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Chapter 15—The Age of Reform
Section 1—Liberal Reforms in Great Britain + Its Empire
Reforms of the 1800s
-as industrial revolution spread…so did liberalism
-ideas of the enlightenment + French Revolution
-govt protection of individual rights + civil liberties
-extending suffrage…correcting social + economic problems…abolishing slavery + slave trade
-Voting restrictions
-only men who owned a lot of land
-voted in the open
-no Catholics…Jews…or Dissenters could hold office
-Reform Bill of 1832
-workers + middle class demanded reform
-1829 Catholic Emancipation Act
-allowed Catholics to serve in Parliment
-took seats away from less populated areas + gave them to the industrial cities
-Whig party wins more support
-forms Liberal party w/ radicals + liberals from the Tory party
-Tory party becomes Conservative party
-Social + Economic change
-Factory Act of 1833
-Slavery abolished in 1833
-repealed the Corn Laws in 1846
-Chartist movement
-reform document known as Peoples Charter
-proposed by William Lovett in 1836
-universal male suffrage + secret ballot
-redrawn parliamentary districts thru out England
-pay for Parliamentary seats
-became widely popular among British workers
-as social + economic conditions improved, movement lost power
-by late 1840s movement ended
Disraeli + Gladstone
-1837 William IV died- niece Victoria became queen at 18
-ruled 1837-1900
-Victorian Age
-gave PM control-did not interfere
-b/t 1868-1894 2 PM dominated British affairs
-Conservative Party leader…Benjamin Disraeli
-1868 + 1874-1880
-foreign affairs + expanding British Empire
-gained control of Suez Canal + Victoria became Empress of India
-Liberal Party leader…William Gladstone
-4 terms as PM
-domestic + financial affairs
-Education Act of 1870
-created national elementary school system
-became free in 1891
-began using secret ballot in 1872
-reduced bribery + perssure
-suffrage for agricultural workers in 1884
-1885 voting districts redrawn
-failed to solve the Irish question
-little representation in Parliament
-taxes supported Anglican Church
-home rule for Irish supported by Liberals
-policies helped British industry hurt Irish farmers
-1840s Irish potato famine forced many to flee to the US
Reforms of the Early 1900s
-1905 Liberals under Pm Herbert Asquith passed social welfare laws
-old age pensions
-unemployment + health insurance
-1909 tax on wealthy fought by House of Lords
-1911 took away House of Lords ability to veto bills
-1928 gave women the right to vote
-Emmeline Pankhurst led suffragettes
Changes in the British Empire
-Canada
-British in Upper Canada + French in Lower Canada wanted more self-rule
-failed uprisings in the 1830s
-didn’t want repeat of American colonies
-1838 Lord Durham to reform Canadas government
-1841 Act of Union
-united Canada into 1 state
-1846-1848
-granted self government
-formed Canadian Parliament that = represented Upper + Lower Canada
-resulted in gridlock
-1867 British North American Act created Dominion of Canada w/ 4 provinces
-Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia + Quebec
-1869 North West territories purchased
-1870 Hudson Bay Company created Manitoba Province
-1870s British Columbia + Prince Edward Island
-1890s discovery of Gold + Yukon Territory organized in 1898
-1905 Alberta + Saskatchewan w/ Canadian Pacific RR
-Australia
-1770 Captain John Cook claimed eastern shore for Britain
-1788 began using as a penal colony
-after serving time could stay + own land
-early 1800s lawlessness b/t ex-convicts, immigrants + escaped convicts
-violence against Aborigines
-disease
-entire continent claimed 1829
-1836 Tasmania, Western Australia + South Australia organized
-1851 Victoria
-1859 Queensland
-1901 colonies united as the Commonwealth of Australia to guard against territorial ezpansion by other Euro powers
-New Zealand
-founded by Captain John Cook
-private companies developed islands in 1820s + 1830s
-1840 took control w/ treaty w/ Maori
-1852 self-governing w/ Parliament + constitution
-1860s + 1870s wars w/ Maori
-1861 gold discovery brought immigrants
-1893 1st country to allow women the right to vote
-1907 joined Empire as the Dominion of New Zealand