As part of GCSE History students will look at the period from 1815-1850. One aspect that they will study is the Great Reform Act of 1832 and the issue of poverty at the time.
The Great Reform Act of 1832 amended suffrage to some extent, and provided for some re-organisation of parliamentary seats. However it disappointed radicals, and turned out to be only the first of a whole series of further such acts. Poverty was another issue of the time and in 1834 the Poor Law Amendment Act came in. This led to the foundation of workhouses for those in financial need.
Play this quiz and see how much you know about the Great Reform Act and the issue of poverty in the early 19th Century.
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You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Pressure for democratic reform up to 1884
Gladstone's first parliamentary seat after he came down from Oxford was Newark, which was controlled by a nearby magnate, the Duke of Newcastle. Such notables effectively controlled who became the M.P. and they could manipulate him in their interest after the election
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A small electorate made it easier for another aspect of Old Corruption to occur, namely "treating", whereby powerful locals were bought drinks by the candidate or candidates in order to influence their votes
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Changes of government were quite frequent during the crisis over reform. A large number of members of Parliament were only loosely attached to either the Whigs or the Tories
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No bill could become an act until the monarch of the day had signed it
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Fear of popular violence partly explains Parliament's decision to pass the Bill. There were indeed serious incidents of violence across the country
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By 1832 the issue of poverty had returned to the agenda, as current arrangements did not seem to be working
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The government appointed an independent body to look at the problem, and to provide recommendations for reform
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The investigatory body was bound to attract social reformers who felt that they could make a difference
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This was the view held by many classical liberals: that the role of government was restricted to the defence of the realm, law and order within the state and a few other topics
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One job for the new office-holders was to ensure that workhouses should impose a harsh, even cruel, regime in order to discourage people from using them - except as a last resort
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