Chartism Flashcards
What pieces of legislation helped Chartism to emerge?
The Poor Law (1834) - Those in poverty sent to workhouses (poor conditions, families separated), W/C forced to accept low wages, deterred from complaining
1832 Reform Act - W/C not enfranchised, despite campaigning alongside M/C (BPU), felt betrayed
Municipal Corporations Act (1835) - Detached M/C from W/C, gave them power in local elections, began to secure policies in their interest
What other factors were there in the emergence of Chartism?
Economic conditions - Poor throughout 1830s and early 1840s, Chartism can be argued to be a ‘knife and fork’ issue
The Northern Star - Sustained emergence as a national movement, O’Connor used funds from it to finance movement
Who were the key figures in the introduction of Chartism?
Thomas Atwood, Birmingham MP
William Lovett, had been campaigning with the LWMA
Other prominent activists, e.g. O’Connor who had been campaigning against the Poor Law in the north
What were the first examples of Chartist organisation?
Over 200,000 attended meetings in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds
National Convention - Met in London, February 1839, claimed to represent all people
First Petition, 1839, signatures of 1.25 million people
How did the Government respond to the First Petition?
Rejected it it by 235 votes to 46, less than half of MPs turned up to vote
What was the ‘Sacred Month’?
Following rejection of first petition, O’Connor calls for a general strike (for 1 month) - Limited support, mainly because people could not afford to lose wages, O’Connor backs down
What was the Newport Rising and what effect did it have on the Chartist Movement?
1839, 10,000 marched from towns in south Wales to Newport (mostly miners and ironworkers)
Exchanged fire with local troops, 20 marchers killed
Govt. used it as an excuse to arrest Chartist leaders
Chartists saw the danger of insurrection, forced down a constitutional path
What was the NCA?
National Charter Association - Formed in 1840, helped keep a sense of unity, described as the first W/C political association
What was the complete suffrage movement?
Attempt to unite radicals with Chartists, e.g. Joseph Sturge, leader of the BPU
How successful was the Second Petition?
Greater organisation than first petition, signed by 3.3 million people
Easily rejected in the Commons, 287 votes to 49
National convention could not agree on alternative strategy to petitioning, discontent continued to grow
What were the Plug Riots?
1842, Eco. depression at its worst, high unemployment, wage cuts
Strikes in 23 counties, strikers pulled plugs from boilers to prevent steam engines from working
Chartists chose not to support the strike (although many believed they should), O’Connor believed it had been organised by ACLL
Napier’s troops put down strikes effectively, mass arrests
How can the Plug Riots be viewed?
A failure on the part of the Chartists, did not capitalise on widespread protest, decided to stick with constitutional path
Why did mass support decrease following 1843?
Economic conditions improved
Building of railways boosted employment and wages
Conservative Govt. passed reforms, showed they could respond to distress (e.g. Corn Law repeal 1846)
What was the land plan and was it successful?
O’Connor’s idea - Chartists bough shares and if their name was drawn out of a lot they would receive plots of land
Aimed to build rural Chartist communities
Govt. pursued legal management against it, financial mismanagement leads it fail, discredits Chartism
When was the third petition and why had Chartism regained support by this stage?
1848 - Economic hardships had returned, other revolutions in Europe (e.g. France and Germany)
