What were some significant changes brought about by the Reform Act of 1832?

The Reform Act of 1832 was a pivotal moment in British political history, marking a significant shift towards a more representative democracy, although it was still far from universal suffrage. Before 1832, the electoral system was riddled with inconsistencies and corruption. "Rotten boroughs," for example, were areas with very few voters that could still elect a Member of Parliament, often controlled by wealthy landowners. The Act directly addressed this by abolishing these rotten boroughs and redistributing parliamentary seats to more populated areas, reflecting the growing urban centers of the Industrial Revolution. Crucially, the Reform Act also expanded the electorate, although it didn't go as far as giving women the vote, which didn't happen until the 20th century. It primarily extended voting rights to more middle-class men who owned property of a certain value. While the monarch's power had been gradually decreasing for centuries, this Act didn't directly target the monarchy's power, but rather the power of the aristocracy in Parliament. So, the key changes brought about by the Reform Act of 1832 were the elimination of those unfair rotten boroughs and a widening of the voter base, even if it was limited.