Women Essay Flashcards
Opening: Prior to 1918 no women had suffrage and in 1867 , a proposal to grant women the vote was put forward
This however, had very little support as the majority of men argued that women were too emotional to comprehend politics and the role of women was very much to be a wife and child carer. This is because the role of the Suffragette campaigns were the most significant factor. Then this essay will discuss…
Under the leadership of Millicent fawcett
the Suffragists developed a huge nationwide network of over 400 branches by 1914.
Under the leadership mud march
The Suffragists built public and parliamentary support for female suffrage through a range of non-violent pressure tactics such as the Mud March in February 1907 which saw over 3,000 women from around the country congregate in London to march on Hyde Park. This demonstrates how the Suffragists were successful in presenting a united effort to raise awareness for the campaign for female Suffrage.
Under the leadership media attention
This media attention this march achieved raised the visibility of the campaign overall and pressured the government to take action. Their lack of column inches in newspapers due to their actions not being violent or unusual enough is widely accepted as an argument of their ineffectiveness.
Under the leadership evaluation
Their tactics failed to pressure MPs to take meaningful actions which delayed the discussion. The failure of conciliation bills to give the vote showed lack of force. Relate to question the government did not want to have violent methods by the suffragettes continuing after the war so change was made 1918 showing the suffragettes were more successful.
War work: opening
Women’s war work was vital they worked in said male jobs in mechanical and engineering settings such as munitionettes over 700,000 women were employed making munitions.
War work: ku munitions workers
By the end of the war 60% munitions workers were female. This disproved stereotypes that limited the impact on the view of women in the early 1900s, the economy would have suffered if it wasn’t for women stepping up. The vote was seen as a reward. as claimed by David Lloyd George in late 1917. Although the women enfranchised were married and older than the people who worked
Women’s war work: French women counter
in France women were not enfranchised I’m 1918 despite their their war effort. It could be argued this was due to there being no French equivalent to the women’s suffrage movement in Britain before the war.
Evaluation women’s war work.
Had an important role in achieving the vote and showed the power of women in the work force. The extension of the franchise didn’t include the women who did the war work. This shows war work was not a driving reason for enfranchising women. Relate to question the suffragettes were more significant otherwise the women who did the war work would have been enfranchised.
Suffragettes opening: origin of suffragettes
The women’s Social and Political Union was formed in Manchester in 1903. It was led by Emmeline Pankhurst It had been created out of frustration with the lack of progress achieved by the NUWSS.
Suffragettes ku militant tactics
From 1909 onwards the suffragettes used more militant tactics This included throwing stones at the windows of London clubs, setting fire to pillar boxes, attempts to set fire to the country houses of cabinet ministers and attacks on golf greens. This shows they used more direct tactics that were impossible to dismiss and violence worried the government.
Suffragettes hunger strikes
Many were sent to prison and then went on hunger strikes to further pressure the government as the government could not let them die as that would result in more bad publicity. This led to cat and mouse act temporary realise if prisoners are ill. This gained respect for the bravery of the suffragettes.
Suffragettes counter: prison
however during this time before WW1 all suffragette leaders where either in prison, unwell or living in hiding. By just before WW1, there were very few Suffragettes still actively campaigning. This shows that in the lead up to the war the suffragettes were almost burning out due to lack of leadership and lack of campaigning
Suffragettes evaluation
The tactics and the suffragettes were a very important factor Suffragettes brought the issue of votes for women to crisis point and once they raised the issue it was not going to go away, the suffragettes showed they could be responsible by giving up violence when the war broke out as Pankhurst famously shut down the campaign to help with the war effort. The violence worried government, government may have given women vote to prevent return to violence after the war.
Change in attitudes opening
In the late 19th century the attitude began to change due to their on efforts and due to changes in education politics and society. This made it harder to not enfranchise women.
