Protest and Reform: Failure of the Chartists

Question 1

Divisions within the Chartists - What 2 groups did the Chartists split into?

Answer 1

Physical and Moral Force chartists

Question 2

Divisions within the Chartists - Who lead the Moral force Chartists and what did they focus on?

Answer 2

William Lovett supported by Thomas Attwood

Emphasised non-violent protest, education and co-operation with groups e.g. Anti-Corn Law league

Question 3

Divisions within the Chartists - Who was most affected by the ideals of Moral force Chartists?

Answer 3

Midlands and Southerners, e.g. people in Birmingham - liked democratic approach.

Question 4

Divisions within the Chartists - Who lead the Physical force Chartists and what what did they focus on?

Answer 4

Fergus O Connor - a writer for the Northern Star

Focused on Violent protest and loud action

Question 5

Divisions within the Chartists - What plan was an example of radical action by O Connor and did it succeed?

Answer 5

The Land Plan - set up in 1845 and attracted 70,000 customers by 1848 - few were actually completed.

Question 6

Divisions within the Chartists - What was the ultimate effect of having 2 sides to Chartism?

Answer 6

More universal spread of social influence but divided into two aims so dulled its political influence.

Question 7

Divisions within the Chartists - What did the Chartists fail to do which limited their numbers?

Answer 7

“Hunger-Politics” only used when economic decline so failed to gain support from Working-class.

Question 8

Peel’s Actions - When and what was the Mines act?

Answer 8

1842

Stopped women and children under 10 working underground

Question 9

Peel’s Actions - When were the two Factory acts?

Answer 9

1844 and 1847

Question 10

Peel’s Actions - What did the first Factory act achieve?

Answer 10

Reduced children’s working hours between the ages of 6-13 to 6 1/2 hrs a day

Question 11

Peel’s Actions - What did the second Factory act achieve that effectively rendered Chartists obsolete?

Answer 11

The 10-hour working day

Question 12

Peel’s Actions - What did Peel’s reforms cause that decreased likelihood of protest?

Answer 12

Stopped the working class discontent by making working conditions more humane, i.e., removing the masses from mass protest.

Question 13

Peel’s Actions - What was Peel’s last act before resignation that really disenrolled the north from southern politics

Answer 13

Repeal of the Corn-Laws in 1846 - gave the agricultural North no reason to protest.

Question 14

Use of Violence - What event caused severe reaction to any sign of protest?

Answer 14

The 1830 French Revolution

Question 15

Use of Violence - Who refused to support Chartists because of the use of violence?

Answer 15

Middle and Upper classes, and Industrialists.

Question 16

Use of Violence - Example of a riot halting industrial profit:

Answer 16

Plug Riots 1842 - 500,000 Workers on strike across Staffordshire, to York - removed plugs from boilers making them useless
1500 Arrested by Peel.

Question 17

Use of Violence - What rising was a direct militant protest?

Answer 17

Newport Risings, November 4th 1839 - 5000 armed iron workers marched to Newport prison where chartists were being held - clashed with soldiers outside the Westgate hotel.

Question 18

Use of Violence - How many died in the Newport Riots?

Answer 18

20 Killed and 50 Wounded

Question 19

Use of Violence - How many arrested in Newport Riots?

Answer 19

500 Chartist leaders were held in prison between 1839-41

Question 20

Use of Petitions - When were the 3 petitions?

Answer 20

1839, 1842, 1848

Question 21

Use of Petitions - What was the first petition rejected by?

Answer 21

235 to 46

Question 22

Use of Petitions - What happened because of the loss of the first charter?

Answer 22

‘Sacred Month’ - Physical force chartists saw this loss as Moral Force failure i.e. their time to try their tactics - lead to protest e.g. Newport Rising.

Question 23

Use of Petitions - How many signatures did the second petition gain?

Answer 23

3.3 Million - more signatures than eligible voters in the country.

Question 24

Use of Petitions - How many signatures did the third petition gain?

Answer 24

5 million - fewer than half were genuine.

Question 25

Use of Petitions - What demonstration did the third petition conjoin with?

Answer 25

Kensington Common demonstration on the 10th April 1848

Question 26

Use of Petitions - How much resistance happened because of the Kensington Common demonstration?

Answer 26

8000 extra soldiers and 150,000 special constables

Question 27

Use of Petitions - How many of Lovetts policies in the original charter had been achieved by 1852

Answer 27

None of them

Question 28

Use of Petitions - Who was put in charge of Chartist resistance?

Answer 28

General Charles Napier, commander of the British Northern army.