Chartism - Impacts Flashcards
Why was it a peaceful movement?
Due to Lovett’s Christian faith.
What did Lovett organise?
The mass signing of petitions to be sent to parliament.
Where did a Chartist protest take place?
Newport.
When did Chartists march to Newport?
November 1839
What did Chartists do in Newport?
One of their leaders had been imprisoned and many planned to attack the prison and free him.
What happened as a result of the Chartists in Newport?
Authorities were ready for the Chartists, the soldiers opened fire and 22 men were killed.
Who became the undisputed leader of the movement?
Feargus O’Connor.
When was the first petition sent to parliament?
1839
When was the second petition sent to parliament?
1842
What did O’Connor do after the 1842 petition was rejected?
He called for violent acts to pressurise parliament into agreeing to the demands.
What was the ‘plug plot’?
The north of England started to vandalise machinery
What did O’Connor call for to remove the people who kept working men down?
He called for a general strike for all workers and even went as far as calling for a British Republic.
What happened by 1847 which caused a surge in support for the Chartists?
The economic and agricultural depression.
What did many Chartists become heavily involved in?
Trade unions
What did Lovett and other leaders promote?
Temperance
What was temperance?
Zero tolerance of alcohol
What did temperance show about the working class?
That working class people were disciplined and worthy of the vote.
What was O’Connor interested in?
Land reform.
What kind of land reform was O’Connor interested in?
He felt everyone was entitled to land, and that if they had land, they could leave the factory towns and the problems they faced there.
Give an example of a newspaper which the Chartists used to promote their agenda:
The Northern Star
What did local governments put up posters saying?
Asking people not to attend Chartist meetings.
What did the government freely do as a response to the Chartists?
They freely arrested them, with Lovett and O’Connor being arrested on more than one occasion.
What was one tool the government used to deter people from pushing for reform?
Transportation
Give an example of a country which the government transported people to dissuade them from joining Chartism:
Australia
Give an example of an important Chartist and what they did:
William Cuffay, an important Chartist leader in London, had been transported to Australia for his actions. Here, he quickly set up Chartist groups to support the freedom of indigenous people. The Chartist movement spread through the empire, and Chartism continued to challenge the British government even on different continents.
Who and how many had met on Kennington Common in London?
O’Connor and fewer than 50,000 supporters.
When did Chartists meet on Kennington Common in London?
10 April 1848
What had the Duke of Wellington prepared, expecting more, at Kennington Common in London?
Troops and police
How many special constables were enrolled for the day at Kennington Common?
85,000
What was the point of supporters meeting on Kennington Common?
To take a third Chartist petition to parliament.
The third petition was said to have how many signatures? But how many did it really have?
It was said to have over 5 million signatures, in fact it had fewer than 2 million.
What was discovered about many of the signatures on the third Chartist petition?
Many were forged.
How many of the 6 aims in the People’s Charter were met and by when?
All but one of the 6 aims were acheived by 1928.
What are the 5 reasons why the Chartist movement failed in the short term?
-Strong parliamentary opposition
-The standard of living started to increase during the 1850s
-There were many alternative working-class movements
-The divided leadership of Lovett and O’Connor
-They had one clear message but too many fringe groups
Give 2 alternative working class movements from Chartism which increased the failure of it:
Trade unionism and cooperatives.
