Suffrage Flashcards
Define franchise/suffrage
The ability/right to vote in elections
Why did the British government begin to extend the franchise throughout the 19th century?
They feared a simulation of the violence of the French Revolution
Why was the voting age lowered in 1969?
To reflect the changing expectations of adulthood in Britain
What was the 1832 Great Reform Act?
Franchise extended to shopkeepers, farmers and anyone whose property attracted an annual rent of at least £10. The proportion of the adult population able to vote increased from 4% to 6%. It was a limited but symbolically important development
What was the 1867 Second Reform Act?
Doubled the electorate to around 2 million. Women the propertyless and tenants of very cheap properties were still unable to vote
What was the 1872 Ballot Act?
Introduced the secret ballot, meaning votes could no longer be bought by corrupt candidates and voters were free to make up their own minds
What was the 1884 Third Reform Act?
The franchise was extended to most working men; about 60% of adult men could now vote
What was the 1918 Representation of the people Act?
Most adult men given the right to vote. Women over 30 who were married, a property owner or a graduate could now vote
What was the 1928 Representation of the People Act?
Franchise extended to everyone over 21
What was the 1948 Representation of the People Act?
Removed university MPs to firmly establish the principle of ‘one person, one vote’
What was the 1969 Representation of the People Act?
Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18
What was the 2016 Scottish Elections Act
Everyone over the age of 16 could vote in Scottish elections, but not in UK general elections or referendums
When was the first petition for female suffrage presented to parliament?
1866; it was largely ignored
Who were the NUWSS?
National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, also known as the suffragists
Who was the leader of the NUWSS?
Millicent Fawcett
How did the NUWSS view membership?
They were open to all and internally democratic
How did the NUWSS put pressure on those in power?
- Peaceful campaigning
- Letter writing
- Producing material for publication
- Organising petitions
- Holding peaceful marches and protests
How many members did the NUWSS have by 2014?
100,000 across 400 branches
What did the NUWSS do after the 1918 Representation of the People Act?
Renamed as the Fawcett Society, they continued to campaign for equal voting rights, which was achieved in 1928
What led to the creation of the WSPU?
Some felt that the NUWSS were too slow
Who were the WSPU?
The Women’s Social and Political Union, also known as the suffragets
When was the WSPU created?
1903
Who created the WSPU?
Emmaline Pankhurst and her daughters, Christabel and Sylvia
Where was the NUWSS based?
Initially Manchester, before moving to London in 1906
What was the view of the WSPU on membership?
Open only to women and was not internally democratic
How did the WSPU publicise the issue of female suffrage?
By using violence and illegal methods
What type of pressure did the WSPU exert on the government?
External
List the different methods of civil disobedience the WSPU would use
- Disrupting political party meetings
- Chaining themselves to railways
- Attempting to blow up buildings
- Destroying letters in post boxes
- Going on hunger strike while in prison
What did the WSPU sell to draw attention to their cause?
Badges, games and posters
What three colours did the WSPU adopt as an early form of branding for the movement?
Green, white and purple
What was the benefit of WSPU violence?
- Drew attention to the cause and made many talk about the issue
- The government attempts to suppress them garnered some public sympathy
What was the downside to WSPU violence?
- Made some believe that the government shouldn’t grant women suffrage, as this would be giving in to terrorists
- Some thought the violence proved women were incapable of sensible thought
- Alienated many moderate supporters
What ultimately persuaded parliament to give some women the right to vote in 1918?
The work of the women during the war and the potential for the resumption of WSPU violence
What happened to the WSPU after the 1918 Representation of the People Act?
The Pankhursts saw this as enough and so disbanded the movement
