Revision – Power and the People – Topic 4

20th Century

Recap on the 19th century:

Which group of agicultural workers were transported to Australia for forming a
union?

What was the Great Reform Act 1832?

What were the 6 demands of the Chartists?

What were the corn laws?

Which politician campaigned for social reform such as the Factory Act and ragged
schools?

Which religious group campaigned for abolition of slavery?

Overview of the 20th century

 Women’s Suffrage
Event
Suffrage had been expanded throughout the 19 th century, with a greater number of men able to vote through a series of reform acts beginning with
the Great Reform Act in 1832. However, no women could vote. In the late 1800s groups like the Suffragists (the National Union of Women’s Suffrage
Societies) began to campaign for women’s right to vote peacefully. However, when these protests were ignored by the government some believed
more militant action was needed. The Suffragettes (the Women’s Social and Political Union) were founded in 1903 and used methods such as
disrupting meetings, chaining themselves up, arson and sabotage. Their militant action caused both attention and outrage. With the advent of WW1,
however, these militant activities were suspended. The Suffragettes instead focused on recruiting women for the war effort, conducting demanding
and traditionally male jobs that were left vacant when men were fighting on the front. After the war, the government passed the Representation of
the People Act 1918, which gave women over 30 who met property qualifications to vote. In 1928 they gained the vote on equal terms with men.

Causes Significance

Warfare Religion Resulted in change (short term)

The government argued
In the short term SOME women were given
that they had given the vote
the vote in 1918, but they had to be over 30
to women in thanks for their
and meet property qualifications.
efforts during WW1, not
because of the pressure of
the Suffragettes’ militant By 1928 women had the vote on equal terms
action. However, the threat with men.
of more violent action was
surely also a factor.

Government Communication Resulted in change (Long term)

The government, led by Prime
Minister Lloyd George, passed
the Representation of the
People Act, which gave some
women the right to vote in
1918.
Newspapers reported
widely on the militant
actions of the
Suffragettes
Women getting the vote paved the way for
strides to be made in women’s rights in later
decades of the 20th century, such as the
equal pay act in 1970. Today there are 225
female MPs in Parliament.
Remarkable
The methods of the Suffragettes shocked the
nation – they were reported on daily in
newspapers causing outrage.

Economy Ideas Remembered

The jobs done by women
during World War One
showed their strength and
importance to the British
economy, which helped
sway the public that they
deserved a vote.
The idea of equality
between men and There is a statue of Millicent Fawcett in
women was central to Parliament Square, outside the Houses of
the movement. Parliament.
The Pankhursts are remembered as heroes
in their native Manchester, with a statue to
Emmeline Pankhurst in St Peter’s Square.

Revealing
Chance Role of Individual

The leadership of
Emmeline Pankhurst
(Suffragettes) and
Milicent Fawcett
(Suffragists) were key to
the women’s suffrage
campaign. Resonant
 Abolition of Slavery, 1833
Event
Campaigns against the abolition of slavery began in the 1700s, but gained more momentum in the
early 1800s. Religious groups like the Quakers, as well as formerly enslaved people like Olaudah
Equiano, were crucial in campaigning for Britain to end their role in slavery. By 1807 trading in
slaves had been banned. By 1833 slavery across the British Empire was abolished.

Causes Significance

Warfare Religion Resulted in change (short term)

Government Communication Resulted in change (Long term)

Remarkable

Economy Ideas Remembered

Revealing
Chance Role of Individual

Resonant
 Tolpuddle Martyrs 1834
Event
In February 1834, six farmworkers led by George Loveless, a Methodist preacher, met under a sycamore tree in the
Dorset village of Tolpuddle to form a union. Their wages had been cut from 10 shillings a week to 7. They weren’t
breaking the law, but authorities were suspicious. The men had sworn a secret oath, so the 1797 Act Against Unlawful
Oaths could be used against them. They were arrested, tried and transported to Australia. There was public outcry. A
demonstration was held in London in April 1834 and 200,000 people marched to Parliament to present a petition of
800,000 signatures. The unions supported their families for the three years it took the Tolpuddle men to be pardoned.
They spent the rest of their lives campaigning for workers’ rights.

Causes Significance

Warfare Religion Resulted in change (short term)

In the short term, the Tolpuddle Martyrs
were sent to Australia to complete hard
physical labour as punishment for their
secret oath and attempted union.

Government Communication Resulted in change (Long term)

The Government charged
the Tolpuddle Martyrs
with breaking the 1797
Act Against Unlawful
Oaths and transported
them to Australia for 7
years. This caused
outrage
Economy
The decline in wages for
farm workers from 10
shillings a week to just 7
(the third such cut) had
caused the workers to
demand higher pay.
Chance
Posters were spread across
the country to raise
awareness of the Tolpuddle
Martyrs, the march to
Parliament and upon his
return Loveless produced a
pamphlet to raise funds for
the families
Ideas
Role of Individual
George Loveless, a
local Methodist
preacher, led the
farmworkers to form
a union by swearing
an oath of allegiance.
In the long term, they were freed and
returned to England, though they had to
make their own way home. They helped
inspire the later development of trade
unions.
Remarkable
200,000 people marched in Copenhagen
Fields, London onto Parliament to demand
the freedom of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, this
was a huge level of support – from across
different
Remembered
Still remembered today – there is a
museum to commemorate them in their
home village and a festival is held there
every July, usually addressed by leading
figures in the world of politics and trade
unionism.
Revealing
Reveals the attitudes of the government at
the time as well as the support that the
working-men had among the public as well
as the power of public pressure on the
government.
Resonant
 Chartist Movement, 1838
Event
The Chartists were a group of radicals calling for electoral reform. They were unhappy with the Great Reform Act, which only gave
middle classes the vote. They called for 1) Universal manhood suffrage, 2) A secret ballot, 3) Equal constituencies, 4) No property
qualifications to be an MP, 5) Salaries for MPs and 6) Annual Parliaments. These demands were laid out in the People’s Charter,
which gave the movement its name. It was a diverse movement, with some using violence to protest. Others favoured peaceful
methods, and three petitions were submitted to Parliament in support of the charter. Ultimately, these were ignored by the
government, who felt universal manhood suffrage was too dangerous. However, other later groups would take up the Chartists’
cause and 5 out of 6 points would be adopted by 1918.

Causes Significance

Warfare Religion Resulted in change (short term)

No real gains were made! The Chartist
petitions were ignored by the government

Government Communication Resulted in change (Long term)

The movement was a
response to the Great
Reform Act passed by
the Whigs, which did
not go far enough for
the Chartists
Economy
Chartist newspapers
like the Northern Star
helped spread the
Chartist message
Ideas
The cause of the Chartists were taken up
by other groups in the later 1800s, 5 out of
6 demands were met by 1918, including a
secret ballot in 1872
Remarkable
The Chartist petitions received widespread
support – their third petition claimed to have
5 million signatures.
They were the first mass movement driven
by the working class
Remembered

Unemployment and
high food prices due to
the Corn Laws meant
the working class were
unhappy and wanted a
say in how the country
was run
Chance
Ideas of equality
were at the heart of
Chartism, such as
asking for universal
manhood suffrage.
Revealing
Role of Individual
The movement revealed the political
awareness of the working class – they were
increasingly aware of politics and calling for
Chartist leaders like change.
William Lovett were
committed to
peaceful protest
Resonant
Later, Feargus
O’Connor took over
and favoured more
militant action
 Anti-Corn Law League, 1838
Event
The Corn Laws were a series of laws introduced from 1815 onwards to place import duties (taxes) on
imported corn (wheat). This was designed to make imported corn more expensive, so manufacturers would
rely on British corn to make bread. These laws protected British landowners by preventing competition with
imports, but they also meant the price of corn (and bread made from it) was artificially high for working
class people. The Anti-Corn Law league was formed to campaign for repealing the laws, with the aim of
reducing food prices. The laws were repealed in 1846, though historians argue this may not have
necessarily been the result of their campaign. Other factors, such as

Causes Significance

Warfare Religion Resulted in change (short term)

Government Communication Resulted in change (Long term)

Remarkable

Economy Ideas Remembered

Revealing
Chance Role of Individual

Resonant
 Social Reform, 1830s-40s
Event
Rapid industrialisation from 1750 onwards had created huge, crowded industrial cities in Britain. The
multiplying working class who worked in the factories and mills of industrial cities lived and worked in
dangerous and unclean conditions, lacking education. Children worked in factories with dangerous
machines and all workers had long hours with poor pay. The government, however, took a laissez-faire
approach – they did not see it as their role to help or intervene in the lives of the people, or tell
industrialists what to provide their employees. Some politicians, however, started a campaign for social
reform. Lord Shaftesbury was instrumental in introducing the Factory Act, Ten Hours Act, and establishing
“ragged schools”.

Causes Significance

Warfare Religion Resulted in change (short term)

Government Communication Resulted in change (Long term)

Remarkable

Economy Ideas Remembered

Revealing
Chance Role of Individual

Resonant
 New Unionism, 1880s-90s
Event
New Unionism was a new movement within trade unionism. It differed from ‘New Model Unions’ that focused on skilled worker unions with high fees,
instead it involved unskilled and low paid labourers.

The matchgirls' strike of 1888 was an industrial action by the women and teenage girls working at the Bryant & May match factory in Bow, London. After
going on strike and publicising their work conditions 50 of them to Parliament to meet MPs to demand a fairer wage. They formed their own union. After
five weeks the employers gave in to most of the strikers' demands.

Inspired by the match girls in 1889 London’s dockworkers went on strike. Their main grievances were low wages and no fixed working hours. Thousands of
workers carried banners emblazoned with slogans and totem poles crowned with stinking fish heads and rotting onions – samples of the dockers’ diet. The
strike lasted five weeks, after which their demands were met: they got a ‘docker’s tanner’ – sixpence an hour – and shifts lasting no less than four hours.

Causes Significance

Warfare Religion Resulted in change (short term)

Dockworkers: the strike lasted five weeks, after

Match Girls: Annie Besant was
married to a clergyman but
divorced him as her views on
religion changed, she later
wrote a book on contraception
for which she was trialled for
obscenity.
which their demands were met: they got a
‘docker’s tanner’ – sixpence an hour – and shifts
lasting no less than four hours.
With their perceptions of the poor challenged for
the first time, the middle classes showed their
support

Government Communication Resulted in change (Long term)

New Unionism and trade union industrial action
continues to today
Match Girls: 50 went to Match Girls: Annie Besant
Parliament to meet MPs and founded a journal called The
demand a fairer wage. Link, she published the story Remarkable
of women workers at Bryant
Dockworkers: On 14 August 1889, and May, in an article called Match girls: The match girls' strike of 1888 was the
first time unorganised and unskilled women had
London’s dockworkers went on "The White Slaves of London’ gone on strike and won.
strike and brought the greatest exposing their terrible
port in the world to a standstill.
Thousands marched. working conditions Dockworkers: milestone in the rise of New Unionism,
which gave a voice to unskilled, casual, poorly paid
workers.
Dockworkers: Reporting
from The Star newspaper
Economy Ideas Remembered
Tom Mann remembered as greatest labour
Match Girls: Women working for activist of his time
Equality
Bryant and May in east London
were earning 5 shillings a week Worker’s rights
for working 70 hours.
Revealing
Dockworkers: Main grievances
were low wages and no fixed
working hours
Chance Role of Individual

Match Girls: Annie Besant – Resonant

leading figure of the Match New Unionism and trade union industrial
action continues to today
Girls’ Strike. Helped the girls to
publicise their cause
Dockworkers: Tom Mann – One
leader of the Dockworker’s
Strike, he went on to become the
greatest Labour activist and
speaker of his time
 What was significant about Chartism? (8 marks)

Chartism: Knowledge
dump

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