CHARTISM - creation of the movement 1836-8 Flashcards
LWMA 1836
Leader
William Lovett
LWMA 1836
Membership
Small membership of a few hundred politically aware tailors and craftsmen (not the mass organisation of the W.C)
One shilling monthly fee which was quite expensive!
LWMA 1836
Aims
Moderate ambitions, including the promotion of political and social rights.
Educational opportunities for ALL.
LWMA 1836
Methods
This could all be done via peaceful and moral protests
LWMA 1836
What happened in May 1837?
Lovett and his radical colleagues drafted a series of proposals which became known as the People’s Charter of 1838.
BPU
Leader
Thomas Attwood
BPU
Membership
Strong M.C and W.C
They all played a vital role in the agitation in favour of 1832 bill but when the act passed into law, this fizzled out.
BPU
What did Attwood do in 1837?
Initially, their modest demands didnt engage those wanting widespread support e.g., it focused on household suffrage, and not universal suffrage etc.
Nov - Attwood relaunched the movement with proposals that were more radical (inc universal suffrage)
BPU
Consequences of Attwood’s relaunch
Dramatic turnout in the fortunes of BPU, and it won thousands of supporters with a programme that closley resembled the LWMA.
GNU
Who created the Great Northern Union?
Feargus O’Connor - he was an ex-MP for County Cork
GNU
What did O’Connor do in late 1835?
He toured northern England, where he established several local radical associations pledged to support parliamentary reform.
He got widespread support from unskilled workers in the north because he was a great orator and spoke very well.
GNU
1837 - what was established as the GNU’s newspaper?
The Northern Star was selected as its mouthpiece newspaper.
It reported on ALL chartist activity.
GNU
Circulation of the Northern Star
Initially, 10,000
1839 - Rose to over 50,000
MAY 1838
Who met together in Glasgow?
LWMA and BPU met with 200,000 in a mass meeting. They joined forces.
MAY 1838
Why didn’t the GNU enter he agreement?
Lovett and O’Connor had disagreements because Lovett disapproved of O’Connor’s deliberate courting of unskilled workers, and the fiery and language used in his speeches.
