Case Study 10- Women's Suffrage Movement

Suffrage

The right to vote

Millicent Fawcett

Founded the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) in 1897

NUWSS

National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies- to bring all the groups campaigning for women’s suffrage together

Suffragists

Members of the NUWSS- they used peaceful methods of protest

Emmeline Pankhurst

Founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903

WSPU

Women’s Social and Political Union- formed to take more direct action

Suffragettes

Members of the WSPU- they used violent methods of protest

WFL

Women’s Freedom League formed in 1907. They campaigned for the right to vote and equal pay as well

Lobby

A group of people seeking to influence legislators on a particular issue

Liberal

A political philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties and democracy

Derby Day (1913)

Emily Wilding Davidson threw herself under a horse at the Epsom Derby and became a martyr for the movement

Emily Wilding Davidson

Died at Epsom Derby because of a horse and she became martyr for the movement

Martyr

Someone who dies for their beliefs

The Cat and Mouse Act

Releasing suffragettes from prisons to recover and become healthy from their hunger strike and then re-arresting them

Economic Causes of the Suffrage Movement

* Wages were lower for women
* Married Women’s Property Act - women can control their own income and property (1870)
* Women were treated as second class workers
* They have a lack of legal representation in the workplace
* Women were expected to focus on marriage and childbearing and were not treated equally

Political Causes of the Movement

* Inequality in the workplace
* Expectation was that women would leave the workforce when they got married and look after the home
* Women didn’t get any representation in national government so they couldn’t get their voices heard
* No women had the right to vote; there was no legal way to influence the law
* Women had few legal rights, including no child custody rights

1897

Millicent Fawcett created the NUWSS- it was made up of middle class women using peaceful methods like meetings, speeches and propaganda

1903

Emmeline Pankhurst formed the WSPU- they used violent methods

1907

WFL was formed to campaign for the right to vote and equal pay

1912

Suffragettes start a stone-throwing campaign, hundreds of windows were smashed and over 200 suffragettes were arrested

1913

* Emily Wilding Davison dies at Epsom Derby and becomes a martyr for the movement
* Suffragettes in prison go on hunger strikes- the Cat and Mouse Act is introduced

1914

The NUWSS and WSPU support WWI and work while men were sent to war. Women were called ‘angel of the factory’

1918

The Representation of People Act- all men over 21, women over 30 and women over 21 who own property can vote

1928

All women over 21 can vote

Short Term Outcomes

* Crucial movement for women’s rights
* Gives women initial legal representation
* More laws on women’s rights
* First female lead movement (except for Match Girls)
* Mixture of peaceful and violent methods
* The Representation of People’s Act
* It was a success

Long Term Outcomes

* Gave women suffrage
* Women get legal representation- more laws for women’s rights (Equality Act 2010, Sex Discrimination Act 1975)
* Helped women be in the position they’re in today’s society
* It was a success