People’s Charter
– Demanded: universal manhood suffrage, yearly
parliamentary elections, salaries for members of
Parliament
– Presented petitions to Parliament twice w/
million+ signatures but Parliament ignored the
petitions
The Victorian Age
• From 1837-1901 (longest
reign in British history)
Queen Victoria was great
symbol in British life
– Had little political power, but
she set tone for the Victorian
age with strict code of morals
– Victorian values: duty, thrift,
honesty, hard work, but most
of all RESPECTABILITY
• Britain expanded its huge
empire
– India
– 300 million subjects around
the world
Liberal & Conservative Parties helped
bring a new era to British politics &
extend right to vote to more people
Benjamin Disraeli – Tories>
Conservative Party
William Gladstone – Whigs>
Liberal Party
Liberal & Conservative Parties helped
bring a new era to British politics &
extend right to vote to more people
• 1868-1880 alternated control of Parliament
– Gave vote to farmers
– Pushed for reforms in Ireland
– By 1900 many Chartist goals were achieved
including secret ballot
– Early 1900’s House of Lords had begun to be
mainly ceremonial & had little power