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19th Century Reforms edited by Tp from WB Phillips
Theory of Evolution• Naturalist Charles Darwin
wrote On the Origin of Species (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871)
• Argued that all forms of life, including humans, had evolved from previous life forms
• Proposed that evolution comes about due to “natural selection” or “survival of the fittest” – those best suited to survive live long enough to reproduce and pass on their traits to offspring, while the “unfit” die young without reproducing
Response to Darwin• Darwin was strongly
opposed by Christian groups because his theory meant that man had evolved over millions of years rather than be created by God in a single day
• The evolution debate would open a new rift between science and religion that would carry over well into the twentieth century
Social Darwinism• Some people adapted Darwin’s idea
of natural selection to fit their beliefs about society– strong nations were the “fittest”
and had a natural right to make war on weaker nations
• led to many bloody wars and to imperialism
– Large corporations were the “fittest” and had a natural right to run smaller, weaker companies out of business
• led to dangerous monopolies – White European culture was the
“fittest” and was naturally superior to all other races and nationalities
• Led to racism and encouraged imperialism
Social Changes• The Industrial Revolution ended
the age of “nobles and peasants” in the West
• The new upper class was now made up of wealthy industrialists and businessmen
• Growing middle-class was composed of doctors, lawyers, teachers, and “white collar” office workers
• The lower class was primarily “blue collar” factory workers, construction workers, and farmers
British Democracy• In 1815: less than 5% of
British citizens could vote – had to be a white adult Anglican male who owned land
• Additionally, the House of Lords (the nobility) could veto any bill passed by the House of Commons
Voting Reforms• 1820s: Catholics and non-
Anglican Protestants were extended the vote
• The Great Reform Act of 1832:– allowed any man who
owned property to vote– redistributed seats in the
House of Commons to more populated areas (away from rural villages and towards industrial towns and cities)
Further Voting Reforms• 1860s: Two new political
parties emerged – Conservatives (led by Benjamin Disraeli) and Liberals (led by William Gladstone)
• 1867: Reform bill pushed through by Disraeli extended the vote to many factory workers
• 1880s: Gladstone pushed through voting rights for farm workers
• 1911: House of Commons removed House of Lords right to veto laws
The Victorian Age• Queen Victoria (1837-1901)• Longest reigning monarch in
British history• Her reign was marked by a
strict morality:– People were driven by a
sense of duty, thrift, honesty, & hard-work
– Good manners and respectability were extremely important
– Many began to believe in social reform as being the “proper” thing to do
Middle Class Values• Parents very strict in raising
their children – the “seen and not heard” philosophy
• Marriages were no longer arranged, but one was expected to choose a socially acceptable mate, subject to parental approval (and no “dating” took place without an adult chaperone present)
• Wives were expected to stay at home and manage the household, raise the children, and obey their husbands
Ending Slavery• Many Christian groups
had pushed for the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire
• In 1833, thanks largely to the efforts of William Wilberforce, who had campaigned for abolition for nearly half a century, Parliament finally banned slavery in all British colonies
Limiting Capital Punishment• In the early 1800s, over 200
crimes were punishable by death, including petty theft
• By 1850, Parliament had reduced that number to four: murder, piracy, treason, and arson
• Instead of death, many criminals were punished by being banished to penal colonies in Australia and New Zealand (newly discovered by Capt. James Cook in 1770)
• In 1868, Parliament ended public executions and outlawed imprisonment for debt
Labor Reforms• Improvements in working
conditions– laws against child labor– laws set minimum wage,
maximum hours– more safety requirements
in factories and mines• Unions came into
existence (but strikes were still illegal)
• Improvements in housing, education, and benefits
Women as Activists• Women began to fight
for suffrage, legalized divorce, and economic freedom for themselves
• Many campaigned for temperance (a ban on alcohol)
• Many had worked to bring an end to slavery
Women’s Suffrage• Women tried for years to
win the right to vote through protesting and public demonstrations
• When this failed, they turned to violence, hunger strikes, and other high-risk behaviors
• In 1918, Parliament finally allowed women over 30 to vote