AP-Suffrage In England

"Describe the steps taken between 1832 and 1918 to extend the suffrage in England. What group and movements contributed to the extension of the vote?" Several groups, movements and reform bills passed between 1832 and 1918 extended the suffrage in England. The process took many years and the voting rights were first given to the wealthier and more distinguished men, then later to the less wealthy men, and finally to women. The major reform bills that extended the suffrage in England were the Reform Bill of 1832, 1867, and 1884, and the Qualification of Women Act in 1917. (Mazour, Peoples) The suffrage movement began in 1832 when the Reform Bill of 1832 was passed by parliment. The Prime Minister since 1830, Earl Grey, authored the Bill and it was introduced to the House of Commons in March of 1831 by John Russell. The bill was put down several times between 1831 and 1832. These decisions sent the English people into frenzies and riots broke out in many British towns. Finally the bill was passed in 1832 when it was brought to parliament for the third time. The bill gave men who occupied homes with an annual value of 10 pounds the right to vote, but left out large sections of the lower middle class. Although some people were dissatisfied with the new bill because it only gave one in seven males the right to vote, it was a step in the right direction for the British. (Spartacus Educational Website) After the Reform Bill of 1832 was passed a group of citizens formed the Workingman's Association, supporters of which were called chartists. The chartists believed in universal manhood suffrage and the secret ballot. The proposals were made known in the People's Charter, which was denied by the Parliament. The chartists attempted to achieve their goal of universal manhood suffrage by using moral force, petitions, general strikes, physical force, public meetings and chartist newspapers which spread propaganda. These tactics proved to be useless because the parliament would

Bibliography: Arnstein, Walter L. Britain Yesterday and Today. Lexington, Massachusetts: D.C Heath and Company, 1983. Davies, Norman. The Isles: A History. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999 Encyclopedia. www.encyclopedia.com Mazour, Anatole G., Peoples, John M. World History: People and Nations. Orlando, Florida: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1993 Mitchell, Sally. Daily Life in Victorian England. Westport, Connecticut: The Greenwood Press, 1996 Spartacus Educational Website. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PR1867.htm