Reform and Revolution

Problems in 19th Century Europe

• Social Problems associated with industrializationo Working conditionso Child Labor

• Lack of political representationo Only wealthy landowners, aristocrats, and men were

represented in the gov’to Peasants, workers, and women were not represented

Responses to these Problems

• Britain—Reform legislation passedoThis was preferable to revolution

• France—RevolutionoMonarch tried to rule as an

absolute monarch and refused to compromise

British Social Reforms• Sadler Report

o Showed harmful conditions endured by child workers• Factory Acts of 1833 & 1839—limited working

hours of women & children in factories• Slavery Abolition Act--1833• Laws passed to improve living conditions in

industrial cities

British Political Reforms

• Reform Act of 1832oGave industrial cities

representation in Parliament

o It gave the vote to middle-class men

o It reduced the power of the aristocracy

oBut women and workers were still excluded

Chartism• Group that advocated for universal manhood

suffrage-voting rights for all meno Sent a petition to Parliament in 1839o People’s Charter demanded:• Voting rights for all men• Vote by secret ballot• Annual elections• Pay for representatives in Parliament

o By the end of the 1800s most of the reforms in the People’s Charter had been passed in a Parliament

• Chartists –demanded voting rights and the secret ballot.

• Parliament rejected the People’s Charter, which led to Chartist uprisings and eventually some Chartist reforms.

1700 -1920

Voting Rights for Men• Reform Act of 1867—

Extended voting rights to more meno Doubled the electorateo Many workingmen could now vote

• Reform Act of 1884—Further extended voting rights to more meno Tripled the electorateo Most male agricultural laborers could

now vote

Women’s Suffrage• Suffragists—people who worked

to achieve voting rights for womeno Worked for 40 years to win women’s

suffrageo Millicent Fawcett—used a gradual, moderate

approach• Signed petitions, lobbied members of

Parliamento Emmeline Pankhurst—used more radical &

destructive tactics• Used arson, broke windows, heckled

Parliament• Act of 1918—Parliament gave

women over 30 right to vote & all men over 21

• Equal Franchise Act—All women over 21 had the right to vote

Changes in the British Empire• Creation of the Dominion—British colonies

were given independence but still remained a part of the British empireo Canadao Australiao New Zealand

Ireland & the Potato Famine• Since 1801, Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom after the Act of

Union joined England, Scotland, and Wales.• Mid 1800’s – potato famine swept Ireland – 1.5 million migrated to the

United States and 1 million starved while the British did little• Left Ireland resentful of British rule and finally 1920, Ireland received

limited self-government

Revolution and Change in France

• During the 1800’s, opposing groups in France struggled to determine what kind of government France would have – a republic, a constitutional monarchy, or an absolute monarchy.

Revolution in France• Revolution of 1830

o Charles X tried to rule as an absolute monarcho Suspended the legislature & people revolted in

the Revolution of 1830o Charles X abdicated and fledo Louis Philippe new king—constitutional

monarchy• Known as the citizen king• Became increasingly repressive • Rich got richer and workers became poorer• His popularity fell

The Reign of Louis Philippe

• Constitutional monarchy under Louis Phillipe.

• He was quite popular with the middle class.

• Referred to as the “citizen king.” However, as king he increasingly abused his powers and an economic depression led France into another revolution.

1700 -1920

Revolution in France #2

• Revolution of 1848o Ppl protested against Louis Philippeo Louis Philippe abdicated and fledo A republic headed by a president was created• Louis Napoleon, Napoleon’s nephew, was

elected• Universal manhood suffrage was instituted

o Napoleon seized power• Became Napoleon III and created 2nd Empire

Third French Republic• 1870 Napoleon III defeated by Prussia

o Napoleon deposed & 3rd French Republic proclaimed

• Instituted reformso Made education available for children btwn 6 & 13o Labor unions were legalizedo Reduced working hourso Employers were required to give workers one day

a week off

Dreyfus Affair• All people did not benefit from reforms made in

France• A political scandal that divided France in the

1890s, involving the wrongful conviction of Jewish army officer Alfred Dreyfus for treasono Falsely accused & convicted of betraying

military secrets to Germanyo Innocent but found guilty because he was a

Jew• Victim of Anti-Semitism—prejudice

toward Jews• Eventually cleared in 1906

Effect of the Dreyfus Affair

Theodor Herzl—journalist was shocked by Dreyfus Affair

believed that it happened bc Jews in Europe had no nation of their own

Published The Jewish State—outlined plans for an independent Jewish country; it helped to spark Zionism

Zionism—a Jewish nationalist movement to recreate a Jewish state in their ancient homeland in the Middle East