1. Reform in Great Britain, 1820s- 1840s

2. Successful Reform in Britain  British notice the July Revolution! – threats work!  1820s Tories more liberal: Robert Peel  Pro free trade – pro secular state (vs. Church)  1673 Test Act repealed – Catholics Emancipated!!!  (NOT IN IRELAND!!!)  1830 George IV dies --- William IV --- Whigs under Earl Grey push hard for reform  Fear of revolution – like the July Days in France

3. Successful Reform in Britain  Representation Problem  Can’t reform House of Commons  Rotten Boroughs: empty with industrialization…  500 men (mainly House of Lords) elected House of Commons!  Reform Bill, 1832 (“English”)  Increased numbers of voters significantly  House of Commons emerged as major legislative body  Industrial areas gained representation  “Rotten boroughs” eliminated

4. Irish Potato Famine, 1846

8. The Chartist Movement  1838 People's Charter - London Working Men's Association (LWMA) by Thomas Lovett and Francis Place  The Charter had six demands:  All men to have the vote (universal manhood suffrage)  Voting should take place by secret ballot  Parliamentary elections every year, not once every five years  Constituencies should be of equal size  Members of Parliament should be paid  The property qualification for becoming a Member of Parliament should be abolished

10. Factory Acts, 1830s & 40s  1833: Factory Act. No children under 9 were to be employed except in silk mills. Those aged 9 to 13 were restricted to 9 hours a day and 48 hours a week with two hours school a day. Children and young persons were not to work outside the period 5.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. For the first time, factory inspectors were appointed.  1842: Mines Act. This stopped children under 9 and women from working underground.  1847: Factory Act. Women and young persons in textile factories were limited to 10 hours a day or 10.5 if Saturday was a half holiday. This is sometimes known as the Ten Hour Act.