Democratic Reform and Activism

What was the difference between House of Commons and House of Lords?
In the House of Lords, people appointed or inherited the seats. This was abolished in 1999,
preventing the hereditary of seats. In the House of Lords, seats come by elections. The British
people elected representatives.
Who could vote in the House of Commons?
Only 5% of the population could vote. Only men with substantial amount of land could vote.
(Landowners). Women were not allowed to vote at all.
Why did the French Revolution frighten the parliament leaders?
They feared that the revolutionary violence would spread to Britain.
What was result of the Reform Bill in 1832?
It eased the property requirements so that well-to-do men could vote. It also modernized districts
for electing members. It gave the thriving new industrial cities more representation.
What were the demands of the Chartist Movement?
They demanded a secret ballot. They wanted to end property of requirements. They wanted to
pay the parliament members.
What were the demands of the petition of People’s Charter?
They wanted to extend suffrage for all men. They wanted annual parliamentary elections. They
proposed Parliament demands.
Why was it called the Chartist movement?
It was called the Chartist movement because the group represented their demands in a petition
called the People’s Charter.
What was the major difference between the Reform Bill of 1832 and the Chartist
movement?
The Reform Bill of 1832 was made to give the wealthy middle-class suffrage. They achieved
their goals by allowing only the middle wealthy middle class to vote. The Chartist movement, on
the other hand, intended to extend suffrage to workers and other groups who were still unable to
vote. They offered their demands in the form of a petition known as the People's Charter.
Why was it called the Victorian Age?
It was called the Victorian Age because the British empire had reached its height of power and
wealth. Queen Victoria was popular was her subjects, and she performed her duties capably.
Was the use of militant action effective in achieving the goal of woman suffrage? Explain.
Yes, the use of militant action was effective in achieving the goal of women suffrage because the
WSPU organization succeeded in bringing public attention for women’s rights. They did not gain
their rights until after WW1.
Why did the idea of woman suffrage seem radical in the Victorian era?
The idea of women suffrage seemed radical in the Victorian era because it was not of tradition
for women to be included in politics at that time. Also, some people claimed that women lacked
the ability to take part in politics.
Why did Sylvia and other members of the WSPU led hunger strikes?
To keep their cause of women’s suffrage in the public’s eye.
Why do you think the Chartists demanded a secret ballot rather than public voting?
I think that the Chartists demanded a secret ballot rather than public voting to avoid being
pressured on voting for a certain person. Some people used bribes and blackmail to force people
into voting for the person or something they aim for. They aimed for some privacy when creating
the secret ballot.
What was the connection between anti-Semitism and Zionism?
The connection between anti-Semitism and Zionism was that they both had specific goals and
wants towards the Jews. Anti-Semitism was the act of prejudice against the Jews. They detested
the Jews and wanted them gone for good. On the other hand, Zionism was a political movement
to establish a homeland for the Jews in Palestine.
How did the Revolution of 1830 affect the Parliamentary leaders?
The Revolution frightened the Parliamentary leaders so much because they feared that its
violence would spread to Britain. Thus, the Parliament passed the Reform bill of 1832. They
allowed well-to-do men in the middle class to have the right of voting.
Why did the British monarchy become so power- less in the 1800s?
The British monarchy became so powerless because of the spread of democracy which gave total
power to the Parliament, and especially to the House of Commons. The government was
completely run by the prime minister and the cabinet.
What demands did the Chartists make in their petition?
The Chartists had multiple demands that they included in their petition. Mainly, they wanted
suffrage for all men. They also demanded for a secret ballot to give the people privacy in voting.
This stopped blackmailing and bribes that people used during elections. They also called for
annul Parliamentary elections. Another thing that the Chartists demanded was for the Parliament
to be responsible for the lower class. They wanted to end property requirements and pay for
members in the Parliament.
Why did ordinary people want a greater voice in government?
Ordinary people wanted a greater voice in government so they would be able to make their own
decisions. They also wanted to be included in society. They wanted to take control of their lives.
What were the objectives of the women's social and political union?
The objectives of the Women's Social And Political (WSPU) union was to draw public attention
for women’s suffrage.
Why was the road to democracy more difficult for France than for England?
The road to democracy was more difficult for France than for England because they had many
people who still wanted the rule of the monarchy. Some people wanted the rule of the King and
the Queen or a military rule. On the other hand, England’s road to democracy was steady.
What were some of the actions that the WSPU made?
They made violent protests and vandalism. They blocked busy main streets. They assaulted
Parliament members and the officials who were against women suffrage. Women were chained
to Parliament gates. Also, they led hunger strikes when they got arrested, which forced the
British officials to force-feed them.
What was the Dreyfus affair? How did it show Anti-Semitism?
A Jew France army officer was falsely accused of being a spy and selling secret information to
Germany. The evidence showed that he was framed by other army officers. People differed in
reopening or closing the case. This was a great example of showing how terribly Jews were
treated by the British.
Why didn’t army leaders, clergy, nationalists, and aristocrats didn’t want to reopen the
case?
They feared that people would doubt on the honor of the army.
Who was Emile Zola? How did he affect the Dreyfus Scandal?
Emile Zola wrote a letter in the French newspaper (J’accuse). He wrote that the army was
covering up a scandal. He was sentenced in prison for one year, but his letter made the French
government declare Dreyfus’s innocence.
What were the results of Anti-Semitism?
The result of Anti-Semitism were that thousands of Jews fled from the country. Most of them
went to the United States. They created a homeland in Palestine.
Why was there an increase in immigration in Eastern Europe?
There was an increase in immigration due to the Anti-Semitism act. The Jews were mistreated.
and oppressed. They were framed similarly to the Dreyfus case. There were numerous efforts
promoting prejudice against Jews and violence against them like campaigns of the Pogroms in
Russia.