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The Victorian Age

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The Victorian Age was a time of great change for the people of Great Britain. The Victorian Age lasted from 1837-1901, and was named after Queen Victoria who reigned during the time. There were many changes that occurred during this time, but one of the biggest ones was the rise of the middle class. As the country became more developed, middle class economic interests became a priority. This led the middle class to gain political power they previously never had. These new found powers help shape the changes that would occur during this period. Victorian middle-class economic interests gained increasing political power as a result of the Reform Bill of 1832 in the following ways: extended voting rights, gained representation to the new industrial towns, and allowed social reform. Victorian middle-class economic interests gained increasing political power as a result of the Reform Bill of 1832 by extending voting rights. Before the Reform Bill of 1832, voting was very limited in the country. The Reform Bill extended the right to vote to all males owning property worth £10 or more in annual rent (Greenblatt 1021). This enlarged the electorate by 50%, and granted the vote to the propertied middle class. The Reform Bill allowed one in six males to vote, in order for the aristocracy to retain parliamentary control. Even with these numbers, the Reform Bill still allowed more males to vote. This led to the middle class having a major impact on legislation decisions, allowing

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