Causes of Chartism

What were the six points of the People’s Charter?

Universal male suffrage; Secret ballot; Equal constituency size; Annual parliaments; Payment of MPs; Abolition of MP property qualification

Give three ECONOMIC reasons for the growth of Chartism.

Machines displacing handloom weavers; Economic slumps; Poor factory conditions; Laissez-faire government policies

What phrases often refer to Chartism having economic causes?

Hunger politics; Knife and fork question

What were the THREE general analytical points caused by most turning point in the 1830s that contributed to Chartism?

Caused anger and disappointment; Politicised working classes; Gave experience to leaders

Give three POLITICAL reasons for the growth of Chartism.

Disappointment of the Great Reform Act; Politicisation of working class through campaigns; Anger at government policies such as the New Poor Law and Factory Act

Give one historian who focused on Chartism having political causes.

Dorothy Thompson

Give one reason the Great Reform Act led to the rise of Chartism.

Disappointment at limited franchise and sense of betrayal

Why did the post-1832 Whig government anger the working class further?

Appeared to work against working-class interests

Who led the war of the unstamped press, and what did he publish?

Henry Hetherington; The Poor Man’s Guardian

Give two reasons the war of the unstamped press contributed to the rise of Chartism.

Spread radical ideas; Enabled cheaper radical newspapers like the Northern Star

Why was the Irish Coercion Act passed?

To repress the Tithe War in Ireland

Give two features of the Irish Coercion Act.

Arbitrary arrest; Curfews; Ban on assemblies; Court martials for civilians

Give two reasons the Irish Coercion Act contributed to Chartism.

Shocked radicals; Increased fear of repression in Britain

Why were factories so hated?

Dangerous conditions; Long hours; Loss of worker control; Lack of paternalism

Why was the Factory Act seen as inadequate?

Poor enforcement; Did not help adults; Did not improve working conditions sufficiently

Who led the campaign against the Factory Act, and what did he set up?

Richard Oastler; Ten Hour Movement

Give two features of the Municipal Corporations Act.

Local democratisation; Extended local vote; Expanded police forces

Give two reasons the Municipal Corporations Act contributed to the rise of Chartism.

Highlighted hypocrisy of limited national vote; Increased political experience of workers

Give two instances of trade unions being repressed.

Tolpuddle Martyrs 1834; GNCTU crushed; Glasgow Weavers’ Strike 1837

Give an example of working class joining a trade union cause.

16,000 joined GNCTU; 100,000 marched for Tolpuddle Martyrs

Give two reasons why trade union activity contributed to the growth of Chartism.

Politicised workers; Anger at repression; Gave organisational experience

Give two key features of the New Poor Law.

Abolished outdoor relief; Less eligibility principle

What was the trigger for the Anti-Poor Law Campaign, and what year was this?

Extension of the Act to northern towns in 1837

Give two reasons the Anti-Poor Law Campaign contributed to Chartism.

Anger at imposed suffering; United different working-class groups