How far do you agree that in the years 1918–45 women made substantial gains in their position and status? Explain your answer. (20 marks)

Question 1

P1:

Answer 1

Substantial gains– Political

In the years 1918 to 1945, women did make substantial gains

• political status and position
• women gained political importance as a result of the Representation of the People’s Act = able to have a tangible impact on society, improving the lives and importance of women in society.

Question 2

P2:

Answer 2

Lack of change –Economic

the Victorian attitudes and prejudice that remained prevalent in society= women were not able to make substantial gains in their economic position
-wartime economic gains =short-lived, =that many women returned to their household roles or work that was deemed to be appropriate for women.

Question 3

P3:

Answer 3

Lack of change – social and political

Question 4

P1 2 pieces of evidence

Answer 4

The Representation of the People Act of 1918-28

Criminal Law Amendment Act 1922 and Bastardy Act 1923

Question 5

P2 2 key evidences

Answer 5

‘dilution’ agreement

Employment opportunities were limited

Question 6

P3 2 key evidence

Answer 6

‘flapper girl’ was a middle-class phenomenon

Great Depression had a disproportionate impact on women

Question 7

The Representation of the People Act of 1918 enfranchised …

Answer 7

enfranchised women over the age of 30 if they were married, a property owner, or a university graduate meaning that women comprised on 43% of the electorate in December 1918.

Question 8

The Representation of the People Act of 1928 gave women access to….

Answer 8

the vote on the same terms of men.

Question 9

Who was the first female MP? and female cabinet member?

Answer 9

MP Nancy Astor became the first female MP

Margaret Bondfield became the first female cabinet member in Ramsay MacDonald’s government in 1929.

Question 10

Significance of ROPA’s

Answer 10

• Women not only received the vote for the first time but were directly represented in Parliament,
• Gained a political voice
• Increased their political status 🡪 suggests that women made substantial gains in their position.

Question 11

What came as a result of female representation in parliament?

Answer 11

able to make a tangible impact on society:

Question 12

why was the criminal law amendment act 1922 and bastardy act 1923 passed?

Answer 12

were passed due to female MPs effort and helped to improve the lives of women.

Question 13

What did Nancy Astor and Eleanor Rathbone strive to promote?

Answer 13

female-specific issues.

Question 14

in 1940 what did Astor set up ? and why?

Answer 14

Women Power Committee to investigate and promote female-specific issues

Question 15

in 1941 who set up the Women’s Consultive Committee and why?

Answer 15

1941 Ernest Bevin

• manage all female participation in the war economy more effectively;

This committee contributed to the registration and conscription of women for work.

Question 16

by 1945 what % of all elected councillors were women ? and what did this help to do

Answer 16

15%

act as a spring-board into national politics.

Question 17

As the war came to an end what was no longer needed

Answer 17

war work

Question 18

what was the ‘dilution agreement’?

Answer 18

skilled workers going off to fight in France would only be replaced with semi-skilled workers and women on a temporary basis, and their jobs would be given back to them upon their return

1914

Question 19

what was the ngeative impact of the dilution agreement on women? and did it remove from them and show?

Answer 19

number of women employed by 1920 had returned to 1914 levels (approximately 5.7 million women)

economic gains S.T

remove economic independence

did not make substantial gains

Question 20

Employment opportunities were limited for women by..

Answer 20

prejudice, discrimination, and prevailing ideas about what was ‘women’s work’

Question 21

Many women continued to work in what kind of industries after the return of men

Answer 21

poorly paid light industries or ‘sweated trades’; over two-thirds of all work done by working-class women was completed in their home.

Question 22

the return of men seemed to herald a return to …

Answer 22

tradional attirudes and values concerning gender

women went back

= no substantial gains

Question 23

when did some women expericne flapper style?

Answer 23

1920’s

unprecedented social freedom

Question 24

What was needed to particpate in flapper style?

who lacked it

Answer 24

a disposable income and time was required to engage with these new social freedoms which was something that working class women lacked

Question 25

flapper girl was a …. enjoyed by who

Answer 25

middle-class phenomenon enjoyed by wealthy young women in the cities.

Question 26

the great depression had a disproportinaite impact on who? and why?

Answer 26

women

primary carers of children, women in poorer parts of the country frequently ate less so their husbands and children could have meals

Question 27

what did economist A.L. Bowley report?

Answer 27

‘Hungry England’- 1933

women were starving themselves to feed their family(made worse by means test)

Question 28

characteristics of flapper girls

Answer 28

who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior