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KS3 > Political Reform > For Teachers

The following resources have been used to create six distinct lessons that together for a unit to explore constitutional change and reform in the 19th century. The lessons are a model for the lessons that could be delivered, at the end of each lesson are suggestions as to how the lesson could be adapted for different abilities. It would be possible to extend all the model lessons into two lessons if you want to study this period in depth. This could be done by further study and analysis of the texts or incorporating some of the extended lesson suggestions into classroom activities.

 

The lessons suggested do not use all the resources here and it would be possible for the lesson themes to be spread out across a number of lessons for a more in-depth study.

 

This unit will support the new curriculum for history in which there is now an emphasis on addressing more topics on British history.


Specifically these resources and lesson support the topic of:

• Ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901

 

The unit has six lessons, five of which build chronologically along the historical period and across the time span that is being explored. The sixth lesson is an opportunity to pull all the material together to consolidate and reflect on the knowledge acquired.

 

For the first five themed lessons the information format is the same: historical information; relevant MPs; relevant constituencies that illustrate the information; and some ‘did you know’ information. The glossary and the two chronologies should be available throughout all the lessons.

 

By using these resources pupils will:

• Learn about Parliamentary history in the nineteenth century
• Learn about the political parties in England in the nineteenth century
• Learn about key events and individuals that led to Parliamentary change in Britain
• Understand the Parliamentary reform process in Britain in the nineteenth century
• Understand the system of democratic input that was available to different groups in the nineteenth century
• Explore how change was an ongoing process that took time
• Explore the changes it had on the political life of different groups and categories of people
• Reflect on the changes to the Parliamentary system in Britain in the nineteenth century and how they helped to introduce the democratic structures that exist today

 

Lesson Plans

 

Click here for the following lesson plans, resources. Online links are listed (pdfs to download and print are in brackets)

Basic Resources (links and pdfs)
Lesson 1: Pre-1832
Lesson 2: 1832 Reform Act
Lesson 3: Chartism
Lesson 4: 1867 Reform Act & 1872 Ballot Act
Lesson 5: Later Reforms: 1880s
Lesson 6: Overview

 

•   Basic Resources (pdfs)

- Chronology (pdf to download and print)

- Brief chronology of the Acts (pdf to download and print)

- Glossary (pdf to download and print)

 

•   Lesson 1: Pre-1832

- Articles (full pdf to download and print):

Introduction

Edmund Burke

Old Sarum

Lancashire

Henry Hunt

Additional materials: MPs section introduction, Constituencies section introduction

- Sources/Further information

- Lesson plan (pdf to download and print)

 

•   Lesson 2: 1832 Reform Act

- Articles (full pdf to download and print):

1830-32 Parliaments

Lord John Russell

Sir Richard Vyvyan

Bristol

Birmingham

- Sources/Further information

- Lesson plan (pdf to download and print)

 

•   Lesson 3: Chartism

- Articles (full pdf to download and print):

Introduction

Thomas Attwood

Feargus O'Connor

Glasgow

Monmouth

Additional materials: Political Reform topic introduction

- Sources/Further information

- Lesson plan (pdf to download and print)

 

•   Lesson 4: 1867 Reform Act & 1872 Ballot Act

- Articles (full pdf to download and print):

1865-68 Parliament

John Stuart Mill

John Bright

Marylebone

Pontefract

- Sources/Further information

- Lesson plan (pdf to download and print)

 

•   Lesson 5: Later Reforms: 1880s

- Articles (full pdf to download and print):

1880-85 Parliament

Henry James

Additional materials: Old Sarum, Pontefract

- Sources/Further information

- Lesson plan (pdf to download and print)

 

•   Lesson 6: Overview

- Lesson plan (pdf to download and print)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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