Reforming Parliament

In 1815 Britain was a constitutional monarch w/ parliament and 2 political parties, but was far from democratic. Wealthy nobles and upper class dominated politics. Long standing laws kept many from voting (ie. Catholics & non-Anglican Protestants)
Reformers pushed to end religious restrictions, which after fierce debate granted Catholics & non-Anglican Protestant equal political rights.

There were rural towns with no populations (rotton boroughs) yet landowners still send members to pariliament. Whereas in new industrial cities such as Manchester and Birmingham there were no seats in Parliament because they weren't population centers in earlier times.

In 1830, Whigs and Tories were battling over a bill to reform parliament. (Whigs represented middle class/business interests and Tories represented nobles, landowners, and others whose interests and incomes were rooted in ariculture.)

Parliament passed the Great Reform Act in 1832 this act --redistributed seats fairly which ilimiated rotton boroughs and enlarged the electorate (body of people allowed to vote) but kept a property requirement to vote. This didn't bring frull democracy but gave middle class a little more say in politics. Landowning nobles still remained a powerful force in gov & economy.
The reform bill didn't help urban workers, so some demanded more radical change. These protesters were called Chartists, they drew up the Peoples Charter, this petition demanded universal male suffrage, annual parliamentary elections, salaries for members of parliament and secret ballot (allow people to cast votes secretly) Chartist presented petitions with over a million signatures, both were ignored.

A revolution swept Europe, Chartists marched for the parliament and the government fearing violence supressed the march causing the Chartist movement to decline.
A revolution swept Europe, Chartists marched for the parliament and the government fearing violence supressed the march causing the Chartist movement to decline.

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This is notes for chapter 23 section 1, of the Prentice Hall World History 2011 book.