How has the franchise been widened?

By Yjb
  • 1215

    Magna Carta signed

    Stated that no one should be imprisoned except by lawful judgement, no one should be placed on trial without credible witnesses and no one should be denied justice.

  • The Petition of Right

    Stated that the Crown is not above the law. Led to Parliament asserting their right to be primary lawmaker during the English Civil War.
  • Period: to

    English Civil War

    Parliament asserts its rights as primary lawmaker over Charles I's 'divine right' of kings. The violence of the Civil War led to new movements e.g. the Levellers - stated that all men had the same right to elect their government.

  • Restoration

    Charles II accepted the Crown, his brother James II was suspected of trying to rule as a tyrant. Led to him being overthrown in the Glorious Revolution.

  • Glorious Revolution

    James overthrown and Parliament invites William of Orange to become king. Led to Bill of Rights.

  • Bill of Rights

    William III agreed to cooperate with Parliament.

  • The Great Reform Act

    Enfranchised some of middle class
  • Period: to

    Reform Acts

    Two acts which enfranchised more working-class householders.

  • Ballot Act

    Made voting in secret compulsory. This protected people's right to vote in any way they wished.

  • National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies established

    Established by Millicent Fawcett to lobby Parliament to give women the right to vote.

  • Women's Social and Political Union established

    Established by Emmeline Pankhurst. Engaged in more disruptive and violent actions than NUWSS.

  • First World War began

    Women worked in war factories and 80,000 served as non-combatants.

  • Male conscription introduced.

    750,000 men killed. Led to Representation of the People Act.

  • Representation of the People Act

    Men aged 21+ and women aged 30+ who fulfilled a property qualification could vote in general elections. Only 40% of women got the vote.

  • Representation of the People Act

    Extended the vote to men and women aged 21+.

  • Representation of the People Act

    Lowered the voting age to 18 in recognition of new opportunities for young people.