Government response

Question 1

Who led government between 1835 and August 1841?

Answer 1

William Lamb (Whig)

Question 2

Who led government between 1841 and June 1846?

Answer 2

Robert Peel (Tory)

Question 3

Why was there little direct action against Chartism up until 1839?

Answer 3

Although the Whigs did not agree with the Chartist demands, they believed in the importance of freedom of ideas and liberal thinking.

Question 4

Why did the government decide to act against Chartism after 1839?

Answer 4

The gov realised that Chartism posed a substantial threat to national stability. They feared the consequences of accepting the Charter far more than the dangers involved in turning it down.

Question 5

What were the 5 key aspects of the government response to Chartism?

Answer 5

1. The Police Force
2. The Electric Telegraph
3. Arrests of leaders
4. Major General Napier
5. Impact of the growth of the rail network.

Question 6

What was introduced to the law enforcement area in 1829?

Answer 6

It saw the introduction of the Metropolitan Police force, a single, professional and uniformed force of around 1000 men. These police could suppress disorder without having to resort to the guns and swords of the army.

Question 7

What was introduced to the police force in 1839?

Answer 7

The Rural Police Act allowed local authorities to raise their own police force.

Question 8

How effective was the introduction of the police force during this period?

Answer 8

It developed slowly in many counties, however, the rural police did provide a further weapon to be deployed to deal with outbreaks of disorder.

Question 9

What effect did the invention of the electric telegraph have on the government response?

Answer 9

Communication between spies and government was no longer slow. By 1848, the government received info almost immediately about the Chartists’ intentions and likely strength following the rejection of the third petition.

Question 10

How effective was the introduction of the electric telegraph during this period?

Answer 10

It gave the government far better knowledge of what was happening in different parts of the country. This enabled them to deploy police and troops more effectively.

Question 11

What happened to the Chartists after the 1839 petition and Newport Rising?

Answer 11

The government took strong action and in 1839-40 some 500 Chartists were arrested throughout the country, with some being transported to the colonies for up to 7 years. However, lots of Chartists, including the leaders, were often only imprisoned for short period of a year or two.

Question 12

How effective was the arresting of Chartists during this period?

Answer 12

Quite effective: Lovett’s focus turned to educating the w/c and became marginalised from mainstream Chartism. However, Lovett always had distinct and strong beliefs and this deviation from Chartism may have been inevitable.

Question 13

When was Major General Napier appointed by the government?

Answer 13

In April 1839 he was appointed to command 4,000 troop in the 11 counties that comprised the Northern District.

Question 14

Why was Napier an unusual choice for command?

Answer 14

He had displayed an active sympathy for the poor for many years.

Question 15

Who did Napier often reject requests from?

Answer 15

Often rejected requests from magistrates who wanted him to deploy small detachments of troops to be sent to their towns as he feared that they would be easy targets for local Chartists.

Question 16

How did Napier organise his troops?

Answer 16

He divided his forces into 3 large detachments positioned around the North, close to major industrial centres.

Question 17

What happened at Kersal Moor 1838?

Answer 17

It was a mass meeting for Chartists but was put down by 500 of Napier’s troops. It eased the fear of Chartist violence.

Question 18

When did Napier refuse to sent in troops?

Answer 18

In response to ‘the Sacred Month.’

Question 19

How effective was Napier as a Major General?

Answer 19

1. Napier’s refusal to confront the Chartists during strike action meant that peace was maintained during these few days.
2. It was largely thanks to Napier’s sensible command of his troops that, although there was much unrest in the northern towns in 1839-40, the region did not experience a second Peterloo.

Question 20

How large was the railway by 1850?

Answer 20

It was a network of railway lines covering over 5,000 miles. This meant that the authorities could respond quickly to Chartist disturbances across the country.

Question 21

What happened in July 1839 which demonstrated the great impact of the growth of the rail network?

Answer 21

60 police were quickly dispatched from London to deal with a crowd in Birmingham and played a key role in dispersing the protestors.

Question 22

How effective was the railway network?

Answer 22

Very effective - meant Chartist marches and protests struggled to get started before troops arrived on the scene to disperse them.

Question 23

How did events in Europe in 1848 affect the government’s response to Chartism?

Answer 23

1. Revolutions of 1848: Series of republican revolts against European monarchies, beginning in Sicily and spreading to France, Germany, Italy, and the Austrian Empire –> government fear of revolution.
2. The Irish Potato Famine / The Great Famine (1845-52): Ireland suffered a period of starvation, disease and emigration. The potato crop, upon which a third of Ireland’s population was dependent for food, was infected by a disease destroying the crop.

Question 24

How did the government undermine the Chartists’ calls for reform in the 1840s?

Answer 24

Peel’s government showed more interest in tackling the growing separation between rich and poor. He introduced measures such as the Mines Act and Factory Act which showed that social change and improvement could be achieved without Chartist intervention.

Question 25

What 2 Acts did Peel introduce?

Answer 25

1. The Mines Act 1842 - that banned the employment of women and children underground.
2. The Factory Act 1844 - limited working hours for children and women in factories.