Changing Attitudes To Women In Society (why?) Flashcards
Social change
Q: What legal changes helped increase women’s independence before 1918?
A: Women could divorce husbands for cruelty or abandonment, and live separately.
Q: How did education reform impact women’s rights?
A: Schooling became compulsory until age 15, improving literacy and respect for women.
Q: Why did increasing opportunities in local government help the case for the vote?
A: It made excluding women from national politics seem unreasonable.
Q: What did the founding of women’s universities show about attitudes?
A: It demonstrated a shift in societal views and greater access to higher education.
Women’s war work
Flashcard 1
Q: How important was women’s war work in gaining them the vote in 1918?
A: It was quite important, as it earned women respect and changed public opinion, but not the most important factor.
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Flashcard 2
Q: What happened to the Suffragette campaign during WW1?
A: It ceased, and their newspaper was renamed from The Suffragette to Britannia to support the war effort and encourage enlistment.
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Flashcard 3
Q: How many women worked in munitions during the war?
A: Over 700,000 women.
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Flashcard 4
Q: What risks did women in munitions face?
A: Explosions, TNT poisoning, and other serious health and safety risks.
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Flashcard 5
Q: What stereotype did women’s war work help break?
A: The belief that women were too fragile, emotional, or irrational for serious roles.
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Flashcard 6
Q: How did women’s war work change public attitudes?
A: It gained admiration for their patriotism and ability, increasing respect and support for their right to vote.
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Flashcard 7
Q: What did historian Rover say about public opinion during the war?
A: “Public opinion became overwhelmingly favourable towards women.”
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Flashcard 8
Q: Evaluation: Why wasn’t women’s war work the most important reason?
A: Because social change had already laid crucial foundations — with women gaining rights in education, voting in local elections, and involvement in public boards.
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Flashcard 9
Q: Overall, which factor was more important than women’s war work?
A: Social change — as it showed a long-term shift in attitudes and provided the legal and social groundwork for the vote.
The suffragettes
Flashcard 11
Q: What does WSPU stand for and who founded it?
A: Women’s Social and Political Union – founded by Emmeline Pankhurst.
Flashcard 12
Q: What methods did the Suffragettes use?
A: Violent methods – protests, arson, hunger strikes, disruption.
Flashcard 13
Q: What happened to Emily Davison?
A: Died at the 1913 Epsom Derby when she stepped in front of the King’s horse.
Flashcard 14
Q: How did the Suffragettes help and harm the movement?
A: Helped gain attention, but also increased the image of women as irrational and violent.
The suffragists
Flashcard 7
Q: What does NUWSS stand for and who led it?
A: National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, led by Millicent Fawcett.
Flashcard 8
Q: What methods did the Suffragists use?
A: Peaceful methods – petitions, lobbying MPs, letters, public meetings.
Flashcard 9
Q: How many members did the NUWSS have by 1914?
A: Around 96,000.
Flashcard 10
Q: Why were peaceful methods important to gaining the vote?
A: Helped gain sympathy and political support from MPs and the public.
International example
Flashcard 1
Q: How important was the international example in the enfranchisement of women in 1918?
A: It was less important than other factors, though it did apply some external pressure on Britain.
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Flashcard 2
Q: Which countries had already enfranchised women before Britain?
A: New Zealand in 1893 and Australia in 1902.
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Flashcard 3
Q: What domestic event heightened fears of unrest that aligned with global socialist movements?
A: The Glasgow Rent Strikes in 1915.
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Flashcard 4
Q: How did these events affect the government’s attitude?
A: They created fear that working-class women might revolt, especially during the rise in international socialist movements, pushing the government to act.
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Flashcard 5
Q: Why was Britain criticised as the “mother of democracy”?
A: Because it had not yet given women the vote, while its colonies and other democracies had.
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Flashcard 6
Q: What weakens the argument that international example was a major influence?
A: Britain granted women the vote in 1918 — 25 years after New Zealand, showing a delayed and indirect influence.
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Flashcard 7
Q: Evaluation: Why is international example less important than social change?
A: Because international trends didn’t cause immediate change, while social change had been gradually reshaping attitudes in Britain from the 1870s onward.
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Flashcard 8
Q: Overall, what did international example contribute?
A: A model for enfranchisement and some pressure to modernise — but it was not a primary driver of reform in Britain.
Intro
Q: What was the Representation of the People Act and when was it passed?
A: 1918 – Gave women over 30 the vote (with property qualifications).
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Q: What was the Equal Franchise Act and when was it passed?
A: 1928 – Gave women the vote on equal terms with men (age 21+).
