Popular Protest- Chartists

Question 1

The Luddites, 1811‒1812

Answer 1

These were riots in Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire, by hand-weavers who broke into the factories to destroy the new machines. There was a mass-trial at York in 1813, after which 17 Luddites were executed.

Question 2

Swing riots 1830

Answer 2

These were attacks on farm machines all over the south of England. 2,000 people were put on trial, of whom 19 were executed and 481 transported to Australia.

Question 3

The Chartists, 1838‒1850

Answer 3

The Chartists organised huge rallies and petitions to Parliament in the 1840s to campaign for political reform. Although there was a Chartist riot in Newport in 1839, Britain avoided the revolutions that swept Europe in 1848. The most of the Chartists’ demands eventually became law.

Question 4

Chartists what did they want?

Answer 4

Improve living conditions ( cholera cane in 1832 killed thousands
Increase wages
Use men not machines 
Official aim: get vote for working men
Get ride of the work house

Question 5

Chartist- how popular were they?

Answer 5

Ten thousands came to meetings
Hundreds of thousand called themselves “Chartists”
Millions signed petitions