Age of Industry

The Chartist Movement in Britain

DBQ Analysis

Historical Background:

  • The Chartists were a working class movement which developed in Britain between 1838 and 1848 during the height of Britain’s Industrial Revolution
  • Chartists demanded political, economic, and social reforms to make Britain a more democratic society
  • The right to vote for every man over the age of 21
  • No property qualification for members of the British Parliament
  • Payment for MPs so poor men could serve in the government
  • Annual elections for Parliament
  • The Chartists initially included shoemakers, tailors, and printers. Soon thereafter, other members of the working class joined the movement: iron workers, coal miners, etc.
  • The Chartists advocated general strikes to paralyze cities so that workers would be able to force the government into making compromises. Chartists even supported the use of violent riots as a means to achieve political ends
  • Although the Chartist movement was violently crushed by the British government in 1848, the political status of Britain’s working class would eventually improve by the latter part of the 19th century thanks to a new wave of reform legislation.
  • Many historians have argued that the Chartists played a major role in advancing the cause of the working class in Britain.

Historical Question:To what extent did the Chartist movement represent democratic revolutionary ideas?

Examine the documents which follow and fill out the table with your partner.

Document 1
A Chartist Meeting in 1848
Document 2
Chartist Broadsheet 1838
THE SIX POINTS OF THE PEOPLE’S CHARTER
  1. A VOTE for every man twenty-one years of age, of sound mind, and not undergoing punishment for crime.
  1. The BALLOT – To protect the elector in the exercise of his vote.
  1. NO PROPERTY QUALIFICATION for Members of parliament – thus enabling the constituencies to return the man of their choice, be he rich or poor.
  1. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS, thus enabling an honest tradesman, working man, or other person, to serve a constituency, when taken from his business to attend to the interests of the Country.
  1. EQUAL CONSTITUENCIES, securing the same amount of representation for the same number of electors, instead of allowing small constituencies to swamp the votes of large ones.
  1. ANNUAL PARLIAMENTS, thus presenting the most effectual check to bribery and intimidation, since thought a constituency might be bought once in seven years (even with the ballot), no purse could buy a constituency (under a system of universal suffrage) in each ensuing twelve-month; and since members, when elected for a year only, would not be able to defy and betray their constituencies as now.

Document 3
Newspaper Clippings- Manchester, 1840s
CHARTIST CANDIDATES AT ELECTIONS
The Chartists of Great Britain have made a constitutional effort to carry their point; but, we are sorry to say, in consequence of the want of a well defined plan to act upon, aided by sound legal advice in the elections, they have not been able to carry on the good work in an organized and effective manner. The squabbling of leaders has contributed in no small degree to weaken the masses and the personal denunciations, and scurrilous language used in many towns by overzealous and mistaken friends, have done much to injure our cause.
Document 4
Letter from a concerned citizen to Lord Duke, British Cabinet Secretary, 1839
My Lord Duke,
Upon considering Your Grace’s letter, it appears to me that the most effectual as well as least alarming method of meeting the present inflamed spirit, which is stated in your letter to prevail in some parts of Nottinghamshire will be to send down a body of the Metropolitan Police, sufficient in numbers to form a nucleus upon which a large number of Special Constables can rest.
In this manner, the loyal and well disposed may be organized, and protection will be given against the designs of those, who intend to promote tumult and disorder.
I should be unwilling to see armed associations formed for the protection of persons and property. Such a measure would incite great alarm and many would doubt its necessity. The 60 Geo III, C. 1 is still in force.
I request Your Grace to inform me if any training goes on in the County of Nottingham.
I have the honour to be
My Lord Duke
Your Graces
very obedient servant,
Russell
Document 5
Newport Uprising of Chartists, 1839
Document 6
Chartist and Republican Journal, 1841
WHAT HAVE WE DONE, AND WHAT HAVE WE TO DO?
To the Workingmen of every kind within Great Britain.
I have in the two previous numbers of the Journal, contented myself with simply recommending union, energy, perseverance, and continued agitation at the present crisis. I have now to lay before you a plan by which to organize your numbers, and centralize your intelligence.
Recollect that no body of workingmen, whether included under the names of trades, agricultural, mining, or factory workmen can be socially prosperous or independent unless they are also politically free.
. . . . We must pursue the sure plan as long as we are weak. The moment we are powerful enough, then the petty trammels of the new law will be like a thistle under the foot of an elephant.

Chartist Movement Document Analysis

Docs. / Contradict or support thesis? / Explanation and evidence / Corroborating documents / Contradictory documents
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Now write an introduction and thesis statement which addresses the historical question:

To what extent did the Chartist movement represent democratic revolutionary ideas?

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