1.10-1.12 Britain since 1900s

• When was the midwives act made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1902

  • short-term

  -> regulated midwives by requiring them to have certificate

  • long-term

  -> central midwives boards set up by act and lasted until 1951
• When was the free school meals act made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1906

  • short-term

  -> provided hot meals for some poor children, but not all as local councils chose whether to fund

  • long-term

  -> made compulsory until 1914, milk scheme began in 1934
• When were medical inspections in schools made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1907

  • short-term

  -> examined all children but did not treat problems found

  • long-term

  -> clinic set up in 1912 to treat children and could treat minor ailments
• When were old-age pensions made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1908

  • short-term

  -> saved many aged poor from workhouses

  • long-term

  -> providing help for older people still exists today
• When was national insurance made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1911

  • short-term

  -> protected against unemployment and sickness by providing money to live on

  • long-term

  -> providing help for unemployed and sick people still exists today
• When was the housing act made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1919

  • short-term

  -> promised 500,000 homes 'fit for heroes' but economic problems meant less than half were built

  • long-term

  -> series of housing acts led to final slum clearance
• When was the local government act made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1929

  • short-term

  -> workhouse system ended and local councils took responsiblity for running hospitals

  • long-term

  -> old workhouses became hospitals
• When were immunisations made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1940

  • short-term

  -> mass immunisation programmes against diphtheria (1940) and tuberculosis (1948)

  • long-term

  -> vaccinations are routine under NHS
• When was the national health service (NHS) made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1948

  • short-term

  -> free medical care for all UK citizens

  • long-term

  -> healthcare no longer luxury that only a few can afford, still in place today
• When was the clean air act made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1956

  • short-term

  -> various measures introduced to control air pollution

  • long-term

  -> first of series of law to protect environment
• When was the health and safety at work act made and what was the short and long-term significance did it have?


  • date

  -> 1974

  • short-term

  -> regulations put in place to ensure the health an safety of workers

  • long-term

  -> still exists today
• When was the link between smoking and cancer made?

  1962
• When did the government band cigarette advertising?


  1964-86
• When did the government try to promote nicotine-replacement products?


  1998
• When did the government ban smoking in public places?


  2007
• When did the government make all cigarette packaging blank?


  2016
• What was society in 1900 Britian like?


  • heavy industry work

  • majority working class

  • no welfare state

  • leisure hours = exercise

  • many went church

  • woman cannot vote

  • life expectancy 50
• What was society in 2000 Britian like?


  • service industry work

  • majority middle class

  • comprehensive welfare state

  • leisure hours = inside homes

  • less than 10% go church

  • everyone over 18 can vote

  • life expectancy 77
• What was technology like in 1900 Britian?


  • few cars for very rich

  •no aeroplanes

  • radio telegraph system sent messages internationally

  • electricity became popular
• What was technology like in 2000 Britian?


  • cars part of normality

  • air travel is common

  • telephones and internet are instant communication

  • electricity exists in most homes
• What impact did the first world war have on housing, both positive and negative?

  • positive

  -> government took responsibility for housing

  -> 1919 housing act - half of 500,000 homes built

  -> 1930 housing act - let to final slum clearance

  • negative

  -> slow progress
• What impact did the second world war have on housing, both positive and negative?

  • positive

  -> cheap high-rise accommodation with gas and electricity built

  • negative

  -> high-rises destroyed community spirit of back-to-back housing
• What impact did the government of thatcher have on housing, both positive and negative?

  • positive

  -> encouraged to buy their councils houses (right to buy)

  • negative

  -> local councils could not replace houses sold, more private landlords who rented out poor-quality accommodation which affected health
• What impact did war have on food?

  • imports (products coming in to a country) fell

  • food was rationed - which improved health

  • encouraged to grow food and keep animals
• What impact did technology have on food?

  • refrigeration and canning improved supply and made food cheaper

  • microwaves led to increase in convenience food popularity

  • refrigerators meant food lasted longer
• What impact did wealth have on food?

  • people after 1950 became richer - afford new technology

  • immigration - popularity of Indian and Chinese food increased
• What impact did fears have on food?

  • BSE (mad cow disease) spread into human food chain, created fear about farming methods

  • fears of artifical ingredients led to demand of fresh local produce
• What were the spanish flu symptoms?

  • cold/flu symptoms

  -> fever

  -> aches

  -> coughing

  -> sneezing

  • developed into pneumonia

  • skin went blue

  • bleeding from nose, ears and stomach
• What were the responses to spanish flu? 


  • face masks to prevent contamination

  • newspapers, films, posters gave advice on how to prevent contamination
• What were the responses to HIV/AIDS in 1970s-1983?


  • raised awareness for disease - negative reaction

  • people affected were stigmatised (seen as shameful)
• What were the responses to HIV/AIDS in 1984-85?



  • alarm and fear that AIDS - spread easily through contact
• What were the responses to HIV/AIDS in 1986-87?


  • Diana shook hands with and hugged AIDS victims - contradict old beliefs

  • campaigns helped educate people
• What were the responses to HIV/AIDS in 1988-95?


  • TV and media publicised disease and supporting attitude

  •charities and research - Freddie Mercury tribute concert
• What were the responses to HIV/AIDS from 1996 onwards?


  • educational campaigns stopped

  • HIV and sexually transmitted diseases on rise again