Case Study 7- The Chartists

The Chartists

A mass working class movement active between 1839-1848, which demands reforms to suffrage and Parliamentary elections. Named after the huge charters/petitions they produced

Suffrage

the right to vote

Constituency

the boundary of an area that could elect an MP

Problems with 19th century parliament

- Few people could vote
- Difficult to run
-Nepotism
- No representation
- Kidnapping your opponents/supporters (Cooping)
- No secret ballot
- Self-interested systems

Causes for the Chartists

1) Underlying issues with British Parliamentary system
2) The Peterloo Massacre and rising calls for reform
3) The Great Reform Act and the Chartists

Issues with the British Parliamentary System

- Corrupt and unrepresentative
- No secret ballot
- Few people can vote
- Lack of equality between boroughs
- Cooping-kidnapping other enemies and supporters

What is the Peterloo Massacre?

Happened in 16th August 1819, up to 100,00 people visited St Peter's Field to hear Henry Hunt speak. The crowd was read the 'Riot Act' and militia were sent in. There were 15 deaths, 600 injuries and Hunt was arrested.

What caused the Peterloo Massacre?

There was no MPs and they wanted universal suffrage for men

What was a consequence of the Peterloo Massacre?

The 'Six Acts' passed by the Tories banned meetings of 50+ and introduced more censorship

Who were the Tories?

Anti-Reform Party

Who were the Whigs?

Pro-Reform Party

How did the Great Reform Act led to the Chartists

- By 1832, riots and protesters were threatening stability in Britain and Whigs come to power- Earl Grey is PM
- The Whigs Reform Act was blocked twice by the Tories
- Chartists formed in mid 1830s led by middle class men who had gained the vote

What does the Peterloo Massacre signify?

- Desire for change
- Government hesitant to acknowledge reform
- Tory government not willing to reform
-Need Whigs in charge

What was the Great Reform Act (1832)

this act redistributed seats in the House of Commons and gave representative to larger towns and cities which eliminated rotten borough. They also enlarged the electorate (number of male citizens who could vote). This act still required that voters own property

Impacts of the Great Reform Act

-Rise in trade unions and chartists- shows reform can still happen
- Working class feel betrayed-they were also part of the Peterloo Massacre

Who was the King during 1830-1837

William IV

Who was Thomas Attwood

A banker and MP who was a leading figure in the Chartist movement and was part of the Birmingham Political Union of the Lower and Middle Classes of People (1829)

What was the Birmingham Political Union

It was formed in 1829 and it vowed to stick to the law but unite lower and middle classes. They threaten to not pay taxes

What happened during the 1830s?
(part one- 1830-1838)

- Poor harvest led to the rise of political unions across the UK
- The London Working Men's Association was set up in 1836 by William Lovett
- Local groups attempted action (the BPU's petition in 1829 had 8000 signatures) but they were ignored by governments
- First Chartist Convention in Birmingham in 1838 including William Lovett and Thomas Attwood

What was the Chartists 6 main aims (Six Points of the People's Charter)

1) Universal male suffrage
2) Equal sized constituencies
3) Secret Ballot
4) Wages for MPs
5) No property qualification for voting
6) Yearly Elections

What happened during the 1830s? (part two )

- The Chartist movement was deeply divided between supporters of violent and peaceful protest
- Lovett led the peaceful group; petitions as the main methods- the first petition got 1.28 million signatures but failed
-Feargus O'Connor supported strikes and stockpiled weapons. He had a popular newspaper 'The Northern Star'
- The Newport Rising happened in November 1839 and was an example of Chartists forceful methods

What was the Newport Rising and the consequences?

- 5000 marched on the Town Hall and were faced by soldiers
- 22 Chartists killed and 6 were transported to Australia (penal colony)
- The Chartists continued to gather signatures

What happened during the 1840s?

-In 1842, there was a second petition with 3.3 million signatures but it failed again
- Feargus O'Connor organised strikes and vandalism- 54 strikers were transported to Australia
- Queen Victoria was moved to the Isle of Wight for her safety
- Plug Plots- Vandals remove plugs from steam engines so they stopped working

What happened in the 1840s and the consequences?

- In 1848, the third petition had 5 million signatures and it was rejected but it had many fake signatures
- Many Chartists continued action after 1848 but were repressed by the government; 102 transported to Australia and many imprisoned
- Chartist movement fell apart in failure but by 1918 5/6 of their demands were granted expect for yearly elections

Examples of peaceful protest

- Petitions-\> 3 big petitions, marched to London
- Six Points of the People's Charter
- William Lovett and Thomas Attwood gave speeches
- 'Northern Star'- Feargus O'Connor

Examples of Violent Protest

- Newport Rising (1839)
- Stockpiling weapons
-'Plug Plots'
- Vandalism
- Feargus O'Connor
- Strikes- Chartists sent to Australia

Short Term Significance of the Chartist

It represents the growth of the working class involvement in political movements- peaceful organised protest and 3 petitions

Long Term Significance of the Chartist

Long term political reform- 19th and 20th century social changes (Trade Unionism) and 5/6 demands met by 1918- Vote for all men (1918), Equal Sized Constituencies (1884), Secret Ballot (1872), Wages for MPs (1911) and No property qualification for men (1918)