Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century

Online Course

Royal Holloway, University of London

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Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century

What is the course about?
Prerequisites & Facts
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What is the course about?

Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century

The course Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century is an online class provided by Royal Holloway, University of London through Future Learn. It may be possible to receive a verified certification or use the course to prepare for a degree.

Discover the history of protest, parliament and citizens’ rights.

Course description

Discover the history of the struggle for rights and representation.
4 weeks

16th August 2019 marked the bicentenary of the Peterloo Massacre, a key milestone in the campaign to reform Parliament in the 19th century, and an important part of Britain’s democratic heritage and history. On this course, you will understand this event within a wider context of radicalism and reform over the 19th century.
You will start the course charting the charged political climate resulting from the American and French revolutions in the 18th century and conclude the course by examining the campaign for universal men’s and women’s suffrage in the early years of the 20th century.

Revolutions. Week one explores how revolutions in political thought; in agriculture and industry; and America and France led to increasing calls for the reform of Parliament, culminating in the Peterloo Massacre of 1819.
Reform. Week two examines key moments, movements and figures associated with reform in the first half of the nineteenth century, including Catholic Emancipation; the Great Reform Act and Chartism; the abolition of slavery; the Poor Law Amendment Act and the Repeal of the Corn Laws.
Workers: Week three charts the emergence of trade unionism, British responses to and variations of socialism and the establishment and early electoral fortunes of the Labour Party.
Voters: The course concludes with an exploration of when, how and why the vote was extended by Reform Acts in the second half of the nineteenth century, examining the role of both popular campaigns and political calculation. This week culminates with the emergence of mass politics and calls for universal male and (limited) women’s suffrage at the turn of the century.

Improve your understanding of key milestones in the extension of citizens rights and representation in the nineteenth century.
Explore the origins and path of the course of Parliamentary reform from the impact of the American and French Revolutions to the First World War.
Reflect upon and debate the role of popular protest in effecting political change.
Improve your understanding of the development of workers’ rights and the emergence of modern trade unionism and the Labour Party.
Compare the responses of the Liberal and Conservative parties to calls for universal suffrage and the emergence of mass politics.

This course is for anyone with an interest in political and social history, including the history of British Parliament, trade unionism and the labour movement.

Royal Holloway, University of London
Queen Victoria presided over the grand opening of Royal Holloway in 1886. Since then the College has continued to grow in size and status to become one of the top research-led institutions in the UK.
People’s History Museum
The People’s History Museum is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future.

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Prerequisites & Facts

Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century

Course Topic

British History, History, Social History

University, College, Institution

Royal Holloway, University of London

Course Skill Level

see course summary

Course Language

English

Place of class

Online, self-paced (see curriculum for more information)

Degree

Certificate

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Degree & Cost

Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century

To obtain a verified certificate from Future Learn / Royal Holloway, University of London you have to finish this course or the latest version of it, if there is a new edition. The class may be free of charge, but there could be some cost to receive a verified certificate or to access the learning materials. The specifics of the course may have been changed, please consult the provider to get the latest quotes and news.

Royal Holloway, University of London

Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century

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