Chartism Flashcards
What is Chartism?
A movement which emerged in the 1830s out of working class discontent & disillusion with the Whig govts.
It aimed to change the system so the working class would be in control.
What years did the Chartists present their petitions to parliament?
1839
1842
1848
What were the 6 points on the people’s charter?
- Universal Manhood Suffrage
- Secret Ballot
- Abolition of Property requirement for MPs
- Equal electoral Districts
- Payment for MPs
- Annual Parliaments
Why was there disappointment in the 1832 Reform Act?
Parliament became even more unsympathetic towards the working class by only giving the vote to the middle class. Radical Reformers had lost their seats in parliament to middle-class landowners
What was the Municipal Corporations Act?
Parliament extended the vote for local town councils to those who owned property (“ratepayers”) which few of the working class did.
Excluded the WC
When was the Municipal Corporations Act passed?
1835
What was the Irish Coercion Act?
“Most repressive piece of Irish Legislation of the 19th century”
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland given power to supress public meetings, make arbitrary arrests common and let offenders be dealt with through court marital rather than regular courts
When did the Irish Coercion act pass?
1833
What was the War of the Unstamped?
Newspapers had to pay special tax imposed by the government to prevent the spreading of radical ideas to the working-class readers, as it increased the price
How was there opposition to the Special tax on newspapers?
Some papers fought this suppression, such as the Poor Mans Guardian by Henry Hetherington which sold 15000 copies a week, at only 1p.
When was the War of the Unstamped Press?
1831-36
What was the Factory act?
A campaign focused on reducing the long hours worked. Sir Robert Peel eventually put an act in place but only limited Children Workdays to 10hrs, not adults.
When was the Factory Act passed?
1833
What was the effect of the war on unstamped press?
The Whig government eventually removed the tax. This displays how organised protest CAN work.
What was the 10 Hour movement?
A movement to try to limit factories and mines working hours to 10 hours.
What was the poor law ammendment?
Introduced to try to cut the cost of poor relief by making it only available through workhouses.
When were the poor law ammendments passed?
1834
What are workhouses? Why were people so afraid of them?
Workhouse conditions were terrible as it was idealised that they had to be worse than the poorest PAID worker. Family life was also divided by separating men, women and children.
What else increased through the early 1830s?
The was more disease spreading due to poor sanitation.
When was the trade depression?
1837
Trade depressions perfectly corrolated with height of chartist movement
Who were some Moral force chartists?
Lovett
Place
Attwood (BPU)
Who were some physical force chartist?
O’Connor
Frost
O’Brien
Harney
What is the difference between moral and physical force chartism?
MORAL FORCE adopted a more peaceful protest. Believed they could win over people using their arguments through discussions and persuasions.
PHYSICAL FORCE wanted more action done to convey chartism. This included violence such as armed revolutions (Newport Rising etc) as well as creating a Radical Paper
When was the LWMA formed?
1836
What did the LWMA do?
London’s Working Mens Association
- formed by Lovett
- Made up of artisan craftsmen who wanted the moral force approach
Who was Feargus O’Connor?
He was an Irish prtestant and MP for Cork. He wanted quick result
