In the mid-nineteenth century, the Chartist movement mobilised millions of people across Britain in support of radical political reform. At its heart were six key demands — the People's Charter — calling for universal male suffrage, annual Parliaments, and other sweeping changes.
Over five weeks, we will explore the origins, aims, tactics, and legacy of Chartism. You will examine who the Chartists were, what they believed, and why the movement inspired both hope and fear. We will also reflect on the different forms that Chartism took across regions, from mass meetings in London to confrontations in Newport.
You will work with a variety of primary sources, including speeches, newspapers, petitions, letters, and images, alongside the work of both classic and contemporary historians, to explore Chartism's role in the struggle for democracy and the fears that it sparked about revolution in Victorian Britain.