Women’s Suffrage Essay

Question 1

Background Sentences

Answer 1

Before 1918, women weren’t allowed to vote in national elections, and some women were able to vote in small local elections.

After 1918, women over the age of 30 were granted the right to vote in national elections and more women were able to vote in local elections.

Question 2

Factors - only pick three

Answer 2

The Suffragettes, the Suffragists, Women’s War Work, Changing Attitudes to Women and Events in Other Countries

Question 3

The Suffragettes/WSPU -

Where would women chain themselves to?

Answer 3

They would chain themselves to railings of important buildings. For example, in 1908 Edith New and Olivia Smith chained themselves to the railings at 10 Downing Street.

Question 4

The Suffragettes/WSPU -

What would women do when they were sent to prison?

Answer 4

Women would often go on hunger strike when they were sent to prison. For example, Marion Dunlop was the first woman to go on hunger strike.

Question 5

The Suffragettes/WSPU -

How did the WSPU destroy postboxes?

Answer 5

They would destroy post boxes with fire, water or acid. For example, between the summer of 1913 to the summer 1914 over 500 postboxes were attacked.

Question 6

The Suffragettes/WSPU - Analysis

Answer 6

They gained a lot of publicity as they hired photographers to take pictures of themselves chained to the railings of Parliament to which they sent to the local newspapers which helped gain awareness for the cause of women’s rights.

Question 7

The Suffragettes/WSPU - Analysis+

Answer 7

The public started to become annoyed with the Suffragettes and their militant actions which caused them to decide that they wouldn’t support the cause for women’s voting rights.

Question 8

The Suffragists/NUWSS

What type of marches did the suffragists organise?

Answer 8

They organised peaceful and law-abiding marches. For example, on February 9th 1907 the NUWSS organised the United Procession of Women, or the Mud March which took place in London, where over 3,000 women had taken part.

Question 9

The Suffragists/NUWSS

What political party did the Suffragists align with?

Answer 9

They aligned with the Independant Labour party in 1912. For example, in 1913 the Labour Party pledged to vote against any type of Bill that did not include women within it.

Question 10

The Suffragists/NUWSS -

What would the Suffragists do to MPs?

Answer 10

They would lobby MPs. For example, Suffragists would organise meetings with their local MPs and talk to them directly about why women should be allowed the right to vote with evidence of signatures of those who believed in women’s right to vote.

Question 11

The Suffragists/NUWSS - Analysis

Answer 11

Women were proving to the government that they could be law-abiding citizens and were responsible enough to be able to have the right to vote.

Question 12

The Suffragists/NUWSS - Analysis+

Answer 12

There was no immediate action from the government taken after the Suffragists campaign which slowed down the process of all women gaining the right to vote.

Question 13

Women’s War Work -

What did women construct inside factories?

Answer 13

One job that women did during WWI was that women constructed many of the different weapons that were used in WWI. For example, over 9,000 women were employed at the Gretna munitions factory.

Question 14

Women’s War Work -

Which nursing units were women allowed to join?

Answer 14

A second job that women did during WWI was that some women became qualified to become nurses and had joined different nursing units. For example, the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) and the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) were two types of nursing units a woman could be a part of.

Question 15

Women’s War Work -

Which armies were women allowed to be a part of?

Answer 15

By 1918, there were many different types of armies that women could be a part of. For example, the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) and the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) were two different types of army that a woman could join.

Question 16

Women’s War Work - Analysis

Answer 16

Women were seen as responsible as they were able to help win the war with all the effort they put in from stepping up and taking over the men’s roles which made men believe that the women were capable of handling such an important job of voting in national and important elections.

Question 17

Women’s War Work - Analysis +

Answer 17

The majority of women who had worked in the war, lost their jobs when the men came back from fighting. This meant that the attitudes towards women had changed during the war as women were allowed to take over from the men, but once the war was over, women were seen the same way they were seen before the war and had to give up their jobs and return to their role as a housewife for their husband.

Question 18

Changing Attitudes to Women

How did attitudes change in regards to marriage?

Answer 18

One action that changed attitudes about women was that women were allowed to be independant and weren’t having to rely on their husbands or need to have a husband.

Question 19

Changing Attitudes to Women

Who would speak out and support women’s right within society?

Answer 19

A second action that changed atttudes about women was that important figures within society were speaking out and supporting women’s rights. For example, John Stuart Mill (Liberal MP) campaigned for some votes for women in the 1867 Reform Act by organising and presenting a petition to Parliament.

Question 20

Changing Attitudes to Women

Were women allowed the right to vote in smaller elections?

Answer 20

A third action that changed attitudes about women was that some women were given the right to vote in smaller elections, typically ones in the village/city.

Question 21

Changing Attitudes to Women - Analysis

Answer 21

Women participating in local elections eroded the idea that women were incapable of political thought and were too irrational to vote.

Question 22

Changing Attitudes to Women - Analysis +

Answer 22

The government didn’t view women’s rights or women’s right to vote as an important issue in comparison to other laws and matters.

Question 23

Events in Other Countries

What happened in 1893?

Answer 23

(In 1893,) New Zealand was the first of the British colonies to give women the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

Question 24

Events in Other Countries

What happened in 1902?

Answer 24

In 1902, Australia allowed women the right to vote in national elections and have their say in how the country should be run.

Question 25

Events in Other Countries

What happened in 1917?

Answer 25

In 1917, Canada allowed some women the right to vote in national elections if they were associated with the armed forces.

Question 26

Events in Other Countries - Analysis

Answer 26

Britain felt embarrassed that they were being outdone by other colonies/countries that they were in control of as they had already given women the right to vote.

Question 27

Events in Other Countries - Analysis +

Answer 27

The government believed that there were other topics that were needing to be discussed before the need for them to talk about women gaining the right to vote.