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Year 9 - History

Widening the franchise in 19th century Britain

Widening the franchise: who gained the right to vote?

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about England and the Angevin Empire under Henry II's rule. They then use their knowledge of Henry's rule to evaluate the degree to which he was a successful king.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to evaluate changes to the franchise in Britain during the 19th century.

Key Notes

  • The franchise remained limited after the 1832 Great Reform Act.
  • Reform Acts in 1867 and 1884 expanded the franchise.
  • Working class voters were enfranchised for the first time in 1867.
  • Property qualifications continued to disenfranchise the poorest voters.
  • Women remained disenfranchised throughout the 19th century.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • franchise: the group of people who can vote in a country's elections
  • property qualification: the need to own property in order to do something, such as voting
  • disenfranchised: to take away power or opportunities, especially the right to vote, from a person or group
  • residuum: word used to describe a group of people imagined as an underclass
  • householder: the person who owns a house

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • All working class men gained the right to vote due to the 1867 and 1884 Reform Acts.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

The franchise remained limited after the 1832 Great Reform Act. Reform Acts in 1867 and 1884 expanded the franchise.

2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'franchise'

the group of people who can vote in a country's elections.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: All working class men gained the right to vote due to the 1867 and 1884 Reform Acts. Correction: As property qualifications remained in place, a significant proportion of working class adult men remained unable to vote even after 1884.

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