Chartism Flashcards
What were the six points of the People’s Charter?
- universal suffrage for all men over 21 with sound mind who were not criminals
- secret ballots in elections
- abolition of the property qualifiaction for MPs
- introduction of salaries for MPs
- redrawn constituencies, which should be equal in size to population
- annual parliamentary elections
Where was the initial support for the Chartists?
London and the South.
Why did support for the Chartists grow in the North?
The movement became dominated by industrial workers who tended to be in the North.
Who was Feargus O’Conner?
An Irish politician who was disqualified as an MP in 1835 because he did not possess the necessary property qualifications. In 1837 he founded the GNU and the Northern Star.
What was the circulation of the Northern Star in 1839?
50,000
What was the main area of dispute over O’Conner’s leadership style?
His rhetoric was of action and violence, yet he himself was never personally involved in these acts of violence.
Who was William Lovett?
Was secretary of the LWMA from 1836, but withdrew from Chartism in 1840, largely because of his bitter personal opposition to Feargus O’Conner. Lovett then was deeply involved in promoting the education of the working class.
What was the BPU?
The Birmingham Political Union - an organisation of middle and working class people who campaigned in support of the reform bill in 1831-2.
Who founded the BPU?
Thomas Attwood
What did the 1832 Reform Act do?
- it made uniform rules for voting. In the boroughs men owning or occupying properties valued at £10 or above and £50 leaseholders gained the vote
- in the counties, those who had previously voted under the 40 shillings franchise kept their vote
- voters had to register to vote formally
After 1832, what proportion and number of adult males had the vote?
1/5 800,000
When was the National Convention?
1839
What was the National Convention?
An organised meeting of the Chartists to discuss their plans to propose their petition to parliament.
What was the proposed ‘Sacred Month’?
A call for a national general strike, as well as abstaining from taxable items such as tobacco and alcohol. The aim was to disrupt the economy so seriously that the gov would be forced to negotiate with the Chartists.
What was the main flaw of the Sacred Month?
The Convention did not take into consideration that most workers would not be able to survive for a month without pay.
When was the first petition presented to parliament?
June 1839
How many signatures did the first petition have?
1.2 million
What was the parliament vote over the first petition?
Rejected. 235 to 46 votes
When was the Newport Uprising?
1839
What was the Newport Uprising?
John Frost, a former mayor of Newport, led 5,000 miners, some of whom were armed, in a protest march. They claimed that itwas to free Chartist members from prison. They were stopped by soldiers - 24 died and 125 were arrested of whom 25 were charged with high treason.
Between June 1839 and June 1840, how many Chartist leaders were arrested?
Over 500
When was the Second National Convention?
1842
When was the Second Petition?
1842
How many signatures did the Second Petition have?
3.3 million
What was the parilament vote over the Second Petition?
Rejected by 287 to 49 votes
What were the ‘Plug Plots’?
Workers removed plugs from factory boilers to prevent them being used. The strikes burned out quickly and the Convention disintergrated into confusion and disillusionment.
When was the Third Petition?
1848
What triggered the Third Petition?
In the North, Chartist support increased as trade began to worsen and industrial unemployment increased. Strikes and riots broke out in Birmingham and Glasgow.
How many signatures did the Third Petition have?
Claimed it had 6 million, though it was less then 2 million
Where did the Chartists arrange a peaceful march for the Third Petition?
Kennington Common
What happened at Kennington Common?
The gov feared violence and drafted in special constables to support the police and put the army on standby. In the end, partly due to rain, far fewer turned up than expected and O’Conner urged the Chartists to disperse. He claimed there were 150,000 in attendance while the gov claimed 12-15,000.
What was the result of the Kennington Common march?
The leaders were arrested and the petition was rejected.
What caused a decrease in middle class support for Chartism in 1839?
Following the Birmingham riots and the Newport Uprising the majority of middle class support evaporated.
Who was General Napier?
A General in command of the military forces in the 11 Northern districts between 1839-42. He was sympathetic of the Chartists and understood their intentions, however he also understood that provoking the angry Chartists would only make the issue worse. Therefore, he retrained from fighting violence with violence and limited confrontaion particualrly with armed groups. He can be credited with preventing a possible chaotic outcome.
How did the growth of the railways impact Chartism?
They contributed to ending Chartism. While they sped up urbanisation, increasing migrancy which lowered wages and increased overcrowding, they allowed soldiers to be moved quickly. This meant when threats arose, the gov could respond quicker.
How did the development of the electric telegraph impact Chartism in 1840?
It simplified the government and army’s ability to co-ordinate their response.
Why did Chartism fail? (8 key points)
- rejection of the petitions
- divisions among the leadership
- class divisions
- conflict with other protests and reforms
- aims that were too ambitious
- inconsistent support
- effective government tactics
- damage to the reputation of the movement
What were the successes of Chartism?
Within the various acts and reforms leading up to 1828, every one of the reforms except annual elections was enacted in the constitution. Also, the Chartist movement taught future political and protest movements valuable lessons. Many of the younger leaders were active in political movements of the following decades.
