History- The Reactions to the Treaty

Question 1

1903 women and men were treated differently. Most women didn’t go to secondary school or university and few had the right to vote. They spend their lives raising children and running a house.

Women couldn’t vote in ……… ……….

Answer 1

national elections

Question 2

During the 19th century, several reform acts had given more people in Britain the vote

Answer 2

they thought the public sphere was for men. Women should look after the home.
Many people believed that women weren’t very rational and so couldn’t make big decisions.
Many politicians thought that men needed to be householders to get the vote. Only a very few rich women had houses or paid the rent, so it would be a bit odd to give them a vote.
If only rich women got the vote they’d probably vote Conservative. The Liberals didn’t like that idea.

Question 3

After 1894 married women were allowed to vote for district councils, and to sit on the council. But they still couldn’t vote in national elections for MPs or become MPs themselves. Campaigners for votes for women argued that:

Answer 3

women’s rights and opportunities were improving – being given the vote was a natural step forward.
Women were just as capable as men of making sound decisions.
Women had gained the vote in some other countries, e.g. New Zealand in 1893.

Question 4

Some professions were open to women

Answer 4

many working-class women had jobs as well as running the home, e.g. in the textile industry. These jobs tended to be low paid with poor conditions.
Middle-class women were less likely to work outside the home. Access to higher education and professional jobs with limited.
Queens College London was opened to train women teachers in 1848
Florence Nightingale established nursing as a respectable job. She set up a training school where women could train to become nurses.