Age of Democracy

  • Reform Bill

    Parliment passed the reform bill. The bill eased laws on property requirments. This gave middle class men the right to vote. The law also elimenated the empty districts so that thriving citites got more represntation.
  • Queen Victoria

    Queen Victoria inherits the throne. Her reign was 64 years, which was exceptionally long in her time. During her reign the goverment changed dramatically. Most of the political power was given to parliament and the house of commons. King's and Queen's were just symbolic rulers. During her reign the british empire peaked with wealth and power.
  • The Chartist Movement

    The chartists wanted parliament to change the way people voted. They wanted men's votes to be secret instead of openly voiced. They wanted to end the property requirments for serving in parleiment.
  • Chartist Victory

    The chartist's demands were granted in 1867. Working class men were able to vote. In 1884 rural men were given the right to vote. By 1900 all of the chartists demands were made law, except annual elections.
  • Womens Suffrage

    Women began the fight for their rights. Since all men in britian had the right to vote woemn thought they should have the same. The fight was long and many people were against. Men said that women didn't have what it took to take part in politics.
  • Women's Social and Political Union

    Emmeline Pankhurt founded the wspu. This became the main organization in charge of womens suffrage. The memebers did peaceful demonstrations but they also took more drastic measures. The founder and her daughters were put in prison multiple times. They cut telegraph wires and commited arson. THey led hunger strikes but the british goverment force fed them to keep them alive. One of the memebers did die, her name was emily davidson. They wanted to draw attention to womens rights.
  • Womens Suffrage Ends

    All women over 21 were given the right to vote.