British Depth Study Flashcards
Which parties wanted to support suffragists ?
1- many backbench liberal Mps were supporters but the liberals leaders were opposed to it as they feared they will vote for conservatives
2-conservative leaders wanted more conservative voters but their backbench mps opposed it so nothing really happened
Who were the suffragettes?
1- formed in 1903 led by Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst
2- formed wspu
3- abused the liberal prime minister Asquith
Also disrupted political meetings
- used radical and militant methods
What happened in 1908 ? Around 500,000 attended
1- direct action begins
2- suffragettes made speeches in Downing street - the leader chained herself to the railings to stop the police from moving her on
3- threw stones through the windows of prime ministers house
4- october MRS PANKHURST AND HER DOUGHTER were arrested
- their aim was to make women suffrage the governments concern so they cant be ignored
Direct act happened because the womens suffrage bill ran out of time in 1908
What was the aim of direct action ?
To make womens vote a serious issue to the government
What was suffragists reaction to direct action ?
Admired the heroism of the suffragettes but as they got more violent they started to drift apart
1- suffragists believed that cant gain something democratic with undemocratic methods - violent methods will put the mps off
What happened in 1911 with the conciliation bill ?
The government promised a conciliation bill which won all party support but Asquith dropped the bill
- protest outside the parliaments which led to black friday when suffragettes were sexually assaulted
What was the suffragists response to the drop of the conciliation bill ?
1- see the prime minister to try to persuade him to change his mind
2- decided to support the labour party as it was the only party committed to female suffrage
What was suffragette response to the conciliation bill ?
1- escalate the violence- smashed windows , set fire to post boxes , bombed churches , telephone wires were cut , bombs were placed in the warehouse , slashed valuable paintings so the art galleries were close and more and more suffragettes were sent to prison
What did suffragettes do in prison to continue the protest and what was the government response ?
1- went on a hunger strike and the government responded by force feeding the protesters
How did the public feel about force feeding ?
1_ force feeding was brutal and degrading and it won a good deal of public sympathy for the suffragettes
What happened in june 1913
1- death of Emily davison
2- she thought it will be a good publicity to go on the kings horse and and attach a suffragette banner as is went by.
3- but she got killed by the horse
Who was the main women character that was against votes for women ?
Queen victoria
Hateful and heartless
What was the main reason that the navy and the army didnt want the women to get the vote ?
They couldnt fight in war
Key arguments for supporting votes for women ?
They pay taxes like men
When was the suffragists found ?
1897
Who was the leader of the NUSS?
Fawcett
By 1914 how many branches of NUSS were there ?
500
By 1914 how many members of the NUSS were there ?
100 000
Suffragists were slow but what ?
Unstoppable