The Liberal reforms and public health
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the impact of the Liberal reforms on public health in Britain.
Key learning points
- People living in poverty usually suffer from worse health.
- The Booth and Rowntree Reports and the Boer War made it clear that public health was poor in Britain.
- The Liberals introduced several reforms including free school meals and National Insurance.
- The Liberal reforms were intended to resolve some of the problems created by poverty.
- The Liberal reforms encouraged future governments to accept more responsibility for public health.
Keywords
Public health - actions and systems intended to prevent disease and maintain good health within communities
Laissez-faire - the belief that governments should not interfere in people’s daily lives
Malnutrition - a serious condition that happens when a person’s diet does not contain the right amount of nutrients
Slum - a poor and crowded area of a city where the buildings are in a very bad condition
Common misconception
By 1900, British governments accepted large-scale responsibility for managing public health.
British governments still limited their actions to improve public health by 1900 because of laissez-faire attitudes.
Teacher tip
Get pupils to discuss in small groups which of the Liberal reforms they feel were most beneficial for public health. Pupils may consider the immediate impacts of the reforms, the overall number of people they helped or some of their long-term consequences to help support their judgements.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is an operation where skin is taken from one part of the body and used to replace damaged skin elsewhere known as?
Q2.Who helped develop plastic surgery during WWI?
Q3.What did the death rate for soldiers with femur fractures fall to after use of the Thomas Splint became widespread during WWI?
Q4.What type of surgery involves the use of tiny cameras and narrow surgical instruments?
Q5.Which substances can prevent clotting when added to blood?
Q6.Match each development to the century during which it occurred.
17th century
18th century
19th century
20th century
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1. is a serious condition that happens when a person’s diet does not contain the right amount of nutrients.
Q2.What is a slum?
Q3.How did the infant mortality rate change in Britain between 1900 and 1920?
Q4.In which year was the Ministry of Health set up?
Q5.How did the Boer War reveal that public health in Britain was poor?
Q6.Match each of the Liberal reforms to the correct description.
free school meals provided to children from poor families
free medical inspections provided for children in school
regular payments provided to poor over 70s
banned the construction of new back-to-back houses
regular payments provided to sick and unemployed workers
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Liberal reforms and public health, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Liberal reforms and public health, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Britain: Health and the people - c1000 to the present day unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.