Suffragettes (AI)

Who were the Suffragettes?

The Suffragettes were members of women's organizations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who advocated for the right to vote in public elections, known as women's suffrage.

What was the main goal of the Suffragette movement?

Their main goal was to achieve universal women's suffrage, meaning women's right to vote in political elections.

What tactics did the Suffragettes employ?

Suffragettes were known for their militant and often confrontational tactics, including:

• Public demonstrations and marches
• Disrupting political meetings
• Civil disobedience, such as refusing to pay taxes
• Vandalism (e.g., smashing windows, bombing mailboxes)
• Hunger strikes in prison, often met with force-feeding

Who was a prominent leader of the Suffragette movement in the UK?

Emmeline Pankhurst, along with her daughters Christabel and Sylvia, founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK, which became the most influential Suffragette organization.

How did the Suffragette movement differ from the Suffragist movement?

While both sought women's suffrage, Suffragists (e.g., the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies led by Millicent Fawcett) pursued their goals through peaceful, legal, and constitutional means. Suffragettes (e.g., the WSPU) employed more radical, militant, and often violent tactics to draw attention to their cause.