ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Chartism

Chartism is when people in olden times used to write down their wants and needs on charts, or big sheets of paper. They would then show these to the people in power, like kings and queens, to try and convince them to make changes.

The reason people did this was because they wanted things to be more fair. Back in the olden times, not everyone was treated equally, and many people were poor and had to work really hard just to survive. They wanted things like better wages, better working conditions, and more say in how their country was run.

But because the people in charge didn't always listen to them, the chartists had to keep protesting and demanding change. They would often gather in big groups and march around, shouting out their demands and trying to get as many people as possible to join them.

Sometimes these protests turned violent, which was not a good thing. But eventually, the chartists were able to make some progress on their demands. They helped bring about things like better voting rights and more protections for workers.

Overall, chartism was an important movement in history because it showed that ordinary people can have a say in how their country is run. They also showed that if enough people come together and demand change, they can make a difference.