BRITAIN Chartism part 2 Flashcards
When was there a brief revival of working-class radicalism?
During reform struggle of 1830-32, but working people were disillusioned by its outcome
Which three groups came together to create a national petition in support of the Six Points of the People’s Charter?
LMWA; BPU; GNU
When did three groups come together to create a national petition in support of the Six Points of the People’s Charter?
1838
Who drew up the Six Points of the People’s Charter?
William Lovett
When was support for the Chartist movement very popular?
In times of economic hardship and high unemployment
Who did Chartism never succeed in drawing to its ranks?
Highly skilled workers; farm workers in rural counties
Why was it a surprise that many women supported Chartism?
It would not embrace female suffrage
When were women most active in the Chartist movement?
In the early years, especially in activities such as supporting imprisoned Chartists and their families
When did the number of women supporting the Chartist movement decline?
Early 1840s
Why had many middle-class supporters left Chartism by 1839?
Alienated by the threatening language of a number of its speakers
What is an important reason for the failure of Chartism?
Determination of Whig and Tory governments to resist radical demands and oppose Chartist violence by any means at their disposal
When was the Metropolitan Police in London founded?
1829
What were the Six Points of the People’s Charter?
Universal male suffrage; secret ballot; constituencies of equal size; abolition of property qualifications for MPs; annual parliaments; payment of MPs
When were the Six Points of the People’s Charter approved?
August 1838
Where were the Six Points of the People’s Charter approved?
At a meeting of leading radicals in Birmingham
When was working-class interest in reform revived?
Late 1820s
What pushed many working people towards radical politics after 1832?
Disillusion with the Reform Act; Whig government
When were there trade depressions that contributed to the interest in Chartism?
1839; 1842; 1848
How did the Chartists feel about many of the policies carried out by the Whigs post-1832?
Strongly opposed to them
Why did the Chartists feel as if the Whigs didn’t support them?
Attacks on issues such as the rights of trade unions; failure to provide effective reform of factory conditions
When was the Irish Coercion Act?
1833
What had freed Irish Catholics from most of their civil disabilities?
Catholic Relief Act 1829
Irish Coercion Act 1833
One of most repressive pieces of Irish legislation of the 19th century- Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was given wide powers to suppress any public meetings; arbitrary arrest became commonplace; offenders were to be tried by court martial rather than in the civil courts
How did radicals feel about the Irish Coercion Act 1833?
Shocked radicals throughout Britain- they feared that if Whigs were prepared to act so harshly in Ireland, they might impose similar restrictions on British radicalism
What led to the re-establishment of many trade unions?
Repeal of the Combination Acts 1824
When was the government’s determination to limit the power of trade unions confirmed?
Glasgow weavers’ strike of 1837, which led to 18 leaders of the Spinners’ Union being tried on various charges and sentenced to 7 years transportation
When was the war of the unstamped?
1831-36
When had newspapers been taxed since?
1712
Why had newspapers always been taxed?
To restrict their circulation and keep them out of the hands of ordinary people
When had Britain imposed stamp duties on the American colonies?
1765
What had the imposition of stamp duties on the American colonies contributed to?
American Revolution of 1775
Who founded ‘The Poor Man’s Guardian’?
Henry Hetherington
When was ‘The Poor Man’s Guardian’ founded?
1831
The Poor Man’s Guardian
Unstamped newspaper sold for one penny; had a weekly circulation of 220,000 copies within 2 years
What did the government reduce the stamp tax on newspapers to originally?
One penny
Why did the government reduce and eventually abolish the stamp tax on newspapers?
Sustained pressure from Henry Hetherington and other radicals
When did the government abolish the stamp tax on newspapers?
1836
How did the war of the unstamped embolden those hoping for political reform?
Revealed that a co-ordinated campaign of extra-parliamentary pressure could force a change in government policies
Who specifically was inspired by the war of the unstamped?
William Lovett
What did Hetherington help to draw up?
People’s Charter
