Chartism late 1830s

Question 1

How did the Chartists plan on commanding the attention of parliament?

Answer 1

• collect so many petition signatures so parliament couldn’t ignore it
• signatures collected at mass meetings across country
• meeting organised and publicised in northern star
• by 1839 northern star selling 50,000 copies a week
• over 1.25m signatures collected, 3 miles long
• parliament rejected by 235 votes to 46

Question 2

What was the debate of moral force vs physical force?

Answer 2

• chartists such as Fergus O’conner advocated for use of physical force which meant using violence to achieve goals
• others adopted moral force idea of ‘defensive violence’
• ‘sacred month’ if parliament reject petition then Chartists strike for a month
• challenge employees and governing class
• potential to wreck the economy

Question 3

What is an example of defensive violence?

Answer 3

• 1839, in Birmingham, metropolitan police broke up peaceful meeting
• led to a fortnight of rioting
• William Lovett arrested for seditious libel

Question 4

Why did the Chartist convention break up?

Answer 4

• after rejection of petition, 3 day strike suggested
• chartists refused to strike and lose pay
• after petition rejected there was no direction - didn’t know what to do
• many leaders arrested

Question 5

What was the 1839 Newport rising?

Answer 5

• 4,000 Chartist sympathisers led by John Frost, marched on newport
• miners and ironworkers
• armed, some with guns
• surrounded location where chartists were being held

Question 6

How did authorities respond to the 1839 Newport rising?

Answer 6

• small force of troops opened fire at them
• 20 killed
• debate whether it was a ‘monster demonstration’ or violent uprising
• leaders sentenced to death changed to transportation to avoid martyrs

Question 7

What was the nature of Chartism?

Answer 7

• economic movement? years of maximum support for Chartism occurred during economic depression (1838-39, 1842, 1848)
• political movement? Formed out of anger and disappoint of 1832 reform act
• political and economic movement? use politics to improve living and working conditions