Chartism in the 1840s

Question 1

What was the National charter association?

Answer 1

• est. 1840
• most important Chartist organisation of 1840s
• by 1842, 70,000 members
• eventually collapsed

Question 2

Why did chartist leaders encourage education and teetotalism?

Answer 2

• William Lovett encouraged education of w/c
• prove they deserved right to vote
• teetotalism involved abdication of alcohol

Question 3

What happened during the plug strikes and riots (1842)?

Answer 3

• many workers suffered wage cuts/laid off across midlands
• workers forced factories to close down
• pulled plugs on boilers

Question 4

How did the Government respond to the plug strikes and riots?

Answer 4

• 6000 troops deployed in north
• led by general Napier
• hundreds of arrests made

Question 5

Why did the chartists lose support during the mid 1840s?

Answer 5

• arrests of many leaders
• divisions amongst other leaders, moral force vs physical force
• economic recovery
• reforms carried out by Peel’s government such as the mines act
• collapse of the national charter association

Question 6

What was the land plan (1845-48)?

Answer 6

• Chartist hopes kept alive by Chartist land company
• scheme to establish rural Chartist communities
• by 1848, 100,000 people subscribed and 5 communities established

Question 7

What inspired the 1848 petition?

Answer 7

• 1847, general election O’Connor elected to parliament
• 3rd Chartist petition inspired

Question 8

What happened at Kennington common (1848)?

Answer 8

• planned mass meeting
• 25,000 showed despite expectation of 200,000
• government prepared - 8,000 soldiers stationed
• peaceful demonstration
• only leaders and petition allowed through to parliament

Question 9

How did parliament respond to the 3rd petition?

Answer 9

• Chartist leaders claimed 5m signatures
• parliament declared less than half were genuine
• rejected

Question 10

Why did chartism ultimately fail?

Answer 10

• propertied classes united m/c and aristocracy
• unorganised movement with different aims and divisions between leadership
• no influence in parliament

Question 11

What were the successes of chartism?

Answer 11

• led to set up of trade unions
• working class engagement in political clubs and societies

Question 12

How did national support for the chartist movement change over time?

Answer 12

• strong support in industrial areas of the north where resistance against the poor law was strong
• unable to gain support in Ireland as nationalist groups more interested in Irish affairs
• difficulty gaining support in London as so large and only small scale industrial development

Question 13

How did women’s support for chartism change over time?

Answer 13

• early years substantial support
• 1/3 signatures for 1839 petition
• boycotted shopkeepers hostile to the movement
• given little roles in higher positions

Question 14

How did m/c support for chartism change over time?

Answer 14

• lost m/c support due to increasing violence
• tensions rose after the 1832 reform act