# People's Charter launches Chartism (1838)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1838-people-s-charter-launches-chartism
Categories: main-event

The People's Charter demanded six political reforms including universal male suffrage and secret voting. Within the broader Victorian Britain period, industrial society, mass politics, public-health reform, global empire and the Irish question dominated public life. This event is placed at 1838 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. Chartism became the first mass working-class political movement in Britain.

## Why it matters
Chartism became the first mass working-class political movement in Britain.

Ruler at the time: [Victoria](https://english-history.com/rulers/victoria)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — People's Charter launches Chartism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=People%27s+Charter+launches+Chartism&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — People's Charter launches Chartism](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=People%27s+Charter+launches+Chartism)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history_%281800%E2%80%931899%29)
- [The National Archives — Victorian resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)