Chartism late 1830s Flashcards
(7 cards)
1
Q
How did the Chartists plan on commanding the attention of parliament?
A
- collect so many petition signatures so parliament couldn’t ignore it
- signatures collected at mass meetings across country
- meeting organised and publicised in northern star
- by 1839 northern star selling 50,000 copies a week
- over 1.25m signatures collected, 3 miles long
- parliament rejected by 235 votes to 46
2
Q
What was the debate of moral force vs physical force?
A
- chartists such as Fergus O’conner advocated for use of physical force which meant using violence to achieve goals
- others adopted moral force idea of ‘defensive violence’
- ‘sacred month’ if parliament reject petition then Chartists strike for a month
- challenge employees and governing class
- potential to wreck the economy
3
Q
What is an example of defensive violence?
A
- 1839, in Birmingham, metropolitan police broke up peaceful meeting
- led to a fortnight of rioting
- William Lovett arrested for seditious libel
4
Q
Why did the Chartist convention break up?
A
- after rejection of petition, 3 day strike suggested
- chartists refused to strike and lose pay
- after petition rejected there was no direction - didn’t know what to do
- many leaders arrested
5
Q
What was the 1839 Newport rising?
A
- 4,000 Chartist sympathisers led by John Frost, marched on newport
- miners and ironworkers
- armed, some with guns
- surrounded location where chartists were being held
6
Q
How did authorities respond to the 1839 Newport rising?
A
- small force of troops opened fire at them
- 20 killed
- debate whether it was a ‘monster demonstration’ or violent uprising
- leaders sentenced to death changed to transportation to avoid martyrs
7
Q
What was the nature of Chartism?
A
- economic movement? years of maximum support for Chartism occurred during economic depression (1838-39, 1842, 1848)
- political movement? Formed out of anger and disappoint of 1832 reform act
- political and economic movement? use politics to improve living and working conditions
