Chartism 1838

Question 1

What was chartism?

Answer 1

• a national working class movement for political reform
• name came from the people’s charter published in 1838 by leaders of the London working men’s association
• a national charter association was formed in 1840 with annual subscriptions
• In 1842 the NCA had 400 branches and 50,000 members

Question 2

What were the economic causes for chartism?

Answer 2

Seen as a knife and fork movement it reached its peak during periods of economic depression (late 1830s, 1842 and 1848) workers were faced with unemployment inadequate wages and rising prices

Question 3

What were the social causes for chartism?

Answer 3

• poor working and living conditions Whig factory act 1833 introduced 13 hour days + diseases (Cholera) spread
• the collapse of trade union grand national consolidation trade union in 1833 attempted to unite trade unions but failed

Question 4

What were the political causes for chartism?

Answer 4

• the reform act 1833 did not befit the WC
• radical politics individuals like Feargus O’connor spread rhe radical message
• unstamped press newspapers stopped paying stamp duty to make them cheaper for WC like the Poor man’s Guardian
• poor law amendment act 1834 = workhouses

Question 5

Moral persuasion/physical force chartists

Answer 5

Moral persuasion used non violence methods ie petitions + unite with MC most famously william lovett
physical force believed change could only happen through armed uprisings did not want to collaborate with other social classes most famously Feargus O’connor the Northen star

Question 6

What were the 3 petitions from the chartists?

Answer 6

1) 1839 national convention of delegates met and a mass petition with 1.2 million signatures was rejected by Parliament + lovett and O’connor imprisoned lead to riots ie Newport Rising 1839 3-4th Nov
2) 1842 O’connor organised second petition with 3.3 million signatures but was rejected again
3) 1848 economic depression + revolution in France a march planned from Kennington Common to Westminster with petition but banned by police claimed to have 5.7 million signatures however only 2 million signed petition was rejected and was last chartist activety

Question 7

Why was chatism a failure?

Answer 7

• huge divisions moral v physical among leaders and members
• did not have middle class support so lacked monney and political power
• local differences could not decide on aims too complicated

Question 8

What was the govs response to chartism?

Answer 8

• repressive use of spies, police and troops ie Newport rising met with 7000 troops and 4000 police
• New railway could transport troops efficiently
• telegraph quickly informed of protests
• municipal corporations act 1835 each borough had to have a watch committee and special constables
• New reforms ie Peels tariff reform undermined chartists

Question 9

What was the long term success of chartism?

Answer 9

• WC more aware of approaches to gain reform
• kept alive pressure for reform after 1832 leading to reform act 1867
• Labour Party originated from chartist movement share beliefs
• all but one of the 6 main points were achieved by 1918

Question 10

What does E.Hopkins say ab chartism?

Answer 10

Chartists represented “the most striking and widespread working class movement for political reform in the nineteenth century”.

Question 11

What were the 6 points on the charter?

Answer 11

1) universal male sufferage
2) secret ballot
3) no property qualification for MPs
4) payment of MP’s
5) equal constituencies
6) annual parliaments