15.1 Liberal Reforms in Great Britain & Its Empire 1800s - 1900s

Liberalism is Born Industrial Revolution Lots of money and power to Great Britain Lots of problems and social inequalities Belief gov’t must support/protect individual rights & civil liberties of individuals = liberalism

Liberalists are active! Voting as you know, since 1688 & the Glorious Revolution, Parliament (not the monarchy) ruled Great Britain. House of Commons was supposed to represent all British people but, there were lots of restrictions on right to vote and right to hold office

Liberalists are active! Voting Only people who owned property could vote (6 percent of population) voting was in the open – others could see how they voted only men who owned lots of $ could be elected into House of Commons no Jews, Catholics, etc. could hold political office

Liberalists are active! Voting 1829 Catholic Emancipation Act allows Catholics to serve in Parliament (if they recognized Protestantism is the religion of England)

Liberalists are active! 1832 Reform Bill - took seats in House of Commons from less populated areas and gave to industrial areas (number seats (representatives) now based on population) reduced property restrictions so now more people could vote middle class now had a voice in Great Britain’s gov’t and power in Parliament

Liberalists are active! Voting resulted in birth of 2 major political parties Liberal Party vs. Conservative Party

Social and Economic Change Factory Act 1833 - reformed working conditions of women and children 1833 Slavery abolished - no more slavery in any British colony 1833 Public Education - beginnings of free public education 1846 Corn Laws Repealed- lowered taxes on corn - (first step towards free trade)

Queen Victoria Becomes the Queen of England at the age of 18, after her uncle dies. The rule of Queen Victoria lasted 63 years and is known as the Victorian Age. Two prime ministers during the reign of Victoria.

Disraeli and Gladstone

Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (Conservative) Britain gained the Suez Canal. Queen Victoria became the Empress of India.

Prime Minister William Gladstone (Liberal) Education Act of 1870 - public education for all children. Became free in 1891. began use of secret ballot in elections Gave male agricultural workers the right to vote.

Gladstone 1801 Act of Union made Ireland part of Great Britain, but they did not have representation in Parliament. When fungus attacked the potato crop between 1845-1855, famine swept Ireland. Many Irish migrated to the U.S.

Reforms of Early 1900s 1905 Liberal Party Passed New Laws 1. old-age pensions (aka social-security) 2. health insurance 3. unemployment insurance Taxes were increased on the wealthy to pay for programs. Parliament Act of 1911 – took veto rights away from House of Lords on all Tax and Spending Bills.

Women’s Suffrage women in Great Britain became suffragettes – women who campaigned for the right to vote.

Canada Canada settled by the Native Americans before the Europeans arrive. Divided into Upper Canada (British settlers) Lower Canada (French settlers) 1841 the Act of Union combined Upper and Lower Canada 1848 Great Britain granted Canada self-government on domestic (home: Canadian) matters

Canada continued British North America Act of 1867 granted Canada its independence. Official Name: Dominion of Canada with four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick

Australia The first settlers of Australia are known as Aborigines came from Asia about 40,000 years ago. In 1770 Captain James Cook, a British sailor, claimed Australia for Great Britain. To help with prison overcrowding, Britain originally used Australia as a penal colony. The first convicts arrived in 1788. Later, Great Britain encouraged free settlers to move to Australia by paying for their boat trip and giving them land.

New Zealand In 1840 the British took control when they signed a treaty with the Maori, the original inhabitants. Like Australia’s Aborigines, many of the Maori died of diseases. In 1893 New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote. Australia gained its independence in 1901 and New Zealand in 1907.