depth 2: Chartism 1838 - 1850 Flashcards
What and when was the Factory Act?
1833, in response to the 10 hour movement in 1830s. only reduced working hours for children. showed that parliament didn’t care about improving working conditions
What and when was the municipal corporations act?
- excluded the working class from participating in local governments, as only rate payers could vote for their local governments. modern local police forces were also created, which made the working class feel threatened
What happened in the “war of the unstamped” press
many newspapers did not obey the stamp law tax. for example the Poor Mans Guardian was priced at 1p, Henry Hetherington who published it was imprisoned twice. in London 740 sellers of unstamped newspapers were put on trial 1831-1836. eventually whigs lowered the tax, helped with spreading radical ideas and showed that pressure could change the government
When and what was the new poor law?
1834, abolished outdoor relief and worsened conditions in workhouses to the point where the working class feared and hated the workhouses
what were work houses?
‘indoor’ relief where those unable to look after themselves at home alone, could stay and gain poor relief
what was poor relief
clothes, food and money given to those who were too poor to look after themselves, funded by local taxes
what was the impact of the poor law
the anti-poor law campaign 1837-38 involved radical leaders touring the country to raise support and funds to oppose the poor law in the industrial north. the house of commons voted against repealing the law 309-17 showing the working class that parliament was not going to improve living conditions
What and when was the ‘People’s Charter’
may 1838, formed by the London Working Mens Association (LWMA) and radical MPs, laid out 6 points of the charter
What were the six points
1-universal manhood suffrage 2-secret ballot 3-annual parliaments 4-equal electoral districts 5-abolition of property qualifications for MPs 6-payment for MPs
why was the 1832 reform act disappointing?
- middle class enfranchised, working class excluded
- new parliament less sympathetic to working class
- henry hunt lost parliament seat
what and when was the irish coercion act?
1833
irish whigs gave themselves power to suppress any public meetings
how did the irish coercion act contribute to the origins of chartism
shocked british radicals as they were fearful of such repression happening to them
6 things that make up origins of chartism
reform act disappointment 1832 irish coercion act 1833 factory act 1833 war of unstamped press 1831-1836 municipal corporations act 1835 anti poor law campaign 1837-38
what was the GNU
group under leadership of feargus O’Connor
combination of his radical groups that he had formed during his 1835 tour of northern England
who was feargus O’Connor?
started northern star formed GNU 1837 disqualified as an MP in 1835 for not holding the correct property qualifications not liked by William lovett considered physical force chartist
what was the BPU?
- reorganised by Thomas attwood in 1837 in response to depression in midlands. originally did not gain many followers
- became more radical in November 1837 gaining thousands of followers. similar programme to LWMA
what was the LWMA
formed in 1836 by William Lovett
- conservative with moderate ambitions
- drafted proposals in may 1837 that became peoples charter in 1838
- moral force
how did the charter gain support and signatures?
huge meetings around the country, 200,000+ at each meeting. at meetings delegates were elected to the National Convention that would meet in feb 1839
smaller meeting in towns and cities also held, publicised by chartist press
how many signatures collected on the peoples charter
over 1.25 million
what happened with the charter
it was rejected, 235 to 46 votes
northern star popularity numbers
1839 selling 50,000 copies a week. similar to the times
