Big Ideas that Changed the World Notes- Democracy

-The first glimpse of democracy in our 1,000 years

-Set up by land-owning barons

-Lots of mentions of taxation rights

-Extended democracy to 25 people

-Limited the powers of the king

-'We will follow you if you follow our rules'(basically what they were saying)

-'To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny the right of justice'

-Promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment, limitations on feudal payments to the Crown

-'The first real turning point'

-Peasants protested against the government when a tax collector tried to levy the poll tax(unsuccessfully) for the fourth time

-'We were formed in Christ's likeness and they treat us like animals'

-John Ball was a prominent figure in the revolt

-War between Parliament & Charles I

-Parliament won and beheaded Charles

-When the monarchy was restored, Parliament demanded that Charles II consulted them when making decisions

-All about trade unionism

-Conflict between landowner & employees

-Martyrs swore an oath of secrecy, they were convicted and sent to Australia and a petition was signed for their release

-A movement for more representation, 

-Demanded that all men should be allowed to vote

-Six million people signed the People's Charter

-The movement to allow women to vote

-Used violent protesting methods

-'The Cat and Mouse Act 1913' was introduced so that suffragettes going on hunger strike in prison close to death would be released, and then when they recovered they would be brought back into prison

-Some women got the vote in 1918, although they had to meet certain criteria(over 30, married, educated, owned property)

-All women & all men over the age of 21 were given the right to vote in 1928(apart from prisoners or people considerred to be 'mad') as part of the 'Representation of the People Act'

-Then, in 1969 another 'Representation of the People Act' was passed, meaning all people over the age of 18 could vote

-Disenfranchised 56 boroughs in England and reduced another 31 to only one MP

-Created 67 new constituencies

-Broadened the franchise's property qualification in the counties to include small landowners, farmers & shopkeepers, gave the vote to all householders who paid a yearly rental of over £10 and some lodgers

-Formally excluded women from voting

-Granted the vote to all householders in the boroughs as well as lodgers who paid a rent of over £10

-Reduced the property threshold in the counties and gave the vote to agricultured landowners & tenants with very small amounts of land