“ “ Deeds not Words”Deeds not Words”

The Fight for the Right to VoteThe Fight for the Right to Vote

Women and the VoteWomen and the Vote

AimsAims::

• Identify the reasons why women did Identify the reasons why women did not have the vote.not have the vote.

• Outline two groups who campaigned Outline two groups who campaigned for change – the Suffragists and the for change – the Suffragists and the Suffragettes.Suffragettes.

Key WordsKey Words

DemocracyDemocracy: : All adults have the right to take part in All adults have the right to take part in regular, fair and free elections.regular, fair and free elections.

Suffrage:Suffrage:The right to voteThe right to vote

Franchise:Franchise:The right to voteThe right to vote

Militant:Militant:Prepared to use violencePrepared to use violence

Extension of the FranchiseExtension of the Franchise

In the 19In the 19thth Century Britain was not a Century Britain was not a democracy.democracy.

Three great reform acts 1832, 1867 Three great reform acts 1832, 1867 and 1884 gradually extended the and 1884 gradually extended the franchise to most men.franchise to most men.

Women were not allowed to vote at Women were not allowed to vote at all.all.

Votes for WomenVotes for Women Women were treated as second Women were treated as second

class citizens.class citizens. Their role was to be a good wife Their role was to be a good wife

and mother.and mother. Men argued women were too Men argued women were too

emotional and irrational to be emotional and irrational to be trusted with the vote.trusted with the vote.

They could not legally own They could not legally own property and her belongings property and her belongings automatically became the automatically became the property of her husband.property of her husband.

Society looked down on divorce Society looked down on divorce and it was almost impossible to and it was almost impossible to escape an unhappy marriage.escape an unhappy marriage.

Women knew they would never Women knew they would never achieve equality with men unless achieve equality with men unless they had the vote.they had the vote.

The SuffragistsThe Suffragists In 1867 MP John Stuart Mill In 1867 MP John Stuart Mill

proposed that women should be proposed that women should be given the vote. This was given the vote. This was rejected. rejected.

Women Suffragists, who were Women Suffragists, who were mainly middle class campaigned mainly middle class campaigned peacefully through letters and peacefully through letters and petitions hoping to persuade the petitions hoping to persuade the government to change its mind.government to change its mind.

In 1897 all the women’s suffrage In 1897 all the women’s suffrage societies joined together in the societies joined together in the National Union of Women’s National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) led Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) led by Millicent Fawcett.by Millicent Fawcett.

Suffragette SourcesSuffragette Sources

On the next couple of slides you will On the next couple of slides you will examine different sources about the examine different sources about the Suffragettes.Suffragettes.

How useful are these sources as How useful are these sources as evidence of the Suffragettes evidence of the Suffragettes campaign to get votes for women?campaign to get votes for women?

Date

Detail

Authorship

PurposeLimitation

Suffragette Poster 1910

On 2 July 1909, Marion Wallace Dunlop went on On 2 July 1909, Marion Wallace Dunlop went on hunger strike because she was treated like an hunger strike because she was treated like an ordinary criminal. After 91 hours without food she ordinary criminal. After 91 hours without food she was released. In September, the Home Secretary was released. In September, the Home Secretary ordered force feeding. Many people were ordered force feeding. Many people were horrified at the cruelty of the horrified at the cruelty of the Government.Government.

An extract from ‘Scotland and Britain’ by Sandra An extract from ‘Scotland and Britain’ by Sandra Chalmers and Larry Cheyne (2004).Chalmers and Larry Cheyne (2004).

Authorship Date

DetailPurposeAccuracy

Date Bias

Exaggeration Limitation

Purpose Authorship

The WSPUThe WSPU

In 1903 frustrated In 1903 frustrated by their lack of by their lack of success, Emmeline success, Emmeline Pankhurst and her Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel daughter Christabel broke away from broke away from the NUWSS and the NUWSS and formed their own formed their own suffrage movement suffrage movement the Women’s Social the Women’s Social and Political Union.and Political Union.

TacticsTactics The main aim of the WSPU The main aim of the WSPU

was to attract publicity.was to attract publicity. Initially women disrupted Initially women disrupted

political meetings, held political meetings, held demonstrations and demonstrations and devised publicity stunts devised publicity stunts like chaining themselves like chaining themselves to the railings at Downing to the railings at Downing Street.Street.

They did get publicity but They did get publicity but they were often ridiculedthey were often ridiculed..

The SuffragettesThe Suffragettes Despite their efforts the Despite their efforts the

women were still no women were still no nearer to getting the nearer to getting the vote.vote.

After 1905 more militant After 1905 more militant action was proposed action was proposed even if it meant breaking even if it meant breaking the law.the law.

A number of arrests and A number of arrests and imprisonments followed imprisonments followed as the women were as the women were charged with disorderly charged with disorderly conduct.conduct.

The Daily Mail coined the The Daily Mail coined the nickname the nickname the Suffragettes.Suffragettes.

Hunger StrikesHunger Strikes In 1909 Marion Wallace In 1909 Marion Wallace

Dunlop was the first Dunlop was the first Suffragette to go on Suffragette to go on hunger strike in prison.hunger strike in prison.

The Government were The Government were alarmed by this and they alarmed by this and they decided to force feed the decided to force feed the hunger strikers.hunger strikers.

Struggling suffragettes Struggling suffragettes were held down and were held down and rubber tubes two feet rubber tubes two feet long were pushed down long were pushed down their noses into their their noses into their stomachs and liquid food stomachs and liquid food forced into them.forced into them.

Black FridayBlack Friday

In 1910 a peaceful In 1910 a peaceful demonstration to the House of demonstration to the House of Commons ended in violent Commons ended in violent action by the police against the action by the police against the demonstrators.demonstrators.

At this time a bill (proposed At this time a bill (proposed law) was put to Parliament to law) was put to Parliament to give women the vote.give women the vote.

However there was not enough However there was not enough support and the bill failed. support and the bill failed.

This photo appeared in the This photo appeared in the press the next day entitled press the next day entitled Black Friday.Black Friday.

The Wild PeriodThe Wild Period In 1912, hundreds of In 1912, hundreds of

women took to the women took to the streets of London to streets of London to protest after, once again, protest after, once again, Parliament refused to Parliament refused to give women the vote.give women the vote.

They smashed shop They smashed shop windows on Oxford street windows on Oxford street and even threw stones at and even threw stones at 10 Downing Street.10 Downing Street.

At the Derby in 1913 At the Derby in 1913 Emily Wilding Davison Emily Wilding Davison threw herself in front of threw herself in front of the King’s horse and was the King’s horse and was killed she was the first killed she was the first suffragette martyr.suffragette martyr.

The Cat and Mouse ActThe Cat and Mouse Act There was uproar in the There was uproar in the

press when news of the press when news of the force feeding was leaked.force feeding was leaked.

The Government passed The Government passed the Prisoner’s Temporary the Prisoner’s Temporary Discharge Act to allow ill Discharge Act to allow ill suffragettes to go home, suffragettes to go home, recover, then rearrested recover, then rearrested them in an attempt to them in an attempt to prevent any actual deaths prevent any actual deaths from hunger strike.from hunger strike.

This Suffragette poster This Suffragette poster shows what they thought shows what they thought about the government.about the government.

Further ViolenceFurther Violence

January to July 1914 there were 107 January to July 1914 there were 107 incidents of arsonincidents of arson

11 works of art were damaged 11 works of art were damaged including the Rokeby Venusincluding the Rokeby Venus

Telegraph wires were cut.Telegraph wires were cut. Acid was poured through letterboxesAcid was poured through letterboxes Liberal MPs including the Prime Liberal MPs including the Prime

Minister – Herbert Asquith were Minister – Herbert Asquith were physically attacked.physically attacked.

The Rokeby VenusThe Rokeby Venus

On March 10th 1914, Mary Richardson attacked the painting with a meat cleaver.

She was sentenced to six months imprisonment – the maximum sentence for destruction of an artwork.

Did Violence help the Did Violence help the Suffragette CauseSuffragette Cause??YesYes

The brutal treatment given The brutal treatment given in prison won the support in prison won the support of the public.of the public.

The government were very The government were very concerned that there concerned that there would be an increase in would be an increase in violence used by the violence used by the SuffragettesSuffragettes

The violence kept the The violence kept the Suffragette issue in the Suffragette issue in the forefront of public forefront of public attentionattention

NoNo

Many people were Many people were convinced that the convinced that the Suffragettes were mentally Suffragettes were mentally unstable.unstable.

The government could not The government could not be seen to give way to be seen to give way to violenceviolence

Violence provided the Violence provided the government with an excuse government with an excuse not to give the vote.not to give the vote.

The violence of the The violence of the Suffragettes undid much of Suffragettes undid much of the good work of the the good work of the peaceful Suffragists.peaceful Suffragists.

Revision TaskRevision TaskNickname of Nickname of OrganisatioOrganisatio

nn

SuffragistsSuffragists SuffragettesSuffragettes

Proper NameProper Name

Year It Was Year It Was Set UpSet Up

LeaderLeader

AimAim

TacticsTactics PeacefulPeaceful MilitantMilitant

Examples of Examples of TacticsTactics

The First World WarThe First World War

AimsAims::

Identify the role Identify the role that women played that women played during the Great during the Great WarWar

Identify the Identify the reasons why reasons why women got the women got the vote in 1918.vote in 1918.

War Breaks OutWar Breaks Out On the 4On the 4thth August 1914 Britain declared war on August 1914 Britain declared war on

Germany.Germany. Mrs Pankhurst called off the suffragette Mrs Pankhurst called off the suffragette

campaign and urged women to join the war campaign and urged women to join the war effort.effort.

Women joined the Voluntary Aid Detachments Women joined the Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) as nurses and took over all sorts of (VADs) as nurses and took over all sorts of men’s jobs.men’s jobs.

Women risked their lives working in the Women risked their lives working in the munitions factoriesmunitions factories

The women’s war effort was highly praised by The women’s war effort was highly praised by the public and the pressthe public and the press

Women rubber workers building treads on tyres,

Lancashire

Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps preparing food at an army camp in France

Railway Workers cleaning carriages

Women operating cranes in a shell-

filling factory

The Representation of the The Representation of the People Act 1918People Act 1918

Many soldiers who had Many soldiers who had been out in France fighting been out in France fighting for their country did not for their country did not have the right to vote.have the right to vote.

A Speaker’s conference A Speaker’s conference was called to discuss that was called to discuss that and the issue of women and the issue of women voting.voting.

The new Prime Minister The new Prime Minister Lloyd George and other Lloyd George and other MPs were more MPs were more sympathetic to the idea of sympathetic to the idea of giving women the vote.giving women the vote.

It was decided to give It was decided to give women over the age of 30 women over the age of 30 the right to vote – it was the right to vote – it was mainly middle class women mainly middle class women who benefited.who benefited.

Women did not achieve Women did not achieve voting rights to equal to voting rights to equal to men until 1928.men until 1928.

Did the Women’s War Effort Did the Women’s War Effort get the Voteget the Vote??

There was a great deal of praise for women There was a great deal of praise for women especially women munitions workers but under especially women munitions workers but under the 30 year age rule most munitions workers the 30 year age rule most munitions workers were left out.were left out.

The government were worried that there might The government were worried that there might be renewed violence by the suffragettes.be renewed violence by the suffragettes.

In France where there was no corresponding In France where there was no corresponding suffragette movement women did not get the suffragette movement women did not get the votevote

However women in other democratic countries However women in other democratic countries eg New Zealand, Australia, Finland, Denmark, eg New Zealand, Australia, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Canada were getting the vote. Norway and Canada were getting the vote. How could Britain lag behind?How could Britain lag behind?

Did Violence help the Did Violence help the Suffragette CauseSuffragette Cause??

YesYes The brutal treatment given The brutal treatment given

in prison won the support in prison won the support of the public.of the public.

The government did not The government did not want a renewal of pre war want a renewal of pre war violenceviolence

The violence kept the The violence kept the suffragette issue in the suffragette issue in the forefront of public forefront of public attentionattention

NoNo A lot of people were A lot of people were

convinced that the convinced that the suffragettes were mentally suffragettes were mentally unstable.unstable.

The government could not The government could not be seen to give way to be seen to give way to violenceviolence

Violence provided the Violence provided the government with an excuse government with an excuse not to give the vote.not to give the vote.

The violence of the The violence of the suffragettes undid much of suffragettes undid much of the good work of the the good work of the peaceful suffragists.peaceful suffragists.

Women in ParliamentWomen in Parliament 17 women candidates 17 women candidates

stood in the 1919 election, stood in the 1919 election, only one Constance only one Constance Markiewicz was elected Markiewicz was elected but she refused her seat but she refused her seat in the commons.in the commons.

The first woman to enter The first woman to enter parliament was Nancy parliament was Nancy Astor in 1919.Astor in 1919.

The first and only woman The first and only woman Prime Minister so far was Prime Minister so far was Margaret Thatcher elected Margaret Thatcher elected in 1979in 1979

Currently 144 out of 650 Currently 144 out of 650 MPs are women.MPs are women.