Power and the People KI3 Flashcards
What were the causes for the Chartists?
Only 450,000 property only men could vote, no secret ballot, MPs were not paid, corruption common in ‘rotten boroughs’
What methods were used by the Chartists?
Cartwright wrote: ‘take your choice’, calling for electoral reform.
Burdett in 1809 introduced Reform bill demanding right of every taxpayer to vote.
1817 over 150 political Hampden clubs.
Peterloo 1819: 100,000 people gathered, local militia violently stopped meeting. 11 killed.
Six acts passed, restricting public meetings to max 50 ppl.
1839 petition containing 1.2m signatures.
Give short and long term impacts of chartism
Short term: The government transported 102 to Australia
The first five of their demands in the People’s Charter achieved by the end of the 19th century.
Some historians see them as the first modern political party in terms of the aims, organisation and methods. Shows working class consciousness and solidarity.
Why did people want to abolish slavery?
religious: in 1797 mostly Quaker opponents of slavery including William Wilberforce believed slavery was a sin.
Economic: from 1770s onwards Cuba could produce cheaper sugar. Many plantations in the west Indies closed, and slave demand fell.
Adam Smith argued that slaves would add to the economy more if they could earn wages and spend money.
1831 400 slaves were shot and hanged after a revolt in Jamaica. this made many realise the horrors of slavery.
What methods were used by the anti slavery campaigners?
Wilberforce made speeches in parliament against it.
Thomas Clarkson collected whips and chains to show how awful it was.
Olaudah Equiano wrote an autobiography and toured the country.
Over 300,000 people boycotted sugar and wore medallions made by josiah wedgewood.
In 1788 20,000 people in Manchester signed a petition to abolish slavery
1814: 1.5 million people signed petitions.
How successful was anti slavery campaigning?
In 1791 a slave rebellion in Saint Dominic was successful; the slaves captured the island and renamed it Haiti.
In the 1800s resolutions were passed in P to abolish the slave trade, but with limited success.
1887: a bill to abolish the slave trade became law.
In 1833 slavery itself was abolished throughout the British Empire.
The success meant an idea of solidarity with slaves.
What caused the anti corn law league?
economic: In 1815 corn laws were passed: tariffs were placed on imported corn. Benefited farmers and landowners at the expense of factory owners and workers.
What methods were used by the anti corn law league?
Good economic arguments: factory owners said that CL increased the price of bread for workers so wages had to go up too.
this increased costs and leading to a loss of jobs.
“other countries couldn’t sell their grain, so also couldn’t afford to buy British goods.”
They wanted to fix one issue: make bread cheaper to reduce wages for workers, thus making more profit.
Very organised. violence out of the agenda
memorabilia like milk jugs and cups were made and sold.
Was the anti corn law league successful?
Despite annual votes from 1837 to 1845 the whigs decided not to repeal the CL.
In 1844 a good harvest= prices of grain dropping, weakening support.
In 1845 bad harvest lead to awful famine in Ireland, increasing support.
In 1846 Robert Peel repealed the corn laws.
Give short and longer term impacts of the anti corn law league
short term: first time the government acted in the interests of the people over the gentry. The league showed organisation and political power of the urban class. Long-term: repeal of the corn laws challenged the landowning classes lead to more protection of the working class in future years. showed that free trade is greater than protectionism
Why did people want factory reform?
Religious: “Bible teaches equality regardless of status”
Desire for social change: reports emerged of awful treatment of women and children. Eg they were forced to carry heavy loads.
What methods did social and factory reformers use?
Reformers returned to Parliament constantly to improve Acts.
Social reforms happened after powers were given to local councils.
Shaftesbury: religious convictions meant he spent a lifetime working on reform.
Involved with the Lunacy laws which improved treatment of lunacies.
Introduced a 10 hours bill that restricted hours for children. In 1840 set up mines act that prevented employment of women and children underground.
Became president of the ragged school in 1844.
Give short and longer term impacts of the social and factory reformers
Georgina Battiscome claimed: “ no man has ever done more to lessen human misery” than Shaftesbury
Short term: reform generally took a long time, the individual factory owners could change things. Social and factory conditions did improve.
Long-term: “Laissez-faire” society challenged.
Why did people want trade unions?
economic: in the 1830s, Robert Owen organised the GNCTU with half million members from different trades societies to protect each other’s interests
Ideas of solidarity: In 1834 farmworkers in Tolpuddle formed a union when the employer tried to cut their wages.
Unions for skilled workers: new model unions.
Unions for unskilled workers: new unions.
What methods did strikers from trade unions use?
The matchgirls ran the first successful strikes by unskilled workers in 1888.
1889: London dock workers went on strike and were more militant. They picketed and had public support, got pay rise.
After WWI, price of coal fell, imported cheaper. Mine owners reduced wages and increased hours.
On May 1926 miners, railway workers, dockers went on strike. BUT government had prepared.
The army did some workers jobs
government used media to turn public opinion against them. The strike ended after nine days, Union membership and support fell. Labour Party support also fell.
