Chartism

Who were the Chartists?

The Chartists were campaigners who wanted to reform the voting system. They were named after the Great Charter, which was a list of their demands.

What caused Chartism?

The Chartists were created because of anger surrounding the problems that existed with elections in the 18th century. These included most working men not having the vote.

What did the Chartists want?

There were four key demands:

• ❖ Votes for all men.
• ❖ A secret ballot.
• ❖ Constituencies of equal size.
• ❖ Annual elections.

Why were the Chartists significant?

The Chartists were significant for four key reasons:

• ❖ Its central demands were all met within 100 years. The only demand that was not met was for annual elections.
• ❖ Many formers members moved into other working class movements. They used the skills and passion they gained to support the emerging trade union movement.
• ❖ It became a divided movement between physical force and moral force Chartism.
• ❖ In the short term it failed, but it raised awareness of the campaign for suffrage.

What was moral force Chartism?

Moral force Chartists were led by William Lovett. They used petitions, letters and peaceful protests.

What was physical force Chartism?

Physical force Chartists were led by Feargus O'Connor. They felt violence was needed and were involved in the Newport Rising.