Chartism
1
Chartism’s course
1836: Skilled tradesmen form LWMA
Aim: ‘To gain equal political and social rights for all’
1837:- LWMA and radical MPs draw up Charter
- Feargus O’Conner founds Northern Star
- 50,000 circulation
- Chartist groups meet in Birmingham
- Draw up ‘National Petition’
- Complaints: 1832 Act and other grievances
3 Phases of Chartism, 1838-9, 1842, 1848
1838:
- affiliations to LWMA (100+)
- Publication of ‘People’s Charter’
-Mass meetings:
-- Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds
30 – 100,000 attend
-May: Mass petition ready, 1,280,000 signatures
-- Parliament rejects: 245: 46 against
-Physical force advocates call for Armed uprising,
-‘Sacred Month’
Results:
- Mass meetings, violence, strikes
- Army increased by 5000, Police forces established in cities
- Government fears revolution - Arrests leaders
Welsh Chartism (Newport, November 1839)
Arrest of Henry Vincent
John Frost leads uprising, 5000 miners
Attack on Westgate Hotel (20+ killed)
Frost +2, death sentence, reduced to transportation
Trade revival: Chartism recedes
1842
- Chartist leaders released
- Trade depression returns
- Return to mass platform
- 2nd Petition collected (3,250,000 signatures)
- May: 100,000 procession, London
- Petition rejected (287 : 49)
Results
- Riots, violence, strikes, looting
- Policemen killed & Government fear revolution
Government reaction:
- Troops sent to trouble spots
- 100s of leaders arrested
- Order restored
- Depression lifts
- Chartism recedes
1848
- Trade depression
- Mass platform returns
- Year of Revolutions (revives politics)
Third petition – 1848 - No secret ballot
 6m signatures (claimed)
- Mass rally, Kennington Common
- Leaders urge revolution if rejected
- O’Conner to become president of Republic
- Procession banned
- 150,000 special constables sworn in
- 2m signatures: jokes, forgeries
- Overwhelming rejection
- Some violence
- Trade revival, reduction of tariffs, Chartism fades
- Skilled men return to trade unionism