The Chartists - Timelines.tv History of Britain B13

Summary

The video script recounts the Chartist risings in 1839, a pivotal moment in British history when the working class, particularly Bradford's weavers, mobilized for political change. Displaced by industrialization and frustrated by the Great Reform Act's exclusion of the poor, they sought universal suffrage and other democratic rights. Despite initial peaceful efforts, the movement turned to force, with workers gathering on the moors to prepare for uprisings. However, the Chartist movement was infiltrated by police informers, and uprisings were swiftly crushed, leaving a legacy of unmet demands and a significant chapter in the struggle for democracy.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ The script describes the landscape of Bradford Moors northeast of Manchester and its historical significance during the Chartist risings.
• 🗓️ It was the winter of 1839 when thousands of men, exhausted from the mills, assembled on the moors preparing for an uprising.
• 🛠️ The weavers of Bradford, once respected craftsmen, faced disaster with the introduction of power looms that replaced their skilled handloom work.
• 📉 The Industrial Revolution led to significant changes in the lives of weavers, causing wage cuts and unemployment, leading to widespread suffering.
• 🌾 Trade depression, failing harvests, and the high price of bread contributed to the misery experienced by the working class during the early Industrial Revolution.
• 🏛️ Parliament, unrepresentative of the majority, was seen as both the cause of distress and the hope for change among the suffering masses.
• 📜 The Great Reform Act of 1832 was a controversial piece of legislation that aimed to make Parliament more representative but was seen as hypocritical and insufficient by the working class.
• 📝 The Chartist movement emerged as a political movement demanding political change, with the Great Charter listing democratic demands such as universal suffrage and secret ballots.
• 🗣️ The Chartists' petition was dismissed by Parliament, leading to a shift towards more forceful methods, including rumors of weapon stockpiles and drilling for revolution.
• 🚨 Despite the brewing tension, the Chartist uprisings were crushed by the authorities, who were well-informed due to police informers and spies.
• 🏙️ The final Chartist meeting in 1848 on Kennington Common in London was a somber event with more spectators than demonstrators, marking the end of the movement's hope for political change.

Q & A

What significant event took place on the Bradford Moors in 1839?

In 1839, thousands of men gathered on the Bradford Moors, preparing for an uprising related to the Chartist movement. They were weavers who had been deeply affected by the Industrial Revolution and were plotting revolution due to their worsening living and working conditions.

Who were the men involved in the nighttime gatherings on the Bradford Moors, and what motivated them?

The men involved were primarily weavers from Bradford, who were once well-respected craftsmen. The introduction of power looms during the Industrial Revolution had drastically reduced their wages and employment opportunities, driving them to seek political change.

How did the Industrial Revolution impact the lives of Bradford's weavers?

The Industrial Revolution brought power looms that replaced handlooms, leading to mass unemployment, wage cuts, and the loss of skilled artisan work. Weavers felt they had become slaves to the machines, and their economic prosperity declined significantly.

What role did Parliament play in exacerbating the suffering of the working class during the early Industrial Revolution?

Parliament was seen as responsible for the high price of bread, passing laws that penalized poverty, and enforcing harsh conditions in workhouses, all of which increased the suffering of the working class.

What was the Great Reform Act of 1832, and why did it cause anger among the working class?

The Great Reform Act of 1832 made Parliament more representative by giving MPs to new industrial towns and doubling the number of voters. However, it mainly benefited the middle class and excluded the working class, leading to anger and the rise of the Chartist movement.

What were the main demands of the Chartist movement as outlined in the Great Charter?

The Chartist movement's Great Charter demanded votes for all men, secret ballots, regular parliaments, and payment for MPs—fundamental democratic rights that are now taken for granted.

How did Parliament react to the Great Charter presented by the Chartists in 1839?

When the Great Charter was presented to Parliament in 1839, it was dismissed and laughed out of Parliament, leading to increased frustration and the consideration of more forceful methods by the Chartists.

Why did the anticipated revolution by the Chartists in 1839 never materialize?

The anticipated revolution never materialized because the Chartist movement was infiltrated by police informers. When riots broke out, they were quickly suppressed by the authorities, and many Chartists were arrested and sentenced to hard labor.

How does the British response to the Chartist movement compare to revolutionary events in France during the same period?

Unlike France, which experienced multiple revolutions in the 19th century, Britain did not have a full-blown revolution. Although the Chartists mobilized and rioted, these uprisings were quickly crushed by the authorities.

What was the significance of the last Chartist meeting on Kennington Common in 1848?

The last Chartist meeting on Kennington Common in 1848 symbolized the decline of the movement. The event was poorly attended, with more spectators than demonstrators, and the police prevented them from marching on Parliament, signaling the end of the Chartist struggle.

Outlines

00:00

🏭 The Struggle for Democracy: The Chartist Uprisings

This paragraph delves into the historical backdrop of the Chartist movement, which emerged as a response to the dire socio-economic conditions faced by the working class in industrial Britain during the late 1830s. It discusses the transformation of skilled weavers into machine-tenders due to the Industrial Revolution, leading to unemployment and wage cuts. The paragraph highlights the anger and desperation that fueled the Chartist risings, an almost revolutionary wave demanding political change and universal suffrage. The Great Reform Act of 1832 is critiqued for its failure to address the needs of the working class, instead reinforcing the power of the propertied elite. The narrative is set against the backdrop of the Bradford Moors, where men prepared for an uprising, symbolizing the intensity of the struggle for the vote.

05:02

🗳️ The Chartist Movement: From Petition to Rebellion

This paragraph continues the narrative of the Chartist movement, focusing on its evolution from a peaceful petitioning phase to one of potential rebellion. It details the Great Charter, which listed the demands of the Chartists for democratic reforms such as universal suffrage, secret ballots, and the payment of MPs. The dismissive response of Parliament to these demands led to a shift in the movement's tactics, with workers preparing for a revolution that they believed was imminent. The paragraph also contrasts the British experience with the more violent French revolutions, questioning the perceived British passivity. It describes the police and military readiness to suppress any uprising, the infiltration of the Chartist movement by informers, and the eventual failure of the Chartists to incite a revolution, culminating in a disappointing demonstration in 1848.

Keywords

💡Bradford Moors

The Bradford Moors are a rugged and majestic landscape located northeast of Manchester. In the video, they symbolize the setting of the Chartist risings, where thousands of men, exhausted from their work in the mills, assembled with homemade pikes, preparing for an uprising. The moors represent the desperation and determination of the working class during the Industrial Revolution.

💡Chartist Movement

The Chartist Movement was a political campaign for the rights of the working class in the 19th century. It was born out of disappointment with the Great Reform Act of 1832, which did not extend voting rights to the working class. The movement is central to the video's theme, illustrating the struggle for political representation and the demand for universal suffrage.

💡Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution refers to the period of rapid industrialization that took place during the 18th and 19th centuries. In the context of the video, it highlights the significant changes in the lives of weavers, who transitioned from being well-respected craftsmen to becoming unskilled laborers serving machines, leading to wage cuts and unemployment.

💡Great Reform Act of 1832

The Great Reform Act of 1832 was a piece of legislation that aimed to make Parliament more representative by giving MPs to new industrial towns and doubling the number of voters. However, as explained in the video, it is criticized for being hypocritical and small-minded, as it did not genuinely extend democracy but rather sought to maintain the power of the propertied classes.

💡Weavers

Weavers were skilled craftsmen who worked on handlooms, creating cloth for a living. The video describes how the introduction of power looms during the Industrial Revolution led to the decline of the weavers' status, as machines replaced their skilled labor, causing unemployment and economic hardship.

💡Universal Suffrage

Universal suffrage is the right of all adult citizens to vote in political elections. In the video, it is a key demand of the Chartist movement, representing the desire for political equality and the inclusion of the working class in the democratic process.

💡Power Looms

Power looms are mechanized looms that replaced the traditional handlooms during the Industrial Revolution. The video uses power looms as a symbol of the technological advancements that led to the displacement of skilled weavers and the devaluation of their labor.

💡Workhouse

A workhouse was an institution where those unable to support themselves, such as the poor and unemployed, were required to work for minimal wages and live in poor conditions. In the video, the workhouse is mentioned to illustrate the harsh realities and the perceived injustices faced by the working class during the Industrial Revolution.

💡Kennington Common

Kennington Common is a public space in London where the Chartists held a large demonstration in 1848. The video describes the event as a sad and disappointing culmination of the Chartist movement, with more spectators than demonstrators and the police preventing them from marching on Parliament.

💡Police Informers

Police informers were individuals who provided information to the authorities about the activities of the Chartist movement. The video mentions the presence of informers as one of the reasons why the Chartist uprisings were quickly crushed, highlighting the challenges faced by the movement in achieving its goals.

💡Revolution

In the context of the video, revolution refers to the potential uprising or violent change in the political order that the Chartists were preparing for. The term is used to emphasize the depth of the working class's dissatisfaction and their willingness to challenge the status quo.

Highlights

The Bradford Moors, northeast of Manchester, were the site of a significant event in the struggle for voting rights in 1839.

In the winter of 1839, thousands of men, exhausted from work in the mills, assembled on the moors with homemade pikes, preparing for an anticipated uprising.

The story of the Chartist risings represents a pivotal moment of anger and the closest the UK came to a revolution in the late 1830s.

The workers were primarily weavers whose livelihoods were disrupted by the Industrial Revolution and the introduction of power looms.

The power looms led to unemployment and wage cuts, significantly impacting the working class and contributing to widespread suffering.

The Great Reform Act of 1832, while increasing the number of voters, was seen as hypocritical and did not address the needs of the working class.

The Chartist movement emerged from the disappointment with the Reform Act, advocating for democratic reforms such as universal suffrage and secret ballots.

The Chartists' petition, known as the Great Charter, listed demands that are now considered fundamental to democracy but were initially dismissed by Parliament.

The movement's shift towards more forceful tactics was met with police informers and a swift response from authorities, crushing the potential for revolution.

Despite the Chartist movement's failure to achieve its goals, it laid the groundwork for future democratic reforms in Britain.

The contrast between the violent French revolutions and the more subdued British response to similar social issues is highlighted.

The final Chartist gathering in 1848 was a somber event, indicative of the movement's decline and the public's despair.

The transcript provides a detailed account of the social and economic conditions that fueled the Chartist movement.

The role of Parliament in exacerbating the suffering of the working class through legislation and economic policies is critiqued.

The narrative explores the impact of industrialization on skilled workers and the societal shifts that occurred as a result.

The transcript examines the reasons behind the failure of the Chartist uprising and the resilience of the British establishment.

The historical significance of the Chartist movement in the broader context of British political history is discussed.

Transcripts

northeast of Manchester lie the Bradford

Moors a rugged majestic landscape

menacing almost 20 years on from

Peterloo out on the moors the story of

the struggle for the vote took an ugly

turn

the year was 1839

it was winter we don't know the exact

date but we're told that thousands of

men assembled up here on the moors

exhausted after a hard day's work in the

mills the grime of the factory still on

their faces and they carried home made

pikes long wooden staves with iron

spikes on the end and all through the

night by torchlight they prepared for

the uprising that they sense would begin

any day

what follows is the story of the

Chartist risings an outpouring of anger

that swept industrial Britain in the

late 1830s and the closest this country

ever came to a full-blown revolution

this is Queen Street in Burnley the last

mill you can visit in Britain to see

textile looms like these powered by a

functioning steam engine what's this

place got to do with nighttime

gatherings on the Bradford Moors well

the fact is most of the men plotting

revolution on the Moors that night were

weavers they made cloth for a living and

it's impossible to understand their

anger without understanding the fabric

of their lives and how much their lives

had changed for the worse in these years

of Industrial Revolution

once the Bradford Weaver's were

well-respected craftsman they'd worked

on handlooms powered by their muscle and

this was skilled work well-paid work but

with improvements in technology with the

development of water power and steam

power machines were introduced that

replaced the old handlooms production

went through the ceiling and the bosses

made a fortune but for Bradford's

weavers these power looms spell disaster

the days of the skilled artisan were

over now the machines did all the work

the workers merely service them and they

felt their become slaves to the Machine

even more damaging these new power looms

could do the job of for workers and that

meant either wage cuts or massive

unemployment thousands were thrown out

of work and the prosperity of Bradford's

working-class ground to a halt

it's hard to get a handle on the scale

of the suffering experienced by so many

people in those early decades of the

Industrial Revolution a trade depression

failing harvests the high price of bread

they all combined to create a misery

unique even in those grim days and what

made it worse it seemed as if the

powers-that-be were actually trying to

stoke up this suffering

it was Parliament that fixed the price

of bread

it was Parliament that passed laws that

seemed to turn poverty itself into a

crime if you were actually starving you

could be sent to the workhouse parents

were separated from children husbands

from wives all were forced to work for

starvation rations hardly surprising

then that the suffering masses turned

not just to their employers and their

landlords but to Parliament as the cause

of their distress and their hope for

comfort

well here I am outside the Palace of

Westminster the seat of parliament since

the 13th century and if you like the

focus of this entire story and as I've

explained Parliament in the early

industrial period was unrepresentative

of any but a small fraction of the

population basically just a land owning

elite but in the 1830s two dramatic

events shook Westminster the first was a

massive fire that destroyed almost the

entire building not important to our

story but a symbol that change could

occur even here and the second was a

piece of legislation a law pushed

through Parliament and it's vital to

understand this act if we're to

understand the anger that rippled across

Britain in the late 1830s and this

crucial piece of legislation was the

great Reform Act of 1832

now you read old-fashioned history books

of 19th century Britain and you'll find

the great Reform Act hailed as a triumph

a milestone on the onward march to

democracy and it's true certainly it

made Parliament more representative it

gave MPs to the new industrial towns it

doubled the number of voters and yet it

caused such anger why what to be honest

I don't think it was a great Reform Act

at all I think it was a nasty

small-minded hypocritical little Reform

Act because and here's the point the MPs

that passed this act they weren't

interested in increasing democracy in

this country they were trying to block

democracy they thought if we give the

vote to a few more people all of whom

like us have property if we get the vote

to cozy middle-class folk to

industrialist to factory owners to

bankers to shopkeepers then they'll help

us keep the vote out of the hands of

everyone else the rabble the swine

--is-- multitude 1832 was the moment in

British history when the propertied

classes in the countryside and the

property classes in the towns joined

forces closing ranks against the poor

the labourers in the countryside and the

workers in the towns

the Reform Act was met with celebration

amongst the middle classes those with

the tidy sum of 10 pounds a year who now

could vote but the act confirmed to the

workers their powerlessness and out of

that disappointment was born a new

political movement the Chartist movement

the greatest expression yet of the

people's demand for political change it

began peacefully signatures were

collected for a petition the Great

Charter it listed their demands votes

for all secret ballots regular

Parliament's payment of MPs or rights we

take now for granted the building blocks

of our democracy but when the Charter

was brought to Westminster in 1839 it

was laughed out of Parliament

and so the tide began to turn and a new

slogan was heard here in the mills and

the factories peaceably if we can

forcibly if we must there were rumors of

muskets stock pile and a local

blacksmiths mass producing weapons and

from about October 1839 we read these

first tantalizing accounts from police

records of workers at the end of the

factory day foot slugging it up onto the

moors there to drill for the revolution

that must now surely come but it never

did

it's strange you know in France there

were revolutions not just in 1789 but in

1830 in 1848 in 1870 all that violent

upheaval but here the revolution never

came

some historians reflecting on that

contrast between France and Britain have

concluded maybe we Brits were just too

quiet to uncomplaining was that how it

was well I don't think so the thousands

of men who mobilized up here on the

moors were hardly quiet and

uncomplaining but when that bubbling

anger spilled into actual confrontation

in Newport in Sheffield in Bradford

these riots were crushed almost before

they'd begun the fact is that the

Chartist movement was riddled with

police informers police spies and when

the riots began the authorities were

ready the militias moved in arrests were

made the chata sneeze were broken with

years of hard labor in prison

the last time the Chartists met was on

Kennington common in London on a rainy

day in 1848 it was all rather sad there

were apparently more spectators than

demonstrators the police barred the

Chartists from marching on Parliament

and the demonstrators all went home I

think at that moment they must have

despaired of the vote would never be won

but it was in the most unlikely way