Guide contents
Booking and test day
  1. Test format
  2. Test fee
  3. Test ID
  4. Test validity
  5. Lost reference
Start learning
  1. First steps
  2. Settlement and citizenship
  3. Values and principles
  4. What is the UK?
History
  1. History overview
  2. Early Britain
  3. The Middle Ages
  4. Tudors and Stuarts
  5. A global power
  6. The 20th century
  7. Britain since 1945
Society
  1. Modern society
  2. The UK today
  3. Cities and currency
  4. Religion
  5. Customs
  6. Sport and culture
  7. Leisure
  8. Culture facts
Government and law
  1. Government overview
  2. Democracy
  3. Constitution
  4. Government
  5. International institutions
  6. Law and courts
  7. Rights and tax
  8. Community role

Study guide

The development of British democracy

In short

British democracy grew slowly. The key story is that more adults gained the right to vote over time.

Test atoms

Learn these as compact test facts. Then practise recognising the same fact in different wording.

Atom Watch out for
Democracy means adults can have a say directly or through elected representatives Learn the one test link before the full story.
Canvassing means trying to persuade or ask voters for support during an election campaign Canvassing is campaigning, not voting itself.

What not to over-learn first

  • Do not treat 1918 as full equality. 1918 was partial; 1928 was equal voting rights for women and men.

Spot the correct statement

The real test often asks you to recognise a correct sentence, not write an answer from memory. You should be able to spot statements like these:

  • Democracy means adults can have a say directly or through elected representatives.
  • Canvassing means trying to persuade or ask voters for support during an election campaign.

Voting rights timeline

Date What happened
Turn of the 19th century Only a small group of property-owning men over 21 could vote for MPs.
1830s and 1840s Chartists campaigned for voting and parliamentary reform.
1918 Some women over 30 gained the parliamentary vote and could stand for Parliament.
1928 Women could vote at 21, on the same terms as men.
1969 The voting age became 18 for men and women.

What democracy means in the test

Democracy is a system of government where adults have a say in how the country is run. They may vote directly, or they may choose representatives to make decisions for them.

What to remember

  • Democracy means adults have a say either directly or by choosing representatives.
  • At the turn of the 19th century only a small group of property-owning men over 21 could vote for MPs.
  • The Chartists campaigned in the 1830s and 1840s for wider voting and parliamentary reform.
  • Chartist demands included votes for every man, annual elections, equal electoral regions, secret ballots, the right for any man to stand as an MP and payment for MPs.
  • By 1918 most Chartist reforms had been adopted.
  • In 1918 some women over 30 gained the parliamentary vote and could stand for Parliament.
  • In 1928 women could vote at 21, on the same terms as men.
  • In 1969 the voting age was lowered to 18 for men and women.

Do not mix these dates up

  • 1918: some women over 30 gained the parliamentary vote and could stand for Parliament.
  • 1928: women could vote at 21, on the same terms as men.
  • 1969: the voting age became 18.
  • Franchise means the right to vote.

Key words

democracy, adult population, direct voting, representatives, MPs, franchise, Chartists, secret ballot, stand for Parliament, 1918, 1928, 1969.

Voting-rights dates also appear in The 20th century. Practise this topic in government and law practice.

Quick check

Try from memory before opening the answer.

What did the Chartists campaign for?

Political reform, including voting rights for working men.

What changed in 1918?

Some women over 30 gained the parliamentary vote.

What changed in 1928?

Women gained equal voting rights with men.