Understanding the Right to Vote
In the past, only a small number of people could vote in the UK. The right to vote has changed over time, especially as different groups fought for their rights.
The Early Changes
- Rise of the Middle Classes: As the middle classes grew stronger in the industrial towns, they wanted more power in politics.
- Reform Act of 1832: This was an important law that increased the number of people who could vote. It removed very small areas known as “pocket” and “rotten” boroughs, where only a few people could vote. More seats in Parliament were given to towns and cities.
- Property Requirement: Even after this Act, only people who owned property could vote. This meant many working-class people could not vote.
The Fight for Voting Rights
- Chartists Movement: A group called the Chartists started to campaign for voting rights for working-class people and those without property. They collected signatures on petitions and presented them to Parliament. Initially, they were not successful.
- Reform Act of 1867: This law made more changes. It added more seats for cities and towns and lowered the property requirement, but most men still could not vote, and women still had no voting rights.
The Shift to Universal Suffrage
- Politicians Adapt: Politicians recognised that more voters meant they needed to win people’s support to be elected. Political parties began reaching out to regular people.
- Universal Suffrage: This term means that all adults, both men and women, have the right to vote. This did not happen until the next century.
Women’s Rights
- Limited Rights for Women: In the 19th century, women had fewer rights than men. Before 1870, when a woman got married, her money and property belonged to her husband.
- Changes in the Law: Laws passed in 1870 and 1882 allowed women to keep their own earnings and property.
- Suffragettes: Many women began to fight for their right to vote in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They formed the women’s suffrage movement and were known as suffragettes.
Questions for the Life in the UK Test
Easy Level Questions
- What did the Reform Act of 1832 do?
- A) Increased taxes
- B) Gave more people the right to vote
- C) Removed Parliament
- D) Changed the Prime Minister
- Who were the Chartists?
- A) A group of businessmen
- B) Campaigners for working-class voting rights
- C) Politicians in Parliament
- D) A type of music group
- What did the 1867 Reform Act do?
- A) Increased property tax
- B) Added seats for cities in Parliament
- C) Made voting harder
- D) Gave more power to the countryside
- Who could vote after the 1832 Reform Act?
- A) Only women
- B) Only the working class
- C) Property owners
- D) Everyone
- What is universal suffrage?
- A) Only men can vote
- B) Only women can vote
- C) All adults can vote
- D) No one can vote
- What happened in 1870 for women?
- A) They could vote
- B) They could keep their own money
- C) They lost their rights
- D) They could not work
- What is a suffragette?
- A) A type of flower
- B) A woman fighting for voting rights
- C) A politician
- D) A school teacher
- Who had the right to vote in the 19th century?
- A) Everyone
- B) Only wealthy men
- C) Only women
- D) Only children
- What did politicians do as more people could vote?
- A) Ignored voters
- B) Started to campaign for votes
- C) Closed down Parliament
- D) Increased taxes
- What is a rotten borough?
- A) A type of city
- B) A small area with few voters
- C) A big farm
- D) A government building
Medium Level Questions
- What was a key outcome of the Reform Act of 1867?
- A) Women could vote
- B) More urban seats in Parliament
- C) All men could vote
- D) No changes were made
- What did the 1870 and 1882 acts do for women?
- A) Took away their rights
- B) Allowed them to have their own property
- C) Made them work
- D) Stopped them from voting
- What was the primary goal of the Chartists?
- A) To increase taxes
- B) To give voting rights to the working class
- C) To remove Parliament
- D) To build more houses
- What did the term “political power” refer to in the context of this chapter?
- A) The ability to make laws and decisions
- B) The number of people in Parliament
- C) The wealth of the country
- D) The size of cities
- Why did politicians need to persuade people to vote for them?
- A) To increase their salary
- B) To ensure they were elected
- C) To become famous
- D) To make laws
- What was a significant change in voting after the Reform Acts?
- A) Only men could vote
- B) Voting became easier for property owners
- C) More people could vote
- D) Voting was banned
- How did the suffragettes campaign for their rights?
- A) By staying silent
- B) By writing letters
- C) Through protests and demonstrations
- D) By voting
- What was the focus of the women’s suffrage movement?
- A) To end wars
- B) To gain the right to vote
- C) To increase taxes
- D) To build schools
- Why did property ownership matter for voting rights?
- A) It showed wealth
- B) Only wealthy people could influence decisions
- C) It was the law
- D) All of the above
- What did the term “suffrage” mean?
- A) The right to work
- B) The right to vote
- C) The right to own property
- D) The right to be educated
Hard Level Questions
- Why did the Reform Act of 1832 abolish rotten boroughs?
- A) To increase the number of voters
- B) To reduce the number of MPs
- C) To reward wealthy landowners
- D) To make voting illegal
- What did the Chartists use to show their demands?
- A) Petitions
- B) Newspapers
- C) Public speeches
- D) Social media
- What was a consequence of the Reform Acts on political parties?
- A) They became less important
- B) They needed to campaign to win votes
- C) They were all banned
- D) They focused only on wealthy voters
- What change did the 1867 Reform Act NOT achieve?
- A) More urban representation
- B) Voting rights for women
- C) Reduced property restrictions
- D) More voters overall
- How did women’s rights change after the 1870 laws?
- A) They lost their jobs
- B) They could keep their own earnings
- C) They could not marry
- D) They could not own property
- What motivated women to join the suffrage movement?
- A) They wanted to be famous
- B) They wanted the same rights as men
- C) They wanted to travel
- D) They wanted to own businesses
- What was the significance of the term “universal suffrage” in the 20th century?
- A) It meant only men could vote
- B) It meant all adults could vote
- C) It was only for the wealthy
- D) It was a new political party
- How did the political landscape change after the Reform Acts?
- A) More power shifted to the countryside
- B) More power shifted to the cities
- C) There were no changes
- D) The monarchy regained power
- What was a common tactic used by suffragettes in their campaigns?
- A) Voting in elections
- B) Protests and hunger strikes
- C) Writing books
- D) Starting businesses
- How did the changes in voting rights reflect societal changes?
- A) They showed a move towards democracy
- B) They kept everything the same
- C) They only favoured the rich
- D) They made no difference
Answers
Easy Level Answers
- B
- B
- B
- C
- C
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
Medium Level Answers
- B
- B
- B
- A
- B
- C
- C
- B
- D
- B
Hard Level Answers
- A
- A
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- A
