Women and the vote essay Flashcards
Introduction context?
prior to the 20th century women were seen as hugely to men and had very little political rights. women wanted the vote as it would provide a voice for them and allow them access to the political system.
Introduction factors?
Suffragettes, Suffragists and womens war work
LOA
women’s war work was the main reason for women gaining the vote.
Suffragettes knowledge?
- under the leadership of emmeline pankhurst the suffragettes led a violent campaign for votes for women.
- The WSPU ( women’s social and political union) was formed in 1903 and followed the motto “deeds not words”
Suffragettes analysis?
-imprisoned suffragettes went on hunger strikes, but many were force fed which was painful and dehumanising for the suffragettes, as a result this generated huge public sympathy for the suffragettes and provided powerful propaganda against the government.
Suffragettes analysis+?
-methods took attention away from women’s suffrage and instead put a spotlight on the suffragettes vandalism which as a result lost them support from both MPs and the public
-the suffragettes sabotaged the relationship the votes for women campaign had with the government & MPs because they didn’t want to be seen as supporting a violent campaign.
Suffragettes Evaluation?
Not the most important because the suffragettes the suffragettes caused approximately £700,000 worth of damage in 1914 which gave the government more of a reason to withhold the vote as they were seen as terrorists and the government did not want to reward the property damage by giving the suffragettes the vote.
Suffragists knowledge?
-the suffragists used peaceful tactics to try and gain women the vote such as creating and signing petitions about women’s suffrage.
- the suffragists were led by millicent facet the leader of the NUWSS
Suffragists analysis?
-The suffragists peaceful campaigns showed that they were capable of disciplined and rational thinking which impressed both MPs and the public alike.
- they also came to an agreement with the labour party which put pressure on the then liberal government to take action on the issue of women’s suffrage or risk loosing support to labour.
Suffragists analysis +?
the suffragist movement was slow and tedious and was easily ignored by politicians this is emphasised by the fact that they had been campaigning since the 1860s yet had still made no real political progress in the early 1900s.
Suffragist evaluation?
The suffragists during this time failed to gain any support from the Liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith who still opposed female suffrage despite their peaceful protesting which suggests that they were not enough to convince the government of a women’s right to vote at this time.
Women’s war work knowledge?
-during the war over 900,000 women worked in munitions factories across britain.
-women also worked on the western front helping wounded soldiers.
women’s war work analysis?
- working on the western front showed that women were willing to put their lives on the line to help their country and as a result gained them respect and showed their patriotism and thus worthiness of the vote.
- women took over many jobs while men were at war which showed that women were capable of working the same jobs as men so therefore deserved the same voting rights as men.
Women’s war work analysis+?
-war work was mostly done by young unmarried women however in 1918 the representation of the people act only gave married women over 30 the vote which meant that those who helped during the war were not rewarded with the vote which suggets that they were not the main factor for the passing of the act
women’s war work evaluation?
main reason because women played a crucial role in helping Britain win the war which gained them the respect of many MPs and changed the minds of certain MPs such as the most important MP Herbert Asquith the prime minister which suggest that war work was the main reason for women gaining the vote
