Suffragetes

Question 1

What name was given to the area of life, including business and politics, which were unsuitable for women?

Answer 1

Public Sphere

Question 2

What is the name given to the area of life, centred around women and the home?

Answer 2

Domestic Sphere

Question 3

What justification was used to back up this point of view?

Answer 3

Women were too intellectually feeble and emotionally fragile for public life

Question 4

What statistic can you use which proves that women were discriminated against the public sphere?

Answer 4

Only 10% of married women were employed

Question 5

What area of work was it thought suitable for unmarried women to seek employment and why?

Answer 5

Domestic service- domestic sphere

Question 6

Why had by 1910, women been allowed the right to vote in local elections?

Answer 6

Because the issues involved affected the domestic sphere

Question 7

Even though more girls’ schools were opening in 1910 there was still a fundamental injustice. Can you name it?

Answer 7

Girls were not taught the same subjects as boys

Question 8

More women were going to university by 1910 but why was this really not significant?

Answer 8

Numbers of graduates were still very small

Question 9

Even though some women were training to be doctors what obstacle did some initially face?

Answer 9

Universities refused to grant degrees

Question 10

What does the word ‘suffrage’ mean?

Answer 10

The right to vote

Question 11

Who had the right to vote in Britain before 1919

Answer 11

All adult males (21 and over)

Question 12

What is a General Election

Answer 12

A national vote which elects a government

Question 13

By the end of the 19th century women had begun to come together to win the right to vote. What were they know as?

Answer 13

Suffragist

Question 14

What does NUWSS stand for?

Answer 14

The National Union of Women’s Suffrage

Question 15

Who founded this society? What year was it founded?

Answer 15

Millicent Fawcett (wife of Liberal MP); 1897

Question 16

Why was Millicent Fawcett determined to only use peaceful protest means and persuasive argument?

Answer 16

To prove that women are rational and sensible enough to deserve the vote

Question 17

Give 3 examples of tactics employed by NUWSS

Answer 17

Put forward their own (male) supporters to become MPs; produce pamphlets and newspapers; train women to debate and make speeches

Question 18

Why were these tactics criticised?

Answer 18

They are taking too long to have significant effect

Question 19

Who was Emmaline Pankhurst?

Answer 19

Leader of the Manchester branch of NUWSS

Question 20

What did she do in 1903 and why did she do it?

Answer 20

Broke away from the NUWSS because she became frustrated with its slow progress

Question 21

What society did she form?

Answer 21

Women’s Social and Political Union ( WSPU)

Question 22

What was the WSPU’s slogan?

Answer 22

‘Deeds not words’

Question 23

What do you think the slogan meant?

Answer 23

That WSPU would not restrict itself to peaceful protest

Question 24

What was the given to the members of the WSPU and by whom was it given?

Answer 24

Suffragette; Daily Mail

Question 25

Why did Emmaline Pankhurst believe that extreme action was justified?

Answer 25

Because denying the vote of women was an intolerable social injustice; would gain the maximum press attention for the Cause

Question 26

Give 3 examples of direct action taken by the WSPU

Answer 26

Chained themselves to railings; smash windows of public buildings; go on hunger strike in prison

Question 27

What did Emily Davison famously do?

Answer 27

Was killed when trying to stop the King’ horse at the Derby in 1913

Question 28

Why did the NUWSS withdraw financial support from the WSPU?

Answer 28

The campaigns were becoming more violent and NUWSS believed in purely peaceful protest

Question 29

What group away from the WSPU and when did they?

Answer 29

Women’s Freedom League (WFL)- 1907

Question 30

Why did they break away?

Answer 30

Because, although they supported direct action, they did not believe in breaking the law

Question 31

In what way is it fair to say that Britain was divided in 1910?

Answer 31

Into supporters of the women’s suffrage and the opponents

Question 32

Name 3 groups which formed to oppose women’s suffrage?

Answer 32

Men’s League for Opposing Women’s Suffrage; National League for Opposing Women’s Suffrage; Women’s Anti-Suffrage League

Question 33

What was the collective nickname used to describe these groups’?

Answer 33

The ‘Antis’

Question 34

Were newspapers generally opposed to or supportive of women’s suffrage?

Answer 34

Opposed to

Question 35

How did the newspapers often criticise suffragettes?

Answer 35

By lampooning them in ‘humorous’ cartoons

Question 36

Can you give an example?

Answer 36

Suffragettes made to seem like ugly spinsters who were bitter they could not find a husband

Question 37

How did women continue to protest whilst in prison?

Answer 37

Hunger Strike

Question 38

Why were the hunger strikes embarrassing for the government?

Answer 38

They looked if the middle class, respectable women were dying in prison

Question 39

What wS the Liberal government’s reaction to hunger strikes and what did it involve?

Answer 39

Force feeding by holding a woman down and pouring liquidised food down tubes inserted in her nose

Question 40

What effect did have on the public opinion of the government?

Answer 40

There was public outrage

Question 41

When did the government end its campaign of force feeding?

Answer 41

1913

Question 42

Why did the campaign of force feeding help the Suffragette’s cause?

Answer 42

Women’s bravery inspired others; provided excellent propaganda material

Question 43

What piece of legislation did the government pass to to combat hunger strikes and how did it work?

Answer 43

Temporary Discharge for Ill Health Act- suffragettes would be sent home to recover and rearrested when they regain their strength

Question 44

What nickname was given to this law?

Answer 44

The ‘Cat and Mouse’ Act