power and the people part three Flashcards
1
Q
who controlled the country in the early nineteenth century?
A
the king and those who owned land
2
Q
what happened to the population after the industrial revolution?
A
it increased, especially the working class
3
Q
did the factory owners and workers have political power in the early 19th century?
A
no, even though the factory owners had become very wealthy
4
Q
what were rotten boroughs?
A
areas that sent two MPs to parliament despite the fact that no one lived there
5
Q
what is one example of a rotten borough?
A
a mound of grass, called Old Sarum, still sent two MPs because there used to be a village there
6
Q
how many MPs were there to represent Birmingham in the early 19th century?
A
0, despite being one of the largest and fastest growing towns
7
Q
what were pocket boroughs?
A
boroughs that were controlled by rich individuals who did not represent the needs of everyone
8
Q
was there secret ballot in the early nineteenth century?
A
no
9
Q
what was the issue with not having a secret ballot?
A
they could be easily bribed and in some cases people could be sacked if they didn’t vote for the ‘right’ candidate, so there wasn’t true representation and it was corrupt
10
Q
what did some people have which allowed them to vote in the early 19th century?
A
a fireplace and a locked door
11
Q
what were the people who could vote because they owned a fireplace and a locked door called?
A
potwallopers
12
Q
what were the problems with the electoral system of the early nineteenth century?
A
- king and major landlords controlled the country
- new towns had no political representation
- rotten boroughs
- pocket boroughs
- women didn’t have the vote
- no secret ballot
- no standard property qualification (eg. in some boroughs you only had to own a fireplace and a locked door (potwalloper boroughs), but in others you had to own a house)
13
Q
what helped encourage radical protest in the early nineteenth century?
A
- french revolution
- battle of Waterloo had just ended so many soldiers returned home and needed work
- introduction of corn laws and a poor harvest meant many were starving
14
Q
when was the Peterloo massacre?
A
16th August 1819
15
Q
where was the Peterloo massacre?
A
in St Peter’s Fields, in Manchester
16
Q
how many protesters gathered in St Peter’s Fields?
A
60,000
17
Q
who was one of the main orators at St Peter’s fields?
A
Henry Hunt
18
Q
did the protest at St Peter’s Fields start peacefully?
A
yes, it was just a place people gathered at to listen to speeches by people like Henry Hunt
19
Q
what did Hunt call for the reform of with his speech in St Peter’s Fields?
A
he called for a reform of the government
20
Q
what did the local magistrate do when he heard about the gathering at St Peter’s Fields?
A
he was panicked when he heard about the size of the crowd - the gov was worried about large crowds bc of French revolution so he called the local militia in who were reported to be drunk
21
Q
how many people were killed and injured at the Peterloo Massacre within 10 minutes?
A
600 injured, 15 killed - including women and children
22
Q
what did the gov introduce after the Peterloo massacre?
A
the Six Acts
23
Q
what did the Six Acts state?
A
any meeting of more than 50 people for radical reform was an act of treason - anyone doing so would now be breaking the law
24
Q
what was the next method the working class (and middle class) used to try to extend the franchise after the Peterloo Massacre?
A
legislation
25
which political party had been in charge at the start of the 19th century?
the Tory party
26
what did the tory party think of reform?
they were against it
27
when were the tory party voted out in the 19th century?
1830
28
which party replaced the tory party in 1830?
the Whig party
29
who led the Whig party in 1830?
Earl Grey
30
what happened to the monarchy in the same year the tories were voted out?
King George III died and William IV succeeded him, William IV and the Whig party was more progressive and open to reform
31
who formed the Birmingham Political Union of the Lower and Middle Classes of People and when?
Thomas Atwood in 1829
32
what union did Thomas Atwood form?
the Birmingham Political Union of the Lower and Middle Classes of People
33
how many people signed the petition that Atwood sent to parliament?
8000
34
what did Atwood and the people who signed the petition want?
- shorter parliaments (to make it harder to buy votes)
- the end of property qualifications
- the vote for all men who paid taxes
35
what was the Birmingham Political Union of the Lower and Middle Classes of People renamed to?
the Birmingham Political Union (BPU)
36
what did the BPU do that would make it harder for them to be banned?
they vowed to cooperate with the law
37
what did Atwood call for people to do?
stop paying taxes
38
why was it worrying for the king that Atwood had asked people to stop paying taxes?
the BPU model had been copied all around the country so there were lots of people involved in the movement
39
how many times did the Whig gov try to pass laws for a reform act?
three times
40
why was it difficult for the Whigs to pass a reform act?
it had to go through the House of Lords, and the first parliament - Great Council - was made up of Barons and nobles who didn't want ordinary people to gain power
41
what did Grey request from the King on the third attempt to pass the reform act?
he requested that Lords be appointed who were Whigs or at least sympathetic to reform - which horrified the existing Lords
42
why did the Lords finally pass the reform act?
they were afraid that the King would appoint Whig lords and they would lose power and influence
43
when was the Great Reform Act passed?
1832
44
what were the main points of the reform act?
- 56 very small locations lose the right to elect their own MPs (rotten boroughs)
- 30 other smaller towns lose one MP
- London and other large towns and cities are given more MPs
- people who earn over £150 per year can vote
- voters increase from 435,000 to 642,000
45
how many people could vote after the reform act?
one in seven men
46
what was the effect of the Great Reform act on the middle class?
- merchants and industrialists gained much more representation
- rotten boroughs were removed
47
what was the effect of the Great Reform Act on the working class?
- most working class people didn't earn enough to vote
- still no secret ballot so the few that could vote were forced to vote for their factory owner/landowner
48
what was the impact of the Great Reform act?
- in the short term, no change for working class
- in short term, middle class joined the electorate and gained more influence
- however, showed that change was possible
- reduced the king and landowner's power
- middle class gaining influence meant more change could come
49
what was the property qualification in the great reform act?
to vote you had to own property worth at least £10
50
when did the government reform the Poor Law?
1834
51
what were the political causes of chartism?
- the great reform act didn't give the working class the vote
- there was still no secret ballot
52
what were the social causes of chartism?
- most workers in new towns and cities lived in poor conditions
- bad harvests in the 1830s meant that many farmworkers couldn't feed their families
53
what were the economic causes of chartism?
- skilled workers were no longer needed because of the new machines and factories
- the Poor Law of 1834 sent those with financial problems to the workhouse (which was seen as help at the time)
54
who started the chartist movement?
William Lovett
55
when did the chartist movement start?
1836
56
when was the national chartist convention held and where?
in 1839 in Birmingham
57
what was the chartist movement?
- peaceful because of Lovett's Christian faith
- organised the mass signing of petitions to be sent to parliament
- set out their aims on a document called the People's Charter
58
what were the six main aims of the Chartists?
- votes for all men
- equal-sized constituencies
- voting in secret
- wages for MPs
- no property qualifications to be able to vote
- an election every year
59
why did the chartists want MPs to earn a wage?
it would allow working-class people to become MPs so they could promote the interests of the working class in parliament
60
when was the first Chartist petition sent to parliament and what happened?
in 1839, but it was rejected
61
when did Lovett send the second Chartist petition to parliament and what happened?
in 1842, it was rejected
62
where were people particularly angry about the rejection of the first chartist petition and why?
in South Wales, because unemployment was higher than the national average there and many people were starving
63
when was the Newport Rising?
November 1839
64
what happened in the Newport Rising?
- the protesters from South Wales decided to march to Newport (5000 of them)
- they wanted to free one of their leaders who had been imprisoned there
- the soldiers guarding the prison were ready for them and opened fire
- 22 men were killed
65
what did Lovett encourage among members to show they were disciplined and worthy of the vote?
temperance - not drinking alcohol
66
what newspaper did Lovett edit?
The Chartist
67
who became the leader after the failure of the second petition?
Feargus O'Connor
68
what did Feargus O'Connor call for?
violent actions to pressurise parliament into agreeing to demands
69
what did O'Connor encourage people to do?
vandalise machinery (plug plot)
70
what did Feargus O'Connor call for?
a general strike, and even called for a British republic - wanted to remove all the people who kept working men down
71
what did the government in response to the chartists?
- rejected petitions
- put up posters asking people not to attend Chartists meetings
- arrested Chartists regularly
- transported Chartists to countries like Australia
- even moved Queen Victoria to the Isle of Wight because they were concerned for her saftey
72
when was the third Chartist petition sent to parliament?
in 1848
73
what returned to Britain by 1847 and how did it affect the chartists?
the economic and agricultural depression which caused a surge in support for the chartists
74
what areas of reform did the chartists want other than politics?
- Lovett was committed to education and reform through the cooperative movement, which helped bring a better standard of living to working-class communities
- lovett was also committed to temperence
- O'Connor wanted land reform. he believed everyone was entitled to land, and that if they had land they could leave the factory towns and the problems they faced there
75
what was the name of the Chartist newspaper and who established it?
the northern star, established by O'Connor
76
who was William Cuffay?
a black man who was the son of a formerly enslaved person. he was an important chartist leader in London and supported physical force but was transported to Australia, where he set up Chartist groups to support the freedom of indigenous people
77
how many people met in Kennington Common of London when the third petition was being sent to London?
fewer than 50,000
78
when did the chartists meet in london to send their third petition?
10th April 1848
79
who was waiting for the chartists in April 1848?
the Duke of Wellington had expected more and prepared troops and police - some 85,000 special constables were enrolled for the day
80
how many signatures did the third petition of the chartists have?
it was said to have over 5 million, but actually had 2 million - though it transpired that thousands of the signatures were forged - though O'Connor claimed this was because of workers having to keep their identities secret from their employers
81
what were the reasons that the chartist movement failed in the short term?
- strong parliamentary opposition (eg gov suppression of local meetings and gatherings)
- standards of living increased in the 1850s
- alternative working class movements increased (eg trade unionism and cooperatives)
- divided leadership of Lovett and O'Connor
- lacked one clear message
82
how many of the chartist aims were met?
all but one
83
when was each chartist aim achieved?
- voting for all men - 1918
- equal sized constituencies - 1884
- voting in secret - 1872
- wages for MPs - 1911
- no property qualifications - 1918 (for men)
- an election every year - never
84
how many years did Henry Hunt spend in prison after Peterloo?
two years
85
what did the reform bill of 1809 demand and how many people voted for/against it?
demanded equal sized electoral districts, annual parliaments, and the vote for all taxpayers
defeated 79 votes to 15
86
when was Britain at war with France in the 19th century?
1803-1815
87
why did the price of wheat increase in the early 1800s?
Britain was at war with France (1803-15), so they stopped trading with the French. this meant the British farmers had the monopoly on wheat sales and the prices soared
88
did the British farmers or the French have cheaper wheat?
the French
89
who were the politicians in the early 1800s?
wealthy landowners
90
how had the increased wheat prices during the war affected the politicians (wealthy landowners)?
they had made money from the high wheat prices and were reluctant to see their profits fall
91
what did the government pass in 1815?
the Corn Laws
92
when were the Corn Laws passed?
1815
93
what were the corn laws do?
they were designed to keep the price of wheat high, if the prices fell to low, imports of wheat would be stopped
94
who benefitted from the Corn Laws?
the wealthy landowners and the farmers
95
why did people oppose the corn laws?
- the corn laws were unfair to the poor as the price of basic food (bread) was far too high
- cheap wheat could lower living costs
- people would have more money to spend on other goods like meat
- people could buy industrial goods
- getting rid of the corn laws would improve trade with other countries which would help secure peace
96
who was the Anti-Corn Law League mostly made up of?
middle-class men who felt that the restrictions were unfair to the poor and the manufacturing middle class
97
who were the two prominent members of the anti-corn law league? (they were founders)
Richard Cobden and John Bright
98
when did Richard Cobden become an MP?
in 1841
99
when did John Bright become an MP?
in 1843
100
what tactics did Richard Cobden and John Bright use to spread the word of the anti-corn law league?
- gave speeches
- created pamphlets
- published newspaper articles
- used the railways to travel faster
- sent pamphlets through the penny post to reach every eligible voter
101
who was the PM when Cobden and Bright became MPs?
Robert Peel, the leader of the conservative party
102
what did Peel think of the anti-corn law league?
he saw the benefit of free trade and repealing the corn laws so he supported the anti-corn law league
103
why couldn't Peel repeal the Corn law leagues straight away?
he was the leader of the conservatives - a party mostly made up of wealthy landowners who would not support changes to a law which protected their wealth
104
what happened in the early 1840s in ireland?
there was a potato failure because of a crop disease, which was a big problem for the poor who relied on bread and potatoes for their diet. by 1846, Ireland was experiencing a terrible famine and millions of people were starving
105
how did the famine in Ireland help the Corn Laws get repealed?
just as the famine spread in Ireland, there was news of crop failures in Scotland and England as well, and there needed to be cheaper bread to prevent a famine happening in England as well
106
when did Peel repeal the Corn laws?
1846
107
what happened to Peel after he repealed the corn laws?
he faced so much backlash from his party that he had to resign and never held office again
108
what was the impact of the repeal of the corn laws?
- the low price of wheat at the end of the war was actually due to overproduction so the repeal did not have the devastating effect on the price of wheat that was expected
- the increase in population and return to normal prices of wheat meant farmers and landowners did not suffer
- the poor were able to afford wheat
- the price of barley, oats, and meat increased, which helped farmers
- the influence of the landowning class was challenged by the repeal of the corn laws and led to more protection for the working class in future years
109
what was introduced in 1828 to regulate corn prices?
a sliding scale, but the prices were still high
110
when was the anti-corn law league set up?
1833
111
what the British need enslaved people for?
to work on plantations growing cotton and sugar to pick the crops
112
where did Britain get its enslaved people?
the west coast of africa
113
what were tribe leaders given in return for selling people to the slave traders?
they were given goods such as cloth, guns, glass, and iron
114
what cities have houses and iconic buildings that were built using money made through the slave trade?
Bristol, Liverpool, and Glasgow
115
how many passengers on the ships used by the slave trade died in each crossing?
about a third of the passengers
116
what would happen when the ships arrived at their destinations during the slave trade?
the enslaved people would be treated like animals during the auctions, where people would bid for them
117
what would happen if an enslaved person tried to escape or wasn't working hard enough?
they would be severely punished
118
what was the average life expectancy of an enslaved person?
27
119
what were the main reasons people in the late 18th century began to see that slavery was wrong?
- the comparison to the working conditions in the factories for the so-called 'white-slaves'
- religious belief that slavery is wrong
120
what group did William Wilberforce (and like-minded individuals) create?
the anti-slavery society
121
who created the anti-slavery society?
William Wilberforce and like-minded individuals
122
what did the anti-slavery society do to raise awareness and show support for the abolition of the slave trade?
- held public meetings to educate people
- produced pamphlets and posters
- members wore a badge to display their membership
123
how much of the population of Manchester had signed the petition for the abolition of slavery by 1792?
a quarter of the population
124
who were the key figures of the anti-slavery society?
- William Wilberforce
- Olaudah Equiano
- Thomas Clarkson
- Granville Sharp
(+ Hannah More and Josiah Wedgwood + many others)
125
what was William Wilberforce motivated by?
his christian faith
126
where was Wilberforce an MP for?
Hull
127
what were the key actions of William Wilberforce
- spoke in parliament and pushed several bills through to abolish slavery
- held meetings to convince other prominent members of society to end slavery
- presented a petition to parliament in 1797 which had more signatures than the chartist petition
- secured the abolition of slavery act in 1807 which made it illegal to buy and sell enslaved people in the British empire
128
what did the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act of 1807 do?
it made it illegal to buy and sell enslaved people in the British Empire, but allowed people to keep the enslaved people they already owned
129
what are the key facts about Olaudah Equiano?
- had been enslaved to a ship-master and had travelled the word, during which time he was educated and converted to Christianity
- bought his freedom and travelled more before settling in England
- was a prominent abolitionist and wrote a book in 1789
- his autobiography was used by the abolition movement to win people's support - it made people aware of the horrors of slavery
130
what was Equiano's book called?
the interesting narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African
131
what are the key facts about Thomas Clarkson?
- collected information about slavery and the conditions on board the slave ships
- considered slavery as evil and saw it as his job to do something about it
- produced drawings of the conditions on slave ships and pamphlets to show how horrible the conditions were for enslaved people
132
what are the key facts about Granville Sharp?
- in the late 1700s, he supported cases of black enslaved people in Britain who wanted to be free
- motivated by his studies and interest in politics and law
- in the famous case of Jonathan Strong, who was recaptured by his former slavemaster and sent back to the caribbean, Sharp won his case for freedom
- his work showed hoe unclear the law was in Britain about owning enslaved people
- brought attention to the case of the slave ship, Zong, where 133 enslaved people were reportedly thrown overboard
133
what did Hannah More do for the abolition movement?
she wrote poems for the movement
134
what did Josiah Wedgwood do for the abolition movement?
he made a badge for supporters to wear
135
when did parliament ban slave ownership across the empire?
1833
136
what did the gov agree to pay former slave owners?
£20 million for their 'loss of property'
137
how many enslaved people did the Bishop of Exeter 'lose' after the act of 1833?
665
138
how much was the Bishop of Exeter given in compensation for the 'loss' of his enslaved people?
£12,000
139
why was the abolition of slavery not fully supported within the government?
many of the MPs and lord had made money from the slave trade and if they had to pay their workers on the plantains, they would lose money
140
what propaganda did the slave-trade supporters create?
they created propaganda supporting the view that black people were inferior and that Britain had a responsibility to keep enslaved black people locked up - this was called the 'white man's burden'
141
how many anti-slavery organisations were there that were run by women by 1833?
73
142
when did Hannah More meet Wilberforce?
1787
143
who are Maroons?
a group of formerly enslaved people (and their descendants) who gained freedom by escaping their plantations to live in a remote location
144
what happened two years after the French revolution on the island St Dominique?
the enslaved people on the island rebelled. they killed the white plantation owners and burnt the sugar crops. the French and British attempted to stop the rebellion but failed - partly because of the brilliant leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture. he led fellow enslaved people to victory and slavery was abolished on the island in 1804, and the island was declared independent and given the name Haiti
145
who led the rebellion on St Dominique?
Toussaint L'Ouverture
146
why did the economic benefits of slavery decrease?
sugar could be imported more cheaply from Brazil and Cuba, there was no need for the British to grow it themselves
147
which people did the Abolition of Slavery Act of 1833 immediately free?
enslaved people under the age of six
148
what did the Abolition of Slavery act do with people over the age of six?
they were put into age categories and promised freedom after the next four years
149
why did Wilberforce argue for staged abolition of slavery?
he argued that enslaved people had not been educated and needed to be trained to live outside the shackles of slavery, but many disagreed with him
150
what happened to many enslaved people if they refused to live in their old quarters?
they were sacked
151
what became a problem after the Abolition of Slavery act of 1833
the smuggling of enslaved people because it was done in secret, it made conditions even worse as there was no one to regulate it
152
what did freedom lead to for many enslaved people?
it led to a decline in living standards as they tried to compete for work and wages
153
what was the long term impact of the abolition of slavery?
it was a success and undoubtedly a positive change for black people globally as Britain increased the pressure on other nations to abolish slavery
154
when did the industrial revolution start?
around 1750
155
what were the main things being made in factories in Britain during the industrial revolution?
woollen and cotton cloth
156
how young were some of the children that worked in the factories?
some were as young as six
157
what did the men do in the coal mines?
they cut the coal away from the coal seam (the bed of coal underground)
158
who did coal mines provide jobs for?
the whole family - both men and women and children
159
what did the women do in the coal mines?
they worked as bearers carrying the coal to the surface
160
what did older boys do in the coal mines?
they would push the coal in carts from the coal seam to the bearers
161
how young were some of the children working in the coal mines?
some were as young as four
162
what did the children as young as four do in the coal mines?
they would work as trappers - they would have to sit in the dark for up to 12 hours a day, opening the door for the carts and to provide ventilation, many lost their legs when carts ran over them
163
how did the public feel when they found out about the working conditions in the factories and in the mines?
they were horrified - men's work was hard but they were shocked when they heard about the women and children
164
who was one MP who wanted reform for working conditions?
Michael Sadler
165
what did Sadler's report show?
it showed that many factory children were being caught under machines and injured, and were being mistreated by factory owners. because of this, he suggested that those under 18 should not be allowed to work more than 10 hours a day (which became known as the 10-hour movement)
166
how heavy did some reports say the baskets of coal that the girls were carrying were?
up to 150kg
167
what did the reports say about how the women were dragging the carts of coal?
the reports said they were dragging them on their hands and knees
168
what Lord was a keen reformer?
Lord Shaftesbury - he made it his personal mission to improve the lives of children both at work and socially
169
what was Lord Shaftesbury led by?
his christian beliefs and what he believed was the humane way to treat people, regardless of their social status
170
what did Lord Shaftesbury support?
he supported the 10-hour movement, the Mines Act of 1842, and a campaigner for more education for children who worked in factories
171
what is 'laissez-faire' politics?
it is the idea that the gov should not interfere, not force people to change, and allow things to take their natural course (literally 'leave alone' in French), popular in the 19th century
172
why were people against factory reform?
they believed that working conditions were a private arrangement between a person and their employer
173
why were people against social reform (making people's lives better outside of the workplace)?
there was a belief that people were poor because of their own bad choices. 'why should the rich have to pay for the poor when they were feckless and undeserving?'
174
why did many workers not support the factory reform acts?
they limited the amount of money coming into a household, the acts didn't cater for all workers and all factories, furthermore the reforms put poor people at a disadvantage and the existing poor relief did not support everyone
175
why did the amended poor law of 1834 put pressure on workers?
if they could not make enough money, they were put into the dreaded workhouses - families would be separated and lives ruined
176
when was the factory act passed?
1833
177
what was the factory act of 1833?
- applied to all textile mills except silk
- no children under the age of 9 could work
- children aged 9-13 could only work up to 48 hours a week (no more than 9 per day)
- 13-18 year olds could work for no longer than 69 hours per week
- children under 13 had to attend school for two hours a day
- four inspectors were appointed to check the act was enforced
178
when was the Mines act passed?
1842
179
what was the Mines act of 1842?
- women and children under 10 were not allowed to work underground
- no child under the age of 15 could be in charge of winding machines
180
who were the four main philanthropists behind reform?
Robert Owen, Edwin Chadwick, Elizabeth Fry, Josephine Butler
181
who are quakers?
protestants who believe in peaceful principles. they are pacifists and are committed to an equal society which is why they were so heavily involved in reform
182
did Robert Owen treat his workers well?
yes
183
when did Robert Owen become the part-owner of his father in law's mill in scotland and what was it called?
in 1800, called New Lanark
184
what were Robert Owen's political beliefs?
he was a socialist so he cared more about the wellbeing of his workers rather than the profits. he believed in a more equal society and was also aware that happier workers would work better, so he would have a better business
185
what was Robert Owen's famous quote?
'eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest'
186
what were Robert Owen's religious beliefs?
he was not driven by religious beliefs but did receive funding from a Quaker
187
what did Robert Owen change?
- by 1810, he had introduced an 8-hour day (decades before the success of the 10-hour day campaign - which he was a part of)
- also opened a school in 1816 and all children had to have a certain number of hours of education, depending on their age
- New Lanark had a social club and meeting areas for workers to visit in their time off, drinking alcohol and swearing in these places was banned
- New Lanark was visited by members of the royal family and MPs, and everyone agreed that it was a successful town
188
what is Edwin Chadwick's biography?
he was from a progressive family and studied law at university. his father was a newspaper editor and was involved in progressive politics
189
what were Edwin Chadwick's political beliefs?
he made friend with people who were political philosophers, they were interested in reform
190
what did Edwin Chadwick change?
- he was responsible for the reform of the poor law, which made him very unpopular
- he wrote a report, 'the sanitary conditions of the labouring population' which showed that there was a link between the poor housing and sanitation of the factory workers and the outbreak of diseases such as cholera
191
what is Elizabeth Fry's biography?
she was born to a Quaker family. her mother helped various charities and her father was a well-respected Quaker who owned a factory
192
what were Elizabeth Fry's political beliefs?
she was a social reformer who believed in the poor being helped. she also believed in prison reform
193
what was Elizabeth Fry's religion?
she was a strict Quaker
194
what did Elizabeth Fry change?
- she was shocked by prison conditions, and visited it regularly and soon established a school and a chapel
- her brother in law was an MP and he raised the issue of prison reform in parliament
- as a result, prisons were reformed, as were the conditions for women on the transportation ships
195
what did Fry see in the Newgate prison?
- hundreds of women and children huddled on the floor in two cells
- they had to sleep, cook, and clean themselves in the cell
- children, there with their arrested mothers, sometimes had to share cells with murderers
196
what is Josephine Butler's biography?
she was from a family of social reformers: her father was involved in the abolition of slavery
197
what were Josephine Butler's political beliefs?
she was a social reformer, her second cousin was Earl Grey
198
what was Josephine Butler's religion?
she was an evangelical christian
199
what did Josephine Butler change?
- she was concerned with the issue of child prostitution, and campaigned for the age of consent to be raised from 13 to 16
- she was appalled by the way women were treated when they were arrested for being prostitutes
- society saw their problems as poor wages and men
- in 1869, the contagious disease act was introduced as a way of keeping STIs away from the armed forces
- this meant any woman could be examined by a police officer if she was thought to be a prostitute
- Butler's campaign saw the repeal of the act in 1883
200
what were the main consequences of the protests and reforms of the 19th and 18th century?
- showed the strength of public boycotts and political lobbying to pressurise change
- showed how 'one-issue' groups could have more success than those with many aims
- abolition of slave trade and the Corn laws came to dominate public life
- by 1846, many people were convinced that Britain's best interests were served by free trade
- throughout the century many individuals played a huge part in the forcing change out of a reluctant gov, selflessly working to ameliorate the lives of millions
201
what were Worker's Guilds?
they controlled wages and prices, had been around since the medieval times
202
what were the conditions like for workers before the industrial revolution?
the businesses were smaller and the conditions were good - they were negotiated person-to-person. most business owners worked with their employees in small workshops so work was fair
203
what became a big problem during the industrial revolution?
wage competition as the working population increased immensely. if someone complained about their wages, they'd be sacked and someone else would be willing to take their place often for a lower wage
204
what would the Luddites do?
they would deliberately destroy machinery in the hope that factory owners would turn away from technology
205
what was the consequence of better/newer technology?
less skilled workers were needed
206
which groups destroyed machinery?
the Luddites and the swing rioters
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what were the swing rioters?
they were a group who were angered by the depression in agriculture after the Napoleonic wars, and by the new threshing machines that took their jobs, so they set fire to farms and damaged machinery
208
what were combination acts?
they put restrictions on groups of workers combining to form trade unions
209
what did the combination act of 1825 do?
it defined the rights of trade unions as meetings to discuss wages and conditions - anything outside of this was illegal (eg intimidation or picketing)
210
when was the combination act that defined trade unions as meetings to discuss wages and conditions passed?
in 1825, after a wave of strikes in 1824
211
why was the combination act of 1825 brought in?
to stop the perceived threat of intimidation by groups of workers, and stopped them picketing, and it weakened trade unions
212
what was the problem with the combination act of 1825?
it wasn't clear about what intimidation meant
213
what trade union did Robert Owen set up?
the Grand National Consolidated Trade Union (the GNCTU)
214
when was the GNCTU set up?
in 1834
215
how many members did the GNCTU have within a week of being set up?
half a million members
216
what weakened the GNCTU?
conflict between the miners and the factory workers because they had different grievances
217
what event sealed the fate of the GNCTU?
the tolpuddle martyrs
218
what would the Scottish Friendly Association of Cotton Spinners do when they were unhappy about something to do with their job?
they would go on strike, and used violent methods such as harassing those who were willing to work for less and in extreme cases shooting them
219
when was a new type of trade union set up?
1851
220
what was the new type of trade union that was set up?
the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE)
221
what was the ASE?
it was a union of highly skilled men who could afford to pay weekly subscriptions for benefits like sick pay and other things, striking was more effective for them as they were less easily replaced
222
what groups followed the ASE?
the carpenters in 1860 and the tailors in 1866
223
how many members did the ASE have by 1868?
30,000
224
how successful were the 'new model' trade unions?
very successful
225
why were the unions seen as 'new model' unions?
- they were moderate in their outlook
- they accepted the structure that they worked in and didn't want to destroy it
- they wanted to negotiate improvement
226
what could members of trade unions do by 1870?
they were legally allowed to picket for their rights
227
how did the gov feel about the 'new model' trade unions?
the new model trade unions help trade unionism to get support by the gov
228
who did/didn't benefit from new model trade unions?
only the skilled workers benefitted, there was a whole class of unskilled workers who were still unhappy
229
what are the two best examples of success for the unskilled workers?
the matchgirls' strike (1888) and the dockers' strike (1889)
230
where is Tolpuddle?
Dorset
231
how had the changes to farming machinery affected the workers?
new farming technology meant fewer labourers were needed, and anyone could operate the machines and no special training was required so wages dropped
232
who was the leader of the farm labourers' trade union in Tolpuddle?
George Loveless
233
when was George Loveless (and the other men) arrested?
February 1834
234
why were the Tolpuddle men arrested?
although trade unions were legal, taking oaths wasn't, and they had all sworn oath to keep the trade union a secret
235
what was the punishment for the Tolpuddle martyrs?
transportation to Australia for 7 years where they'd have to endure hard labour
236
what did Robert Owen do in response to the Tolpuddle martyrs?
he called for a GNCTU meeting
237
how many attended the GNCTU meeting?
10,000
238
what did supporters of the Tolpuddle martyrs do?
they gathered at Copenhagen Fields and gathered petitions and demanded they be returned to England
239
who were two prominent individuals who attended the Copenhagen Fields demonstration?
William Cobbett and Robert Owens
240
what did the gov do in response to the persistent campaigning of the supporters of the trade unions?
they gave all six men a full pardon
241
when were the Tolpuddle martyrs given a full pardon?
14th March, 1834
242
what was one of the most prominent factories making matches in the 19th century?
the Bryant & May factory in London
243
who did the Bryant & May factory employ?
they employed women to make the matches, and many were young girls
244
what were the conditions like in the Bryant & May factory?
very poor, many of the women and girls working there became very ill, some even died
245
what was the most common illness in the Bryant & May factory?
'phossy jaw' - caused by the white phosphorus that was used to make the matches light. the chemical caused their jaws to rot, meaning their teeth fell out. those who survived the illness were left with disfigured faces
246
how were the wages at the Bryant & May factrory?
poor; around 20 pence per week for a girl and 40 pence per week for a woman, and they were often fined at the whim of the factory owner, eg for not working hard enough or being late
247
when was money deducted from the matchgirls' wages and why?
in 1882 to fund the new statue of PM William Gladstone
248
when did the Bryant & May workers go on strike?
July 1888
249
which journalist helped organise the strike action?
Annie Besant
250
what did the B&M factory owners put pressure on the girls still working to do?
to deny Annie Besant's claims
251
what happened when one worker refused to deny Annie Besant's claims?
she was sacked, which resulted in a further 140 workers to come out in support of the strike
252
what did Annie Besant call on people to do?
boycott the B&M matches
253
what did Besant do during the strike?
- asked for higher wages for women and registered them for strike pay
- wrote articles in support of the women
- held public meetings to raise awareness of the match factory conditions
- marched the women in a procession to the houses of parliament
254
what was the first successful strike by unskilled workers?
the Matchgirls' strike
255
what was the result of the Matchgirls' strike?
the employers agreed to the demands and removed the system of deductions and fines. the workers were also given a pay rise
256
what were the Dockers striking for?
a wage rise, from 5 pence an hour to six pence (the 'dockers tanner). they also wanted 8 pence an hour for any overtime work. they also wanted to secure at least four hours of work per day
257
what was one of the issues of the dockers?
they had to compete for work and would have to just turn up each day to see if they were needed, and would regularly go days without work
258
who was more militant - the new unionisms or the new model unions?
the new unionism, mostly because the new unionism leaders were socialists
259
who was the Docker's leader?
Ben Tillet
260
what was Ben Tillet adamant for?
the men should get better working conditions
261
what did Tillet encourage the men to do?
to march through London to raise the profile of the strike and get support
262
what did the men carry with them during the Dockers' strike?
rotten vegetables and fish heads to show the public what they and their families were living on
263
what did the dockers do other than march through London?
they picketed the gates of the London docks
264
who did the dockers gain the support of?
Lord Mayor of London and Cardinal Manning
265
what did the public think about the dockers?
they were sympathetic to them
266
which country donated to the Dockers' strike and how much did they donate?
unions in Australia donated £30,000
267
did the dockers receive their pay rise?
yes and were guaranteed a four hour day
268
what were the consequences of the workers' movements/trade unions?
- some were successful, though some weren't
- the law was repeatedly used to limit the effectiveness of trade unions
- non-union members were often used to break strikes
- between 1888 and 1891, trade union membership doubled and continued to grow
- only 10% of workers were part of unions by 1900
- only about 10% of trade union members were women
- general unions had more influence than small groups of workers
- contradictions in TUC
- trade was good and wages were improving so maybe workers had more muscle to press demands against employers
- the union movement led directly to the formation of the independent Labour Party in 1893
